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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