Innovation M arrives in UK

Miele’s Innovation M laundry range has already won three design awards in Germany and will now be available to UK dealers.

The opening of Miele’s Experience Centre at the UK headquarters in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, provided an opportunity to show UK customers equipment that Miele says represents “cutting-edge engineering and technological innovation” for the commercial laundry sector.

At the forefront of developing professional laundry and dishwashing equipment since the company was founded in Germany in 1899, Miele invests heavily in research and development.

It has a tradition of introducing innovation which offers tangible benefits to the end-user, according to Les Marshall, sales and marketing director for Miele Professional.

Clean sheet approach

The Innovation M range of washer-extractors and tumble dryers is the latest to benefit from Miele’s “clean sheet” design approach.

It is the result of a three-year development programme, says Marshall. “Some features, such as the honeycomb drum, were previously introduced on domestic appliances and it is only now that we have been able to transfer this innovation to commercial products,” he added. “Innovation M has won three design awards in Germany since it was launched there last year and we expect it to be equally successful in the UK market. These developments are revolutionary in the commercial laundry market.”

Miele Professional’s Innovation M series comprises washers and dryers with 10kg, 13kg, 16kg and 20kg load capacities.

Advanced

A distinctive design combined with advanced technical features and robust construction has resulted in a series of machines that are not only “intelligent” and powerful but also durable, the company said.

It believes the machines offer the highest in technological innovation and allow for exceptionally high levels of customisation.

The M range washers and dryers all feature Miele’s patented, sculpted honeycomb drum. The arched hexagonal sections create a film of water on which laundry glides. This significantly reduces friction and prevents individual threads from being forced through the holes in the drum.

Honeycomb

The honeycomb structure further protects the fabric as the number and size of the perforations has been reduced, ensuring better wetting and drenching and resulting in improved performance.

“The primary aim was to develop a range of machines with low lifetime costs – to build in durability for a longer and more reliable working life and also minimise operational costs,” said product manager Malcolm Martin.

“We know from independent research that the honeycomb drum design extends fabric life, something which all customers can benefit from.” The Profitronic M controls have also been redesigned to offer a common interface on both washer-extractors and tumble dryers for the first time, allowing a simpler program selection.

Sixteen programs are offered but there is an option to increase these up to 199.

Card reader units, which are fitted as standard on all washer-extractors and as an optional extra on tumble dryers, allow programs to be downloaded quickly and simply to the machine’s controls to meet a customer’s specific requirements. This makes the machines suitable across a wide variety of industry sectors, from catering establishments and hotels to professional laundries.

Chip cards control

Chip cards can control access to certain areas and include an operating level from where pre-set programs can be launched, including a supervisor level.

A further innovation is the imbalance controls on all new washer-extractors, which ensures smooth running at top speeds. Critical off-balance loads are detected in the early stages so that remedial action is taken to ensure good spin performance.

This imbalance sensing allows for longer-lasting machines, provides greater user convenience and improves energy efficiency.

Because Miele operates on a global scale, the main requirements of all European sales subsidiaries are incorporated, so that everyone benefits from economies of scale, according to Marshall.

“For example, all Innovation M washing machines conform to water regulations and have already been awarded WRAS approval,” he explained.

Miele’s 10kg PW6101 washer-extractor has several features to ensure laundry is processed economically and efficiently. Energy consumption has been lowered, with the latest model said to use 17% less water than its predecessor.

To comply with catering establishment requirements, where cleanliness and hygiene are paramount, the washer-extractor offers programs with varying temperature levels. Sluice and thermal disinfection to Department of Health guidelines are a standard feature for healthcare applications and the Profitronic M controls enable the parameters to be easily changed, thereby ensuring that the machines are “future proofed’”

The award-winning PW6201 washer-extractor is the largest capacity machine in the range at 20kg. This machine won silver in the iF (Industry Forum Design of Hannover) awards for 2004 and was nominated for German federal government’s design prize, an extremely high accolade.

Compact choice

The range of 7.5kg capacity washing machines and tumble dryers is already established in the UK as the compact option for in-house laundry applications such as hotels, nursing homes and larger residential homes.

Using the unique honeycomb drum design has enhanced the performance of both models. The drum improves the wash process and prolongs the life of the laundry by reducing friction, which can damage fibres and cause pilling of the fabric.

On the tumble dryer, the profile of the hexagonal section is reversed to provide a cushioning effect, which also protects the fabric and improves drying.

The compact washer-extractors are available in several versions with a choice of features. For example, there are two drainage options on Miele’s W6073 washer-extractor.

The W6073 MC13 is a drain valve version with 13 fixed programs, including sluice and thermal disinfection and is targeted at the healthcare market.

The W6073 MC23 with drain pump and 23 fixed programs has the additional features of a delay start and separate spin speed selector and is suitable for smaller hotels and catering operations.

Miele offers extensive service packages and is strongly committed to providing a reliable after-sales service, including a comprehensive spare parts distribution system.

The company provides in-depth pre-sales advice, with its field staff working closely with Miele Professional dealers to provide a thorough analysis of the planning and installation requirements.