Globaliser of Swiss army knives dies

Carl Elsener III helped bring the Swiss army knife and its brand to the world Photopress/Victorinox

Carl Elsener III, the man who brought the Swiss army knife to global markets through his family’s Victorinox brand, has died at the age of 90.

Elsener, who was Senior Leader at Victorinox, took over the family business from his father in 1950, when its knives were still being made by hand. Under his leadership, the manufacture of the now iconic Swiss army knife was automised and the company’s offerings diversified to include watches, luggage and clothing.

Elsener also led the signing of licensing accords to bring the brand to the United States and Asia.

“Carl Elsener gave all his energy to the company, his employees and to the legendary Swiss army knife during more than 70 years,” a Victorinox spokesperson said in reaction to Elsener’s death on Saturday.

“He was a tireless man who could work at the office until two in the morning. When he woke up in the middle of the night with an idea, he wrote it down on the wallpaper in his room so as not to forget it.”

Today, Victorinox is run by Elsener’s eldest son, Carl IV, one of his 11 children. Victorinox is the largest cutlery producer in Europe and employs close to 2,000 people, 900 of them at its headquarters in Ibach, Switzerland. The company produces 60,000 Swiss army knives every day.