Fiskars Corporation

Type	Public (OMX: FIS1V)
Industry	Consumer products
Founded	1649
Headquarters	Helsinki, Finland
Key people	Kari Kauniskangas (CEO)
Products	Scissors, gardening tools, kitchenware, ceramics, knives, outdoor equipment, boats
Revenue	€697 million (2008)[1]
Operating income	€70.9 million (2008)[1]
Profit	€49.2 million (2008)[1]
Employees	3 623 (31.12.2009))[1]
Subsidiaries	Iittala Group Gerber Legendary Blades Silva Sweden AB
Website	www.fiskars.fi

This article is about the company. For the village this company was founded in, see Fiskars, Finland.

The Fiskars Corporation (Fiskars Oyj Abp; OMX: FIS1V) is a metal and consumer brands company founded in 1649 at Fiskars Bruk (Finnish: Fiskarsin Ruukki), a locality now in the town of Raseborg, Finland, about 100 km west of Helsinki on the old main road from Turku to Vyborg. Fiskars is best known today for its scissors, axes and high-quality knives.

History[link]

Scissors with ergonomic orange plastic handles are the best-known product by Fiskars; they have been manufactured since 1967.

The Fiskars Corporation was formed in 1649 when a Dutch merchant named Peter Thorwöste was given a charter to establish a blast furnace and forging operation in the small village of Fiskars. The furnace produced pig iron that was shingled to wrought iron in the finery forges powered by water wheels. In the early years, Fiskars made nails, wire, hoes, and metal reinforced wheels from wrought iron.

As industrial and economic development accelerated in Europe, Fiskars was on the forefront of innovation, and expanded the knifeworks to become a premier steel and ironworks company, manufacturing agricultural machinery, steam engines, and household utensils, including candlesticks, forks, and scissors. The first pair of Fiskars scissors was created more than 130 years ago, and made of heavy forged steel. One of their most recognizable products, the orange colored scissors were designed in 1967. Fiskars was also one of the first companies in Europe to manufacture microwave ovens.

Fiskars was listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1915.

Today[link]

Military entrenching tool manufactured by Fiskars for the US Marines

Originally a Finnish manufacturer, Fiskars is now a holding company that imports from countries around the world, primarily China. Their largest holding is Fiskars Brands, which still produces the traditional craft and garden products that made the company famous. This division is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The business areas of Fiskars Brands include Outdoor Recreation, Portland, Oregon, USA; Fiskars School, Office, and Craft, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Fiskars Garden and Outdoor Living, Sauk City, Wisconsin, USA; Fiskars Europe, Brussels, Belgium; and Fiskars Corporation and Fiskars Housewares, Helsinki, Finland.

Iittala Group, the Finnish houseware design company, was acquired by Fiskars in 2007. ^[2]

Inha Works, located on Ähtäri, Finland, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiskars that produces aluminium boats with the Buster brand name.

Fiskars is also the largest shareholder of its associated company, Wärtsilä and also operates a real estate group that manages about 150 km² of land near the birthplace of the company.

Fiskars Corporation, headquartered out of Helsinki, is the company's global headquarters and oversees all of these operations.

Fiskars has over 4,300 employees worldwide. Most of these employees work in offices that oversee the companies operation in the country or region they serve. The countries and regions are Asia, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, UK, and USA. The company also has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, China, and other locations, but many products are not manufactured offshore to their markets.

Brands and products[link]

Buster motorboat by Fiskars

According to the Fiskars Group, its core international brands, as of 2009, are:^[1]

• Fiskars (scissors, gardening tools)
• Iittala (kitchenware, glassware)
• Gerber (knives and multitools)
• Silva (outdoor products, especially navigational equipment)
• Buster (boats)

Iittala Kivi candle holder

After acquiring Iittala Group and Silva 2006-2007, Fiskars also owns several locally strong brands, including:^[1][3]

• Arabia (ceramics, kitchenware; Finland)
• BodaNova (glassware, cutlery; Sweden)
• Brunton (outdoor equipment; United States; to be sold to Fenix Outdoor AB^[4])
• Hackman (cookware; cutlery; Finland)
• Höganäs Keramik (ceramics; Sweden)
• Høyang-Polaris (cookware; Norway)
• Raadvad (Denmark)
• Rörstrand (porcelain; Sweden)

In Finland, according to a 2008 survey which included both Finnish and international brands, Fiskars was the most respected brand among consumers.^[5] There were three other Fiskars-owned brands in the top 5: Arabia (#2), Iittala (#4) and Hackman (#5).^[5]

Financial[link]

Fiskars Corporation's net sales in fiscal year 2008 were € 697.0 million, up from € 647.0 in 2007. The increase was mainly due to the acquisitions of Iittala Group and Leborgne in 2007.

Cash flow from operations in 2008 was € 97.0 million compared to € 82.0 million in 2007.

The operating profit (EBIT) was € 70.9 million compared to € 106.9 million last year. The decrease was primarily caused by non-recurring items totalling € 34.9 million. Earnings per share for the year were € 0.64, down from € 1.40 in 2007.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Fiskars Corporation homepage
• Fiskars craft official website
• Fiskars Brands homepage
• Fiskars Craft and Garden homepage
• Gerber Legendary Blades (Fiskars Outdoor Recreation)
• Gerber Legendary Blades Military (Fiskars Outdoor Recreation)
• Brunton (Fiskars Outdoor Recreation)
• Inha Works
• The Fiskars Village
• The Fiskateers