COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 332211

Cutlery & Flatware Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

11companies1649–1982founding years11still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedFiskars Corporation
1649
FoundedWilkinson Sword Ltd.
1772
FoundedHermès International S.A.
1837
FoundedWürttembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG (WMF)
1853
FoundedOneida Ltd.
1880
FoundedNewell Rubbermaid Inc.
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedMcPherson's Ltd.
1913
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedChristofle SA
1930
FoundedZippo Manufacturing Company
1932
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedBairnco Corporation
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedAcme United Corporation
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Fiskars Corporation →
Active · founded 1649 · Finland
Fiskars Corporation, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, is one of the oldest companies in the western world, having…
Wilkinson Sword Ltd. →
Active · founded 1772 · United Kingdom
Wilkinson Sword Ltd., formerly known as Schick-Wilkinson Sword in the United States, is the world's second-largest…
Hermès International S.A. →
Active · founded 1837 · France
Known as 'one of the world's most elegant businesses,' Hermès International S.A.
Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG (WMF) →
Active · founded 1853 · Germany
Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG (WMF) is one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial coffee makers and…
Oneida Ltd. →
Active · founded 1880
Oneida Ltd.
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. →
Active · founded 1902
c.
McPherson's Ltd. →
Active · founded 1913 · Australia
McPherson's Ltd.
Christofle SA →
Active · founded 1930 · France
Christofle SA commands respect worldwide for its luxury table service products, including the company's traditional…
Zippo Manufacturing Company →
Active · founded 1932 · Call or Text 602-300-7153 for more information!
Zippo Manufacturing Company is world famous for its Zippo windproof lighter, its lifetime guarantee, and the…
Bairnco Corporation →
Active · founded 1981
Bairnco Corporation is a multinational company with subsidiaries operating in two business segments: engineered…
Acme United Corporation →
Active · founded 1982
Acme United Corporation is a publicly traded manufacturing company based in Fairfield, Connecticut, that is devoted to…
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