2018 BBQ – BARBECUE LINE

PROJECT INFO

CTM S.r.l., already established in the production of biomass-powered heating systems, decided to develop a new product line dedicated to domestic garden barbecues. This diversification strategy allowed the company to utilize its production facilities during periods of lower seasonal demand for its core products, while simultaneously exploring new market segments.

CLIENT REQUEST

Following a preliminary analysis conducted with the client, it became clear that the new barbecue line needed to be positioned in the mid-to-high market segment, consistent with the manufacturing standards and production capabilities of an Italian industrial facility.

The design objectives were therefore defined as follows:

• High perceived value through structural solidity, material quality, and careful construction detailing
• Technical performance suitable for controlled and advanced grilling, with particular focus on combustion management and adjustable distance from the heat source
• Integration of functional solutions more advanced and original than those typically available in the Italian market
• An elegant and distinctive formal language, capable of making the product immediately recognizable and aligned with the company’s industrial identity
• Full optimization of the design according to the production technologies already available in the factory

SOLUTIONS

The development of the barbecue line was approached by integrating all design requirements into a coherent and technically balanced product system. The central element of the project was the development of a technical solution allowing continuous adjustment of the grill height. While similar mechanisms are commonly found in South American barbecue products, the objective here was to achieve the same functional result through a more compact and formally minimal solution.
The conventional adjustment mechanism, typically positioned beneath the combustion plane and left visible, was re-engineered and inverted. It was integrated within the structural volumes, concealing the mechanical components inside the load-bearing elements. The resulting product features clean, rigorous geometries, with clearly defined volumes expressed as simple parallelepiped forms.

From a structural standpoint, the design prioritised box-section elements made from folded and welded carbon steel sheets, subsequently galvanized and powder-coated. These elements simultaneously function as self-supporting casings. The geometry was engineered to ensure torsional rigidity, load stability, and resistance to deformation caused by repeated thermal cycles.
The combustion chamber, visually distinguished by its satin-finished stainless steel surface, was internally lined with high thermal inertia refractory material in order to:

• Stabilize operating temperature
• Improve combustion efficiency
• Reduce heat transfer to the external structure

The entire project was developed in strict alignment with the company’s production technologies: CNC laser cutting, precision bending, structural welding, and high-temperature thermosetting powder coating. Solid laminated larch wood side shelves were introduced not only as functional support surfaces but also to reduce the visual mass of the metal structure and create a material contrast that enhances the perception of a premium product.
The final result is a technically coherent, structurally robust, and industrially scalable barbecue line (developed and prototyped in two different sizes), combining formal identity with constructive rationality.

MATERIALS

DIMENSIONS

• Lenght: 1208/796mm
• Width: 440mm
• Height: 920mm

CLIENT WEBSITE

https://www.ctm-italia.it/