In 1884, Karl Elsener opened his cutler’s workshop in Ibach-Schwyz. At this time Switzerland was still one of the poorer countries in Europe. In the early years Karl Elsener worked to combat poverty and unemployment in the Schwyz basin, creating jobs and helping stem the flow of emigration.
In 1891 he supplied the soldier’s knife to the Swiss Army for the first time. He went on to develop the Swiss Officer’s and Sports Knife – now the iconic Swiss Army Knife – in 1897, creating the foundation for a flourishing company that would be able to hold its own on the world stage.
From then on, his spirit of solidarity, deep roots in the region and strong commitment to solid values shaped the Victorinox company philosophy.
Victorinox guarantees that its products meet the highest standards in all areas and quality is never compromised, regardless of the production site. The majority of Victorinox products – the Swiss Army Knives, Household and Professional Knives, Watches and Fragrances – are manufactured in Switzerland.
For reasons of expertise, Travel Gear items are produced abroad, where the technical, staff and material resources needed for efficient manufacture can be accessed. To ensure that these products also meet the highest standards, partners are chosen carefully and the high quality standards are stringently enforced.
It is this level of quality that has allowed Victorinox to become a leader in Switzerland and the rest of the world.
Social Responsibility
Victorinox AG is an independent family company and 90% of shares are held by the Victorinox Foundation. The company’s continued existence is therefore optimally assured as 90% of generated profits are available to the company as reserves. The remaining 10% of shares are held by a not-for-profit foundation that supports charitable projects.
