BOKER
USA - THE COMPANY
A giant chestnut tree, shading the small Boeker tool factory in Remscheid
in the 17th century, is the oldest traceable symbol connected with the
Boeker name. Apparently, Boeker tools were very successful, since they
were among the leading products in Germany and neighboring countries
100 years later.
Due to the
increasing demand in a restless political era, Hermann and Robert Boeker
decided in 1829 to begin with the production of sabers. As early as
September 1830, the accounting records indicate a weekly production
of 2,000 items, made by 64 smiths, 47 grinders and a large number of
unskilled laborers. In view of the constantly increasing variety of
tools and cutting instruments and the good opportunities for worldwide
sales, the family realized that the individual steps in the manufacturing
process had to be spread out for optimal realization of its interests.
As a result, Hermann Boeker emigrated and founded H. Boeker & Co.
in New York. Young Robert developed his enterprise in Canada, founding
a branch in Mexico later in 1865. This branch is still a market leader
in its country under the name of Casa Boeker.
Heinrich crossed
the nearby Wupper river and went to Solingen, where the German industry
of cutting tools was growing by leaps and bounds at that time. In 1869,
he founded Heinr. Boeker & Co. with Hermann Heuser, a well-known
specialist in the field of cutting tools. The Boeker family in Remscheid
and their overseas cousins had a lot of interest in and a great demand
for shaving blades, scissors and pocket knives from Heinrich's new enterprise.
They had to identify their products for the overseas markets in a simple
way, since many customers and consumers had problems with the German
name Boeker ? not considering the fact that illiteracy was widely spread.
In Heinrich's opinion, the chestnut tree near the Remscheid facility
represented an ideal, easy-to-remember symbol. This brand symbol was
owned by the Remscheid company, together with a second logo, the arrow.
One of the few valuable documents that survived the total destruction
of WWII is an ad by Boeker, Remscheid, from the year 1874, showing both
logos.
The relationship
between the two Boeker companies had always been extremely friendly.
Therefore, Heinrich was allowed to take the tree symbol across the river
with him ? without any big fight or cost. Since then, not a single Boeker
article has left the Solingen factory without being identified by the
tree symbol. After more than 100 years of existence the old chestnut
tree was the victim of lightening. In 1925 a talented artist carved
a copy of the majestic tree on a piece of the trunk. This original piece
of art decorates the boss' office in the Boeker plant.
As early as
1900, the majority of articles produced by Boeker were distributed in
the US market. H. Boker & Co. in New York concentrated primarily
on cutting tools from Solingen. Soon pocket knives became more important
than scissors, shaving blades and eating utensils. The demand increased
even more rapidly than Solingen was able to supply, so that the Americans
in New York began their own production of pocket knives. A little later,
pliers were included as well. Since the tree symbol had become well
known by then and the various branches of the international Boeker family
enjoyed an excellent relationship among each other, it was not difficult
to receive permission from the Solingen relatives to use the tree symbol
also for the American products. Since that time, two different lines
of Boeker knives have been on the American market with the same brand
symbol, sometimes even with the same article numbers, but one line was
made in the USA and the other in Solingen. Only the declaration of marketability
clarified that one line was from Boker USA and the other from H. Boker
Improved Cutlery Solingen. The relationship was interrupted during WWII.
The Solingen factory burned down completely. None of the equipment,
tools, catalog materials or samples was spared. Those few originals
from the past we have today survived the war in private homes and were
made available to the company. The firm lost one of its most valuable
assets: the registration of the tree symbol for the American market
was confiscated pursuant to American law. John Boker Jr. acquired it
in New York, in order to secure it for the distribution of the American
and German products. Soon after the war, the destroyed factory was rebuilt.
Those loyal skilled workers who had survived the war, returned and helped
with the reconstruction of the building as well as the production, gradually
regaining the previous high standard of quality.
The American
cousins renewed their business contact with Solingen and started to
place orders. Within a few years Boker, New York, had again become the
principal customer. Models like the 7588 and 7474 and the most expensive
item, the sports knife "Flagship Model 182" could not cross
the ocean fast enough to reach Böker friends all over the country.
In the early
60s, Boker USA was sold and eventually acquired by the well-known scissors
manufacturer Wiss & Sons. Wiss retained the manufacture of Boeker
knives and sold them together with Solingen products. Of course, this
meant that the Boeker scissors ceased to be competitors of the Wiss
line in the American market. In the early 70s, Wiss sold to Cooper Industries,
a multinational company. This new change in America proved to be advantageous
for Boker.
A very close
business, as well as personal relationship developed with this industrial
giant. Due to its strength on the market, Cooper was able to restore
the original magnitude of the Boeker name. Thanks to the very lively
business activities with Cooper for eight years, the Solingen facility
could streamline its production and develop new, modern products. Without
exaggeration, Boker manufactures the largest assortment of high-quality
knives for sportsmen and collectors with an unsurpassed variety of materials
for blades and handles. Today, Boeker knives range from 320-layer Damascus
steel to very modern ceramics, with handles ranging from high-quality
mother-of-pearl to Thuya root wood and state-of-the-art synthetics...
In 1983 Cooper
discontinued its own knife production. Models still in demand are being
manufactured in Solingen today. As a result of friendly negotiations,
Cooper restored the American trademark rights three years later, providing
Solingen with the opportunity to become self-reliant in the huge American
market. Thus, in 1986, Boker USA, Inc. was created in Denver, Colorado.
Chuck Hoffman, the man who was involved with the company then, is still
active as CEO today, working with a young, energetic team.
The great
importance of Boeker in the South American markets (Argentina and Chile)
and in Mexico is due to the efficient men of the Boeker family, who
were active for us in these countries in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today's trademark includes the terms TREEBRAND and ARBOLITO. Since the
Argentinian market in particular is subject to extreme economic and
political fluctuations, the good name ARBOLITO was in danger of being
forgotten. In 1983, Boeker Arbolito S. A. was founded jointly with the
Salzmann family primarily to manufacture household and work knives in
Argentina. Thanks to the constant modernization and expansion of product
lines the company in Buenos Aires is able to compete worldwide with
selected products today.
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