| 1884 |
Following his
apprenticeship in
Paris and in Tuttlingen in South Germany, Karl Elsener opens his own cutler's
business
in Ibach-Schwyz. The energy for the grinding and polishing machines is
supplied by a
waterwheel driven by the Tobelbach brook. |
| 1891 |
The Swiss Army
is supplied with
soldiers' knives for the first time. |
| 1897 |
On June 12, the
Swiss Officer's
and Sports Knife is patented. |
| 1909 |
To distinguish
his knives from
copies, the company founder decides to use the cross and shield, today's
Victorinox
emblem, on all pocket knives from this date on. |
| 1909 |
After the death
of his mother,
the company founder chooses her first name "Victoria" as the company
name. |
| 1921 |
Stainless steel
is invented
(also known as "inox"). The new brand name "VICTORINOX"
is produced by combining "inox" with the name
"Victoria". |
| 1931 |
The company
Brown Boveri sets up
the world's first fully electric hardening stove at Victorinox. |
| 1945 |
After the
Second World War, the
PX shops of the US Army, Marines and Air Force sell the "Swiss Officer's
Knife" in
large quantities
to their officers and soldiers. The Americans call it the "Swiss Army Knife"
for short, a term that has stuck in all English-speaking regions. |
| 1969 |
Part of
household and
professional knife production is housed in a new five-storey building.
|
| 1980 |
The largest
expansion
project so far increases the size of the production, office and storage areas
from
11,000 to 27,000
m˛. A workforce of 730 achieves sales of over CHF 65
million. |
| 1989 |
The launch of
Swiss Army watches
in America is highly successful. |
| 1992 |
The company
opens the first of
its own sales offices in Japan. In the years that follow, further subsidiaries
are founded in
Mexico, Brazil, Poland, Hong Kong/China, Vietnam and Chile. |
| 1999 |
To strengthen
the Victorinox
brand and broaden its appeal, a range of luggage is developed. This is
manufactured under
license and
following strict quality regulations. |
| 1999 |
The founding of
Victorinox Watch
SA in Bonfol expands the watch division. |
| 2000 |
The Victorinox
Foundation is
established. Its aim is to secure jobs for the long term and maintain
financial
independence. |
| 2001 |
A leisure and
business clothing
collection is developed for the North American market. Offering the same high
quality standards
as
the "Swiss Army Knife", it meets with
considerable acclaim. |
| 2001 |
All five
Victorinox product
categories – pocket tools, household and professional knives, watches, luggage
and clothing –
are
presented together for the first time in a flagship store in Soho, New
York. |
| 2002 |
Victorinox
becomes sole
shareholder of Swiss Army Brands Inc. in the USA. Its sales therefore exceed
CHF 400 million
for the first
time. |
| 2005 |
The takeover of
Wenger SA,
Delémont in the Jura region, knife manufacturer since 1893 and also a supplier
of the Swiss
army, is
intended to secure the ongoing further development of the "Swiss Army
Knife"
and the future of its Swiss-based production. |
