Swiss manufacturer of pocket knives, household and professional knives, watches and travel luggage
Victorinox AG
Ibach (Schwyz) · Delémont · BonfolNew on Amplifa
About Victorinox
Victorinox AG, headquartered in Ibach in the municipality of Schwyz, is a Swiss knife manufacturer that, in addition to the famous Swiss pocket knife (Original Swiss Army Knife), produces household and professional knives, watches and travel luggage. Production includes stamping and forging of stainless steel blades, heat treatment in an in-house hardening shop, and assembly of the multi-part pocket tools; materials include stainless steel (Inox), ceramic, plastic and wood. With an annual production of around 26 million units – of which 6 million Swiss knives, 7 million pocket tools and 13 million household and professional knives – the company supplies customers in over 100 countries, with around 90 % of production exported. In addition to its own production, Victorinox grants licenses for watches, apparel and travel luggage. Customers include the Swiss Army, for which Victorinox has been the sole pocket knife supplier since 2005, as well as NASA, whose Space Shuttle crew equipment includes Victorinox knives.
- Site
- Ibach
- Processes
- Knife manufacturing (pocket knives, household and professional knives), Fully electric hardening shop (heat treatment), Stamping (stamped blades), Forging (one series with forged tang/bolster), Licensing for watches, apparel and travel luggage
- Materials
- Stainless steel (Inox), Ceramic (blades), Plastic (handles), Wood (handles), Ceramic, Plastic, Wood
- Certificates
- NSF (professional knife certification), NSF (professional knives)
- Founded
- 1884
- Employees
- 2100
- Industries
- Consumer goods, Pocket knives/outdoor tools, Household and professional knives, Watches, Travel luggage, Military supplies
- 01
Stamping and forging of blades (stainless steel)
- 02
Heat treatment in in-house hardening shop
- 03
Assembly of pocket knives and multitools
- 04
Licensing for watches, apparel and travel luggage
Materials & Manufacturing Processes
Stainless steel (Inox)
Main material for blades of pocket, household and professional knives; namesake of the company name (Victoria + Inox).
Ceramic
Used for blades of a household knife series.
Plastic
Injection-molded handles for household and professional knives as well as the housings of the SwissCard.
Wood
Handle material used alongside plastic for knives with riveted handle scales.
Locations
Ibach (Schwyz)
CHGroup headquarters and knife production
- Lot size
- ca. 34,000 pocket knives/day, 38,000 multitools/day, 30,000 household knives/day
- Materials
- Stainless steel, plastic, wood, ceramic
- Fully electric hardening shop (since 1931, the first in the world)
Delémont
CHWatch production (Victorinox Swiss Army SA)
Bonfol
CHWatch factory (Victorinox Watch SA, founded 1999)
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife manufacturing (pocket knives, household and professional knives)Assembly | – | – | – | ca. 34,000 pocket knives/day, 38,000 | Stainless steel, Plastic, Wood, Ceramic |
| Fully electric hardening shop (heat treatment)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel |
| Stamping (stamped blades)Forming | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel |
| Forging (one series with forged tang/bolster)Forming | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully electric hardening shop | – | 1 | – | 1931 | Ibach, Switzerland |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Certification
Victorinox's professional knives are NSF-certified for professional use in food processing. Watch production takes place entirely in Switzerland in accordance with the requirements of the Swiss Made designation.
| Evidence | Ibach (Schwyz) | Delémont |
|---|---|---|
| NSF (professional knives) |
History
- 1884
Founding of the Carl Elsener knife factory by Karl Elsener in Ibach
- 1891
Co-founding of the Swiss Cutlery Association; first supply of soldier knives to the Swiss Army
- 1897
Legal protection of the Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife (later the Original Swiss Army Knife)
- 1909
Introduction of the Victoria factory brand after the death of the founder's mother; protection of the cross-and-shield emblem
- 1921
Renaming to Victorinox (Victoria + Inox)
- 1931
Installation of the world's first fully electric hardening shop at Victorinox
- 1978
Victorinox knives become part of the NASA Space Shuttle crew equipment
- 1979
Conversion of the sole proprietorship Messerfabrik Carl Elsener into the family-owned corporation Victorinox AG
- 1989
Market entry into the watch business in the USA under the Swiss Army brand
- 1999
Market entry into travel luggage (license granted to TRG Group); founding of Victorinox Watch SA in Bonfol
- 2000
Establishment of the Victorinox Corporate Foundation (initially 75 % of share capital)
- 2005
Acquisition of competitor Wenger SA in Delémont; Victorinox becomes the sole supplier of pocket knives to the Swiss Army
- 2013
Integration of the Wenger knives into the Victorinox product range
- 2014
Acquisition of the travel luggage business from TRG Group; introduction of the I.N.O.X. watch collection
- 2017
Discontinuation of the apparel and accessories division
- 2019
Revenue of 480 million CHF