Who Owns The Swiss Army Knife Brand & Where Are The Tools Made?

Thanks to its usefulness in a host of situations, the Swiss Army Knife is one of the most handy small tools around. Complete with knives, a corkscrew, a Swiss Army Knife can opener attachment, which can actually be used for a number of things, and more, this little tool can do it all. (This is doubly true when you consider that features as small as the Swiss Army Knife's toothpick slot also have many alternative uses.) As a result of the knife's enduring popularity, numerous brands have produced their own versions of this iconic multitool. However, it should be recognized that the Swiss Army Knife does have roots in a specific company.

The Swiss Army Knife brand and tool itself date back to the late 1800s. Swiss inventor Karl Elsener produced his first knife for soldiers in 1891. It contained a knife, a reamer, a can opener, and a screwdriver. He followed this up by producing an officer's knife in 1897 which incorporated a corkscrew and a second blade into the design. In the modern age, the Swiss Army Knife is owned by Victorinox, a company which Elsener founded during 1884 in the town of Ibach, Switzerland. Now, well over a century later, the company still produces its handy knives in its factory in Ibach. The company produces hundreds of different models and a slew of tools and attachments, including a Swiss Army Knife hook that, again, has many different uses.

It's commonly believed that Victorinox is the only company to have ever produced official Swiss Army Knives, but this isn't entirely true. In reality, another company manufactured the knives alongside Victorinox. Wenger was established in 1893 in Courtételle, Switzerland and spent the remainder of the 19th century, and the entirety of the 20th century, as Victorinox's rival. More specifically, it boasted its own competing line of official Swiss Army Knives.

In 2005, Victorinox purchased Wenger. At the time of the announcement, it was reported that this move was done in order to allow the official producers of the Swiss Army Knife to better compete against the numerous manufacturers that were selling cheaper copies of the tool. With that said, Victorinox didn't ultimately elect to shutter Wenger and simply take over its product line and resources. Instead, the company has kept the Wenger name alive, integrating its knives into the Victorinox portfolio in 2013. Wenger remains a popular brand, both in Switzerland and abroad, to this day and is especially respected for its range of affordable and durable watches.

With its main competitor now an asset, Victorinox stands as the sole producer of the original Swiss Army Knife. Still, even though these tools are handy and can benefit folks from all walks of life, success in business is all about expansion. With this in mind, the people behind Victorinox have expanded their consumer offerings in some interesting ways during recent decades.

Victorinox sells a variety of kitchen utensils, including a huge array of knives. These range from small table knives that cost less than $10 to carving knives that are priced well above $700. The company also produces other kitchen tools, including both graters and an easily transportable cutting board. Outside of the kitchen, Victorinox has dipped its toes into the watch and travel gear markets. It has even created a line of fragrances for men and women. Not long ago, the company worked to break into apparel, but this endeavor was cut short in 2017 so Victorinox could focus on its other products. You can rest assured, however, that this esteemed company will never turn its back on the nifty little multitool it is known for.