Kneissl is a manufacturer of handmade skis, biking and tennis equipment and apparel, based in Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria.
History
To 1990
The Kneissl Company was founded as a wheel factory in 1861. The first skis were produced in 1919. In the 1960s, Kneissl developed the first plastic skis featuring a wood core. Ski racer
Karl Schranz
Karl Schranz (born 18 November 1938) is a former champion Alpine skiing, alpine ski racer from Austria, one of the best of the 1960s and early 1970s.
Born and raised in Sankt Anton am Arlberg, St. Anton, Tyrol (state), Tyrol, Schranz had a leng ...
made the Kneissl White Star skis one of the most sought after in the world. In the seventies, the company expanded into cross-country ski and tennis racquet production.
In 1980, Kneissl went bankrupt and was bought out by German cross-country ski manufacturer Trak, as sole owner. In 1983, U.S. company Tristar took over Kneissl.
In February 1989, BREG Gesellschaft für Bau und Revitalisierung, belonging to
Hans Peter Haselsteiner
Hans Peter Haselsteiner (born 1 February 1944, in Wörgl) is an Austrian industrialist and former politician.
Education
After his Matura, Hans Peter Haselsteiner studied business economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, f ...
and
Erhard Grossnigg Erhard is a male German given name and surname, and may refer to:
People
*Erhard of Regensburg, bishop of Regensburg in the 7th century
*Erhard Altdorfer (c. 1480–1561), German Early Renaissance printmaker, painter and architect
*Erhard Arnold Ju ...
and Reinfried Spazier, took a majority stake.
In the nineties
![Kneissl Bigfoot 03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Kneissl_Bigfoot_03.jpg)
Kneissl was credited with the invention of “big foot” skis in 1990. It was also the first company to sell a carving ski in Austria.
Several different versions and styles of the "Big Foot" were made
In 1992, Kneissl and
Dachstein
Hoher Dachstein () is a strongly karstic mountain in central Austria and the second-highest mountain in the Northern Limestone Alps. It is situated at the border of Upper Austria and Styria, and is the highest point in each of those states. Pa ...
were merged into
Molln
Molln is a municipality in the district of Kirchdorf an der Krems in the Austrian state of Upper Austria
Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Aust ...
-based Kneissl Dachstein Sportartikel AG. In fiscal year 1993/1994, the company, employing 320 people, achieved revenues of 627 million
Schilling Schilling may refer to:
* Schilling (unit), an historical unit of measurement
* Schilling (coin), the historical European coin
* Austrian schilling, the former currency of Austria
* A. Schilling & Company, an historical West Coast spice firm acquir ...
. However, in 2003, Kneissl became insolvent for the second time.
In 1995, Kneissl joined with Switzerland Raichle and integrated the Dynafit, Dee Luxe and Marker brands.
In 1998, the company was renamed Kneissl & Friends. In 1999, production was stopped at Molln and headquarters moved back to Kufstein. Two production sites were opened in Hungary.
In the early and mid-2000
In September 2002, the expansion strategy had failed. Ski production in Kufstein had to be adjusted, and part of it taken up by Fischer. Raichl was sold to Mammut AG in January 2003 and three months later, Kneissl applied for insolvency. It was bought by a consortium, which saw its members step down one by one.
In 2006, production was terminated in Kufstein and moved to the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
and Carinthia or contracted out to Fischer.
New orientation since 2008
In 2008, Sheikh
Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber
Mohamed bin Issa Al Jaber ( ar, محمد بن عيسى الجابر, translit=Muḥammad bin ʿĪssā al-Ǧābir, born in 1959 (in Jeddah) is an Arab businessman.
Business
In 1982, Al Jaber founded Jadawel International Construction & Development ...
took a controlling stake in Kneissl through his
JJW Hotels & Resorts
JJW Hotels & Resorts Limited is an international private company of Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber with principal business interests in acquisition, development and operation of several hotels and resorts throughout Europe and the Middle East. The c ...
group. New orientation was the opening of up to 70 Kneissl Star Lounges worldwide – a concept mixing shopping and catering in a same place – as well as several Kneissl Star Resort Hotels.
The first Kneissl Star Lounge opened in the city center of Innsbruck in 2009. Another built in Hochfügen has never been occupied. Establishment of the Kneissl Hotel project was postponed several times. Plans to build a ski factory in Kiefersfelden were discarded.
After Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber had delayed a €1,2 million investment, former shareholder Fritz Unterberger requested (January 3, 2011) that bankruptcy proceedings be initiated for Kneissl. He was owed about 900.000 euros. Other litigation erupted with fashion label Susan Strasser and football club
FC Wacker Innsbruck
FC Wacker Innsbruck was an Austrian association football club from Innsbruck, Tyrol.
History
The ''Fußball-Club Wacker'' ("Valiant") ''Innsbruck'' was established in 1915 by Jakob Hanspeter, Benedikt Hosp, Josef Leitner, Josef Albrecht and o ...
.
Despite ongoing reports on financial difficulties, the CEO stood by the 25 million euros hotel project in Stockenboi. As Sheikh Al Jaber again postponed the investment, resumption of negotiations on bankruptcy were necessary. Andreas Gebauer was called upon to prove Kneissl's solvency in Innsbruck regional court.
2011 Bankruptcy
On the 8th of February 2011, Andreas Gebauer applied for insolvency for Kneissl Holding GmbH, Kneissl Tirol GmbH and Kneissl Star Lounge GmbH. In his initial statement, Gebauer spoke of a legal claim against Sheikh Al Jaber, for not respecting his capital injection engagements, he was responsible of the situation. Al Jaber repeated his will not to abandon Kneissl, and offered support to a redevelopment plan. Creditor Susan Strasser GmbH filed complaint for grossly neglection of creditors interest, opposition to insolvency application and fraudulent bankruptcy. Related investigations started in February 2011 and were later expanded to JJW.
In June 2011, a negotiated redevelopment plan was thwarted by Al Jaber failing to pay €2,1 million. In July, ski production in Kufstein was terminated. In October 2011, the liquidator lawyer Stefan Geiler chose to sell Kneissl to Friends of Sports. However, Friends of Sport delayed the payment Eventually, sheikh Al Jaber bade €1.98 million and took back control of the company, offering creditors a 20% rate. Al Jaber's company JJA Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH became the sole stakeholder.
Organization
Andreas Gebauer has been CEO since 2007, Andrea King vice-CEO since January 2011.
Holding company Kneissl Holding GmbH controls 100% of Kneissl Holding GmbH, Kneissl Star Lounge GmbH and Kneissl Star Resort AG.
References
External links
Official website
Official UK distributor and partner supplying throughout Europe
North American Partner and Distributor{{in lang, en
Ski equipment manufacturers
Sporting goods manufacturers of Austria
Austrian brands