Zyliss

Zyliss

Company type	Brand
Industry	Consumer products
Founded	1951
Founder	Karl Zysset (1907-1998)
Headquarters	Zürich , Switzerland
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Kitchen Products and Gadgets, Knives and Cutlery, Food Choppers, Graters, Slicers
Parent	DKSH
Website	www.zyliss.ch

Zyliss is a Swiss manufacturer of kitchen utensils. Originally a private company, Zyliss is now a brand owned by DKSH, a Swiss holding company.^[1][2]

History

Zyliss was founded by trained bicycle mechanic, Karl Zysset (1907—1998) in 1951.^[3] The names Zyliss is based on a combination of the founder's surname and the town of Lyss, Switzerland where the first factory was established.

The company launched its first product, the onion chopper, with the slogan "Zig-Zig Zyliss".^[4]

Timeline

In 1982, the company was sold to two investors who in turn sold the operation in 1985 to the Diethelm Keller Holding Group, now DKSH.^[3]

In 2001, Zyliss partnered with the design firm, IDEO to develop a series of kitchen products that have gone on to see worldwide success.^[5]

In 2003, the company reduced its number of employees from 105 to 80 and the company's management announced that the production site of Zyliss would be relocated. After a protest in Switzerland^[6] the move was cancelled.^[7][8] Thirty staff of the fifty in the Swiss team moved to China during the mid-2000s.^[8][9] The headquarters were also moved to Zurich in December 2005.^[10]

In 2008, Zyliss partnered with global design firm, RKS Design, to develop a new brand language including the Red Dot-winning salad spinner.^[11]

In 2006, the company, Zyliss AG, was delisted and was consolidated into DKSH. Today, Zyliss is operated by DKB Household Switzerland AG, the household utensil subsidiary of DKSH.^[12] This subsidiary currently has 120 employees and in addition to Zyliss they also operate the brand Cole & Mason (salt & pepper grinders and herb and spice tools) and the appliance brands Koenig and Turmix.^[13]

Inventions

Three notable inventions have been developed by Zyliss including the "Susi" garlic press,^[14] the salad spinner, and an onion chopper.^[15][16] The Susi garlic press has an accompanying tool cleaner, and has been produced since the mid-20th century.^[17] The company also began creating the Zyliss vise (a home improvement tool) in the 1970s^[18] and has sold a slicing mandoline.^[19] The company has worked with IDEO on projects including the salad spinner, specifically on the aesthetic and visual components.^[20]

See also

• KitchenAid

References

1. "Our Brands". DK Brands. Diethelm Keller Group. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
2. "Handelsregister Tagebuch Nr. 9270" (PDF). Das Schweizerische Handelsamtsblatt (SHAB). 2006-04-04. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
3. Work: Karl Zysset und sein Blitzhacker; workzeitung.ch; retrieved 14 August 2012.
4. Gina Bucher (2011-09-25). "Bequemer Alltag - Zum Gebrauch ungeeignet". Der Freitag. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
5. "IDEO Partners with Zyliss". www.ideo.com. IDEO. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
6. "Zyliss-Streik - Verbittert sind sie nicht", Die Wochenzeitung, 27 November 2003.
7. "Zyliss-Belegschaft glaubt an Standort Lyss". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 2003-11-25. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
8. "Zyliss: Verlagerung nach Asien". KunststoffWeb (in German).
9. Schmid, Conny (23 June 2009). "Etikettenschwindel: Der Schwindel mit der Marke Schweiz". Beobachter (in Swiss High German).
10. "Handelsregister Tagebuch Nr. 33374" (PDF). Das Schweizerische Handelsamtsblatt (SHAB). 2005-12-08. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
11. "Smart Touch Salad Spinner Wins 2008 Red Dot Award". www.dexigner.com. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
12. "Zyliss: Verlagerung nach Asien". www.swissguide.ch.
13. Enz, Werner. "Diethelm Keller Group: Familienunternehmen mit Top-Portfolio". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German).
14. Mueller Science: 500 Schweizer Primeurs, Schweizer Erfindungen und Schweizer Entdeckungen; retrieved 14 Aug. 2012.
15. "Nervige Küchengeräte - Frauenzimer.de". Frauenzimmer.de. 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
16. "schweizer ideen | Land der Erfinder – Das Schweizer Magazin für Innovationen". Land-der-erfinder.ch. 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
17. Linda Griffith, Fred Griffith (24 October 1998). Garlic, Garlic, Garlic: More than 200 Exceptional Recipes for the World's ... HarperCollins. pp. 37–38. ISBN 0547346697. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
18. The Vise wants to do everything. Apr 1973. p. 26. Retrieved 2014-07-26.
19. Jocelyn chan (Feb 2004). Silver Platter. Orange Coast Magazine. p. 42. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
20. Michael F. Ashby, Kara Johnso (19 December 2013). Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product ... Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 56. ISBN 9780080982823.

External links

• Zyliss Switzerland
• Zyliss United States
• Quartz Countertops