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FELCO 2 - an icon since 1948

One day in 1945, a young self-taught visionary embarked on a most ambitious project. In spite of limited means, Felix Flisch decided to buy a former watch dial factory in Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, a lush locality nestling by the feet of the mountains in Neuchâtel, to develop peerless pruning shears… Those were the beginnings of FELCO.

In the neighbouring wine-growing region, vintners worked with heavy and awkward tools made of steel. Félix Flisch was able to offer them a high-precision tool designed for the most demanding professional users.

The revolution in motion

His revolution consisted in using aluminium to make the tool lighter, developing a very precise system for adjusting the cutting head and giving the tool ergonomic handles. After a first version, which was a bit of a test, the FELCO 2 was released in 1948.

That was the birth of a timeless icon, with more than 16 million pieces sold to date.

FELCO 2 is not just revolutionary because of its weight and precision; all its components are replaceable, making them easy to change when they are worn. The handles in aluminium, a material that was hard to find at the end of World War II, offer guaranteed strength.

La révolution en marche

His revolution consisted in using aluminium to make the tool lighter, developing a very precise system for adjusting the cutting head and giving the tool ergonomic handles. After a first version, which was a bit of a test, the FELCO 2 was released in 1948.

That was the birth of a timeless icon, with more than 16 million pieces sold to date.

FELCO 2 is not just revolutionary because of its weight and precision; all its components are replaceable, making them easy to change when they are worn. The handles in aluminium, a material that was hard to find at the end of World War II, offer guaranteed strength.

A timeless tool

Over time, the demand for FELCO 2 grew dramatically, and the company workshop was extended to keep pace. Founded in 1945 with only a few workers, FELCO now has more than 200 employees who help perpetuate the iconic status of the FELCO 2.

The very early FELCO 2 shears date from the end of the 1940s, while the current tool dates from the late 1950s, showing how forward-looking it was in its time. Its design has not changed, innovation continues to reside in the materials and the mode of production. A timeless tool that is the daily companion of hundreds of thousands of professional and passionate users across the world. A reliable and durable workmate that is handed down through generations.

Just when everybody else was succumbing to the trends of consumerism while ignoring the actual needs of users, we emerged in a class of our own.

Félix Flisch, 1987

A timeless tool

Over time, the demand for FELCO 2 grew dramatically, and the company workshop was extended to keep pace. Founded in 1945 with only a few workers, FELCO now has more than 200 employees who help perpetuate the iconic status of the FELCO 2.

The very early FELCO 2 shears date from the end of the 1940s, while the current tool dates from the late 1950s, showing how forward-looking it was in its time. Its design has not changed, innovation continues to reside in the materials and the mode of production. A timeless tool that is the daily companion of hundreds of thousands of professional and passionate users across the world. A reliable and durable workmate that is handed down through generations.

Just when everybody else was succumbing to the trends of consumerism while ignoring the actual needs of users, we emerged in a class of our own.

Félix Flisch, 1987

A responsible approach of the company

Today, ultramodern robots work alongside more conventional machines. The making of FELCO 2 involves some fifty steps, including hand assembly and multiple quality controls for each pair of pruning shears.

These Swiss-made tools are also environmentally responsible, as FELCO uses renewable energy in production and recycles virtually all its waste. This responsible approach is in harmony with FELCO’s principle of replaceable components and demonstrates the focus on durability and longevity that have always been part of the company’s DNA.

FELCO 2 owes its success to more than its technical features, it is the fruit of the painstaking work of those who craft it, and the unfailing loyalty of its users around the world.

A responsible approach of the company

Today, ultramodern robots work alongside more conventional machines. The making of FELCO 2 involves some fifty steps, including hand assembly and multiple quality controls for each pair of pruning shears.

These Swiss-made tools are also environmentally responsible, as FELCO uses renewable energy in production and recycles virtually all its waste. This responsible approach is in harmony with FELCO’s principle of replaceable components and demonstrates the focus on durability and longevity that have always been part of the company’s DNA.

FELCO 2 owes its success to more than its technical features, it is the fruit of the painstaking work of those who craft it, and the unfailing loyalty of its users around the world.

FELCO is humbled by the trust that has been placed in the company for over 70 years. That is why a series of scientific and social initiatives that are fully consistent with the FELCO philosophy are being taken throughout the year to share the splendid heritage of FELCO 2.

#felco2

Proceeds from the limited edition 70th anniversary FELCO 2 support these initiatives:

CropTrust partnership

FELCO is proud to partner with Crop Trust and to support a study which will help ensure the long-term conservation and availability of the world’s only international coffee collection.

Old Vine Project

FELCO is a proud to partner with the Old Vine Project (OVP) in South Africa, helping to promote and preserve old vines through pruning education.

African Women Rising

FELCO is pleased to support African Women Rising (AWR), a small nonprofit organization active in Uganda to empower women after war by providing technical skills and support for success via education, agriculture, and microfinance training.