Schiesser Lexicon - Historical development

SCHIESSER underwear Logo

1875

The 27 year old Swiss factory owner Jaques Schiesser and his wife Malwine rent a dancing hall in the still-standing Guesthouse "Schwert” and start the production of their knitwear with just nine looms.


1876-1880

Construction and acquisition of an own small "Factory for tricot weaving and dyeing” in Radolfzell. The personnel increases nearly 200% from 100 to 280 employees. Opening up of the export markets in the Near East, India, China and Japan.


1880-1896

Expansion of the company through the foundation of stores in Stockach (1890), Bucarest (1894) and Engen (1896). The number of employees increases to over 600. Even foreign workers from Italy are employed because qualified employees in Germany become scarce.


1900

On the occasion of the Paris World Exhibtion, Jacques Schiesser receives the "Grand Prix” for Innovation for the patented specialities of the house like "braided tricot”, damask tricort, "inurement clothes from aus Ramie linen”, and "long-striped knitwear”.
The daily production of the company is 12,000 pieces. 80% of the production is exported worldwide. SCHIESSER employs nearly 1000 employees. Furthermore, has over 300 home workers and has its own bleaching workshop, dyeing mill and finishing. SCHIESSER builds a four-storey building on the Johannisstraße in Radolfzell.


1913

Jacques Schiesser dies on 18 August from heart failure. The company is handed over to his wife Malwine. His son-in-law Wilhelm Finckh overtakes the company leadership with 1,200 employees.


1914

World War I. The production of the Schiesser company is converted for the requirements of the army and is cut off from its export markets because of the war. Due to the difficult procurement of raw materials, trials were made to manufacture fabrics and knitted fabrics from nettle threads and paper yarn.


1915

Jacques Schiesser's nephew, Jean Schiesser, takes over the management of the company after the death of Wilhelm Finckh.


1916

The company is turned into a limited company and is now known as SCHIESSER AG .


1918

End of World War I, personnel decreased to 360 employees during the war.


1922

End of the dry spell - The company offers 800 employees a safe working place again.


1923

Due to the Inflation and the global economic crisis , parts of the company must be closed. The number of employees sinks to 500.


1929

The SCHlESSER AG converts to reduced hours and must pronounce further redundancies due to the lack of contracts.


1930-1931

Shutdown of the branch offices in Engen and Stockach


1932

Short from total breakdown, the company is rehabilited with the help from Switzerland. A laborious rebuilding starts.


1933

Financial recovery and personnel increase to 600 employees. Overtake of the kid's underwear factory in Radolfzell, the Leibchenfabrik, that will be called "Tausendsassa-Spezialfabrik” later.


1936

Jean Schiesser backs out as manager and executive. Walter Schellenberg, the first manager that is not part of the Schiesser family takes his place.


1939

World War II.


1940

Manpower increases to 1,100 employees again. The progress of the war brings decisive changes, emergency programs and finally war production lines — that are established in the meantime Schiesser-Mode becomes a victim of the war.


1940 - Post-war years

Nearly complete closure of production due to lack of raw materials. Manpower shrinks to 500. Rebuilding of the Stokach factory damaged by bombs. The rebuilding is done with 160 tons in the form of old sewing machines.

In the 50s, the term of the german "Fräuleinwunder" was created, which has dedicated SCHIESSER an own underwear-series many years later. "Fräuleinwunder" stood for young attractive and self-confident women of post-war Germany.


1950 - 75th Anniversary

Renewed Upswing: The annual production is 2.7 mil. pieces of tricot goods with an annual turnover of nearly 13 mil. DM. The company employs 1000 employees again. Construction of a new factory in Engen and the launching of the branch offices in Mimmenhausen and Rielasingen.


1951

Jean Schiesser dies at the age of 80.


1960

The company employs 3500 employees.


1962

Formation of the branch in Neustadt, Black Forest. Furthermore, construction of new production sites in Switzerland and Greece, and the founding of SCHIESSER Netherlands.


1966

Formation of a new factory in Radolfzell with 32000 sq. m. Furthermore, a sales company is founded in Milan, Italy and new production sites are created in Greece, Ireland, Austria and Switzerland. Expansion of the construction of a new factory in Waldshut.


1967

Founding of a further sales company in Belgium.


1971

SCHIESSER chances the jump in total clothing: After the acquisiation of the company Standop GmbH, as well as Hudson-Textil factories, SCHIESSER becomes the market leader in the area of imprinted knitted materials. Construction of an own material printing workshop in order to ensure quality.


1975 - 100 years of existance

The company can look back on 14 years of unbroken expansion. The SCHIESSER AG produces 38 mil. underwear pieces a year and achieves an annual turnover of 437 mil. DM. The company organizes the sales force network anew, applies reinforced value on the consumer and develops into a marketing and sales company. Apart from quality, fashion is also in the first place.


Beginning of the 90s

Through the financial aftermath of the German Reunification and the associated opening up of new markets, the turnover growth of 555 mil. DM started. This presence extends to today in over 30 countries.


Today

Today, the headquarters on Lake Constance concentrates itself more and more on marketing and sales activities as well as product development and innovations, and caters for traditional closeness to the markets, while most of production has moved to the Czech Repblic, Greece and in other countries. As a market leader of the German underwear specialists, the company has a customer-base of over 6500 merchants.

The SCHIESSER brand name has become synonymous for any clothing that is, literally, close to people.

With effect from October 20, 2021, the legal status of the SCHIESSER company has changed from an AG (joint stock corporation) to a GmbH.


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