Beko's Global R&D Network Engineers the Future of Home Living with AI, Agility and Consumer-First Innovation

With 28 R&D centers across 12 countries and over 2,000 R&D employees, the company turns deep tech into tangible features that anticipate how people want to live

ISTANBUL, March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beko, a leading home appliances company, is accelerating its technology leadership by harnessing a global research and development ecosystem designed to turn emerging science into sustainable, smart and digitally secure home solution, from AI-powered refrigerators to advanced technologies that preserve the vitamins in fresh food for longer, and much more.

By positioning R&D among the fundamental engines of its growth, Beko is able to bridge the gap between deep-tech exploration and the tangible features that anticipate how people want to live. Beko's R&D capabilities find their strength in a unified global network of 28 R&D centers across 12 countries, creating a collaborative nucleus that stretches from its core in Türkiye – where 13 centers are located – to key European hubs in Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Romania. This distributed yet tightly connected model allows engineering and design teams to work as one, so ideas can move quickly from early research to built–in product solutions that are interoperable by design and create real value in everyday life, with Italy's Cassinetta and Fabriano hubs playing a pivotal role in driving design and built–in innovation at the heart of Europe's home appliances ecosystem.

The efficacy of Beko's R&D infrastructure is validated by more than 4,500 international patent applications and over one million annual tests conducted to provide peak reliability and performance. To further accelerate this development, Beko has integrated AI and digital technologies into its core processes. By applying machine learning to materials research to predict structural performance and leveraging generative AI for faster software design and development, the company ensures that its technical foundation remains as agile as the evolving consumer needs it aims to meet.

From lab to kitchen: Innovation in Action

The ultimate proof of concept for Beko's R&D investment and global infrastructure is found in the products themselves, which serve as the direct outcome of Beko's scientific rigor. These innovations are exemplified by technologies such as HarvestFresh, which uses a unique three-color light system to mimic the natural 24-hour sun cycle and preserve vitamins in fresh produce1, and Beko's AI-Sense and HomeWhiz enabled appliances. These systems serve as a tangible demonstration of the R&D network's capabilities, using artificial intelligence to learn household usage patterns, optimize refrigerator performance, and track energy consumption. Through this unified approach, Beko ensures that every investment in its more than 2,000 R&D employees, together with its global centers, results in meaningful products that remain at the forefront of modern home living.

Reflecting on this roadmap-driven approach, Nihat Bayız, Chief Production and Technology Officer at Beko stated: "Our ambition is to be a company that doesn't just adopt technology but develops it and brings it to homes around the world. By carefully balancing our short-, mid- and long–term innovation horizons, we can turn deep R&D insight into scalable solutions that stay ahead of evolving consumer needs. Whether it is AI learning how a family uses their fridge to save energy, or light that helps preserve vitamins in fresh food, our teams are focused on transforming investment into innovation that genuinely improves everyday life."

About Beko

Beko is an international home appliance company with a strong global presence, operating through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries with a workforce of around 45,000 employees and production facilities spanning multiple regions—including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Beko has 22 brands owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). Beko is the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of 10.7 billion Euros in 2025. Beko's 28 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,000 R&D employees and hold more than 4,500 international registered patent applications to date. The company has achieved the highest score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in the DHP Household Durables industry for the seventh consecutive year (based on the results dated 16 October 2025).** The company has been recognized as the 17th most sustainable company on TIME Magazine and Statista's 2025 list of the World's Most Sustainable Companies. Beko's vision is 'Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.'  

www.bekocorporate.com  

*Licensee limited to certain jurisdictions.  **The data presented belongs to Arçelik A.Ş., a parent company of Beko.  

1 Tested by Intertek based on Vitamin C and Vitamin A measurements in tomatoes, green peppers, carrots, spinach, celery, parsley, coriander, red peppers and kale directly exposed to the light technology compared with Day 0 conditions over a 5-day period.

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