Since 1896, we have dedicated ourselves to working with steel. For us, glazed steel is the perfect material – the origin of every development, a benchmark of perfection, a pioneering compass and an inspiring designer. It embodies the power of opposites: As the core, a steel body provides the product with its shape. This enables the variety of forms and precision for which Alape stands today. The glass shell awards the material its characteristic properties. It makes the product durable and holds even the most delicate geometries reliably in shape. Durability made in Germany.
Glazed steel is the result of the perfect symbiosis of a steel base body and the enamel. The material and our production enable a unique interaction of form, delicacy and colour.
Dr. Julia Rami Head of Industrial Engineering at Alape
The material glazed steel not only opens up a fascinating variety of shapes and dimensions with unique precision but also particularly distinguishes itself in daily use. When steel and glaze form an inseparable bond, the composite material achieves extraordinary durability as well as further visual, hygienic and physical material advantages throughout its entire service life.
The tolerance of our basins and washstands is +2 / -0 millimetres. Manufactured in special steel and fired at 830° C, they retain their shape permanently and resist external influences such as temperature differences and mechanical stress.
The glaze, a wafer-thin skin with a maximum thickness of 300 μm, is immune to external influences. Thin and robust, it utilises its mechanical resistance to defy all the everyday challenges in the household. Scratch marks, abrasion or chipping can therefore hardly occur.
The colours of our basins and washstands do not fade, no matter how intense the chosen colour tone is. This is due to specific pigments in the glaze, which only take on their final colour during the firing process and which are then perfectly protected by the glaze against any form of exposure.
Traditionally, our basins and washstands have wall thicknesses of between 1.5 and 3 millimetres. They are therefore much lighter than equivalent products made from other materials.
Our glazes are fired into the steel at 830° C and withstand temperature differences of – 60 to +450° C. Even temperature shocks, i.e. sudden effects of heat or cold, cannot damage the material.
Our glazes possess the same acid resistance as glass, meaning that only hydrofluoric acid could permanently damage the surface. The basis for this are glass-forming oxides, which combine with the steel during the firing process to form a protective coating.
The glaze firing creates a pore-free surface of a glassy-smooth quality on which neither microorganisms nor dirt particles can find a hold. In addition, the surface does not become statically charged and does not attract dust.
The raw materials for steel and glass are available in large quantities. We only use natural materials. The manufacture of washstands made from glazed steel is performed using environmentally friendly production processes. At the end of their useful life, the products are completely recyclable.
For over 125 years, glazed steel has been an inspiring designer and the origin of every development. In our manufactory, sustainable processes are utilised in order to create products which serve the basic human need for purification and individual creative drive. Precise in production, clear and innovative in design, perfect in the result and genuine in form and materiality, our products set a benchmark in value retention, aesthetics and perfection.
In times when hygiene is particularly demanded, we also recognise our social responsibility. Washstands made of glazed steel are already particularly hygienic, thanks to their sealed and non-porous surface. The long years of experience with antibacterial surfaces, which we have gained in sensitive environments such as hospitals or kindergartens, enable us to optimise the surface characteristics of our basins even further. Bacteria and fungi no longer stand a chance with the antibacterial “ProShield” glaze.
The careful handling of our planet and its resources is a fundamental attitude which is deeply rooted in our company. We act responsibly in all phases of the product life cycle, from the selection of raw materials, through manufacturing, and on to recycling: glazed steel is our ambassador for sustainability. As one of the oldest recycled materials whatsoever, steel contributes towards the conservation of resources. Our products are comprised of titanium-containing, low-carbon special steel, which is available in large quantities, just like the minerals extracted from the earth’s crust which we use for our glazes. Alape products are as free from harmful substances as the enamelled-steel bowls or pots which entire generations have been using for cooking since the 19th century.
