While its superlative thermal furniture and fittings have been celebrated by the spa and wellness industry for the past two decades, family-run brand Sommerhuber has actually been manufacturing its unique Heat Storing Ceramics since 1491.

For centuries, people in the Alpine area enjoyed the special warmth of Sommerhuber’s products before the company began to tailor them into the luxurious, hygienic and stylish thermal products that are produced today.

The company’s original focus on fireplace ceramics remains a core part of its business, but the unique ability of the ceramics to store warmth and emit this into the room as pure, soft infrared heat has made the brand a cornerstone of many spas around the world.

“As a family-run business we have deepened and perfected our knowledge of the manufacturing of ceramic tiles over decades,” says CEO, Christian Sommerhuber. “Our expertise lays in the manufacturing of large-area, ergonomically shaped ceramics for two business areas – tiled fireplaces and spa ceramics.”

Soothing ceramics

Sommerhuber’s Heat Storing Ceramics, as the name suggests, have the ability to store warmth and gently emit it to objects and people in any room in the form of soft, long infrared heat.

This gentle radiant warmth has a soothing effect on the human body via the autonomic nervous system, stimulating the circulation, dissolving muscle tension and positively affecting the immune system.

“Because of these health benefits of infrared warmth,” says Sommerhuber, “we focus the use of our ceramics on body contact areas within the thermal areas of spas, such as in heated ceramic loungers, hamams, benches, seats, steam rooms and tepidariums.

Product evolution

Having spent so long perfecting the production of its ceramics, which are now such a vital part of many spa installations around the world, Sommerhuber prides itself on being ahead of the curve in the ever-changing wellness industry, especially where design trends and customer requirements are concerned.

“When it comes to product creation, especially in Europe, we are seeing a shift in style from straight-edged, blocky designs to a more organic, lighter, softer aesthetic,” says its CEO.

Perhaps nowhere is this evolution more apparent than in the company’s Lounger One Plus, which Sommerhuber says has a design aspiration to “reconnect with nature and natural shapes.”

“Our Lounger One Plus is characterised by an organic aesthetic with delicate contours to create the ideal comfort for those lying upon it,” he explains. “Its large-area, ergonomically shaped ceramics ensure the highest hygiene standards while providing touchless enjoyment for guests.”

Of course, the Lounger One Plus is finished with the company’s Heat Storing Ceramics, which emit their mild, long-wave infrared heat to calm the user’s body and mind.

With an infinitely variable temperature controller and a charging port for USB devices, the electrically heated ceramic surface of Lounger One Plus is available in 15 different glazes that can be complemented by colour co-ordinated headrests and sub-structures.

Hygiene at its heart

It is not just stylistic preferences that can affect the relevance or suitability of a company’s products. Sometimes an event, such as the coronavirus pandemic, can change buyers’ priorities completely.

Covid-19 has increased the need for hygiene in all spa areas, but particularly in close-contact thermal zones. In this respect, Sommerhuber’s expertise in creating large-area surfaces sets it up as the perfect partner for evolving and newly developing thermal suites.

Again exemplifying that this is a company with its finger on the pulse of spa operators’ concerns, the Lounger One Plus has a velvety-soft, ceramic surface with just two transverse joints, meeting the highest hygiene requirements in private or public spaces.

“Large surface areas are becoming more popular than tiled structures as they minimise the number of joints, which can make rooms more difficult to clean and sanitise,” says Sommerhuber. “Our larger, smooth surfaces are much easier to clean and maintain.”