The Swiss army knife of the future may lose a very characteristic part. CEO Carl Elsener Jr. from the company Victorinox that makes the knives, is strongly considering equipping the multifunctional tool without a knife in the near future.
Who doesn’t know it? The multifunctional Swiss army knife, with functions such as knife, scissors, file, corkscrew and bottle opener. And don’t forget the toothpick. All that in a red casing with a white Swiss coat of arms on it. Children grew up with it, that hard campers can’t live without it. A success formula that could easily miss an important part in the future.
CEO Carl Elsener Jr. says this. in conversation with the Swiss medium Blick and a spokesperson for his company confirmed it to CNN. Elsener discusses the changing regulations regarding (pocket) knives to Blick. They are being banned by authorities in more and more places, in the hope of reducing the number of knife-related incidents.
“In England or some Asian countries you are sometimes only allowed to carry a knife if you need it for work or when you are outside,” he says. “However, in the city, whether you go to school, the cinema or the shopping centre, carrying pocket knives is becoming increasingly restricted.” Pocket knives are increasingly being regarded as weapons instead of tools, says the Swiss.
‘Cool tools for cyclists’
With this development in mind, his company Victorinox is developing new pocket knives, or rather: new pocket tools. “So I have a cool tool for cyclists in mind. Cyclists sometimes need specific tools along the way, but not necessarily a knife. For example, we already have specific tools for golfers.”
The predecessor of the company was founded in 1884 by Karl Elsener, Carl’s great-grandfather. The Swiss army knife subsequently became one of the Swiss successful brands, just like Rolex, for example. According to British newspaper The Guardian, the company produces ten million pieces of pocket tools every year. There are about four hundred different types. One of them has no fewer than 73 functions. Until now, all of those different types of pocket tools had at least one blade.
In recent years, Victorinox has already released other product lines such as socks, watches and perfumes.
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