As the inventors of the kitchen cooker hood, Italian brand Faber has revolutionised kitchen air quality for over 60 years, combining functionality, innovation, and exceptional design.

 

Hani Mehanna, Export Manager of Faber from Franke Group provides valuable insights into the Faber brand.

Please describe the company and being part of Franke Group.

In 2021, the Franke and Faber brands came together under the Franke Home Solutions division, marking a strategic move to expand the Group’s presence in the kitchen industry and conquer new territories collaboratively. Joining forces, this allows us to combine our expertise, experience, and complementary skills. We are now taking the opportunity to proudly announce our competence in air treatment and our expert position within the Franke Group.

As the first-ever company to make kitchen hoods, please describe how Faber has shaped kitchen innovations for the better.

Faber is the pioneer in the field of cooker hoods and is the world’s largest manufacturer of its kind. Some of the key characteristics of the FABER brand are its strong global presence, 360° competence within the industry, quality design and functionality, superlative innovation, an ongoing aim to improve air quality, and its highly stylish and diverse product selection.

Air is a part of our origin, and we possess unparalleled expertise in this sector. Over the years, we have molded air into a thousand forms, using various materials such as steel, plexiglass, glass, and wood. We have transformed the kitchen hood into an object of design. We have incorporated smart functions such as lighting fittings, air conditioning, and advanced filters into the humble extractor hood. In short, we have connected it to the future.

Can you elaborate on the technologies that your company considers to be its most advanced and innovative?

Air is a free spirit. As it is intangible, air presents its own unique challenges. However, at Faber, we have the know-how to weigh, measure, and handle it just like any other material. After all, we have been working with it for over 60 years. This is why a Faber hood is such a breath of fresh air for your kitchen.

Faber stands as an innovator in air technology, developing solutions that are designed for real-life applications. Our range includes: Faber Cloud, K-Link, Steam Off System, Zero Drip, Air Quality Sensor, Sil & Still, Air-lane, UV-C LAMP, Nautilus, Brushless, Sound Pro.

What distinctive or iconic design elements characterise your products and set them apart from others in the market?

Our product design teams at Faber remain at the forefront of the latest kitchen design trends. They carefully consider factors such as size, colour, material, and quality when finalising product designs.

One example of our forward-thinking approach is seen in our Up & Down technology. In open-concept kitchen and living room combinations, as well as in restricted spaces, there is often the need to choose a suspended hood with a design that can match the interior décor. Faber solves these needs by combining the functionality of a hood with that of a light fitting.

This technology works as follows:

DOWN: The hood moves down to illuminate the hob and optimise suction while cooking.

UP: When not in use, the hood returns to the ceiling transforming into an elegant light fitting. The addition of FABER’s brand-new remote control allows for easy movement and adjustment.

How does your company incorporate sustainability into its operations and what initiatives are in place to minimise both your company's and customers' carbon footprints?

To respect the world we live in, making sustainable choices is essential. Therefore, it is important to choose a hood that is energy-efficient. By developing solutions aimed at lowering environmental impact and saving on energy, Faber also takes care of the planet.

Examples of our sustainable features:

LED Lighting: All FABER hoods incorporate LED lighting technology. These LED units consume next to nothing while producing a natural and pleasant light, ensuring optimal visibility without altering colours.

Higher Class Energy: Today, Faber hoods are confirmed in the highest energy classes. These hoods ensure superlative performance with minimal energy consumption from the suction motor, filtering system, and lighting. As an example, our top-of-the-range Galileo hob extractor achieves excellence with its Class A+++ energy efficiency rating.

Can you provide insights into the long-term plans and goals that your company has set for the future?

As an innovator in air technology, Faber is currently focused on reinforcing competencies in air sanitisation. Recently, we have begun to unveil innovations and technologies that we have been developing for several years. This is because we consider this as an area of growth, based on our in-depth research on emerging trends, insightful understanding of the home, and the evolving needs and concerns of today’s consumers.

Expanding our expertise in air solutions to encompass air sanitisation is a progressive step for Faber. We believe our competence in air treatment coupled with our expert position allow for synergies that can be harnessed within this category. Faber remains committed to improving the air treatment category by introducing more advanced hob extractor solutions and incorporating greater convenience and technology into our core hoods category. A notable example of this commitment is the recent revision of our Vertical Hoods platform, resulting in improved performance and enhanced usability. This represents our dedication to providing consumers with solutions that are designed for real-life applications.