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A visit by Brian Hall, Editor
KNIPEX started back in 1882 when C. Gustav Putsch set up his own forge shop in Cronenberg (now a suburb of Wuppertal). KNIPEX-Werk C. Gustav Putsch KG (KNIPEX) is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality pliers for professional use in trades and industry. Founded in 1882, KNIPEX is still an independent family firm, now managed by the fourth generation.
Made in Germany
KNIPEX develops and produces its pliers in the location where the company was first founded, which is Wuppertal-Cronenberg in Germany. The entire workflow from the emergence of ideas, the designing and all the individual production steps up to the finished product is concentrated “under one roof”. Short channels of co-ordination, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and constantly optimised production operations assure top efficiency, quality and reliability. KNIPEX concentrates all its knowledge and expertise on pliers. This is the way it justifies its claim to be among the best suppliers in terms of quality, innovation and efficiency. The Company’s success is assured by 800 qualified employees and it attaches the greatest importance to their basic and advanced training.
Wide and deep range
KNIPEX offers an extensive range of products, continually expanded with innovations, for professional use in trades and industry. This range is not only broad but also deep with a high degree of specialisation and currently covers over 1,000 different products for a great variety of applications and purposes.
Idea Pioneers with Technical Competence
KNIPEX specialises in pliers, has developed a unique level of know-how about these tools and sees itself as a pioneer in ideas. The development engineers work on creating future-oriented solutions for easy, effective and reliable work. They design pliers that meet the highest requirements in performance, ergonomics and service life. Professionals appreciate these special qualities in hand tools.
KNIPEX pliers satisfy the highest expectations in terms of performance, ergonomics and service life. KNIPEX products are designed to meet the requirements of professional users, who must be able to rely on their tools in day-to-day work.
With over a thousand separate styles and sizes KNIPEX offers a complete range of pliers for almost every application in trade and industry. The breadth and depth of the KNIPEX range ensures that the best tool can always be found for every application.
Again and again, KNIPEX innovations offer future-oriented solutions and set standards for easy, effective and reliable work. For the Company’s development work it relies on an intensive sharing of experience with users. KNIPEX utilize the most modern design technology and the highest efficiency testing and experimental equipment.
Particular attention is paid to ergonomic criteria in the production of KNIPEX pliers: above all in the form of effort-reducing constructions and a handle design which is ideally suited to the moving hand and ensures minimum fatigue and safe work.
In Wuppertal the company has 48,000 m2 (516,720 square feet) of factory space. All manufacturing operations, from forging (including making the forging dies) to packaging, are done on the premises. This approach allows KNIPEX to maintain stringent quality control standards and to co-ordinate all aspects of the manufacturing process.
In the tough wear and tear of everyday usage, KNIPEX pliers meet the challenge to the highest levels. In terms of material and construction, they are designed to function as heavy duty tools and deliver the high load bearing capacity and long service life.
Innovation and high performance are not only characteristics of the tools made by KNIPEX but are also key elements in the Company’s production engineering. Modern state-of-the-art machinery ensures that KNIPEX produce consistently high precision at the most economical cost ratio.
KNIPEX already has a huge range of products but the Company is constantly seeking ways to bring new products to Market. Recent innovations include:
KNIPEX-CoBolt Compact Bolt Cutters
These Bolt Cutters feature a new lever design and 20° angled head which allows flush cutting. They also feature very slim dual component handles which prevent slipping and fix the CoBolt firmly in the hand. The integrated opening spring reduces considerably the effort necessary to hold the pliers.
The new KNIPEX cutter for flexible and protective tubes cuts all thin-walled plastic pipes as well as flexible tubes easily and without deformation.
The blade is made of oil-hardened special steel, with precision grinding for long service life.
A new range of Bolt Cutters provides blades from high performance Chrome Vanadium steel and are capable of cutting high-strength tie rods and tempered steel wire up to 48 HRC. These Bolt Cutters provide optimised blade geometry for minimum effort. The quality construction offers a high capacity and long service life. The elastomer insert in the forged on stopper comfortably absorbs the cutting stroke. The handles are made of oval steel tubing for maximum bending stiffness.
Knipex also sell 4 sizes of their 71 72 bolt cutter range and these are exclusive to Draper Tools.
KNIPEX Cobra Water Pump Pliers
The new range of KNIPEX Cobra Water Pump Pliers provide 30 % increased gripping capacity, a comfortable hand position due to optimised fine adjustment. They offer improved access to the workpiece due to the slim design. The patented technology of push-button adjustment completes the picture.
08 Range Manufactured to EN60900
Knipex also offer the 08 series pliers which are manufactured by Knipex exclusively for Draper Tools to EN 60900 standards. EN60900 is the European standard for hand tools for live working up to 1000V AC or 1500 VDC
The new KNIPEX Circlip Pliers offer 45° bending tips which allow access to a wider range of built in circlips, which is especially useful if another component hinders best view to the operating zone of the tips.
KNIPEX also provides light-weight, high quality crimping pliers for the professional user.
KNIPEX pliers are supplied only through distribution. The Company does not supply direct to end users and the UK distribution is conducted through Draper Tools. Knipex’s longest standing and most successful UK distributor.
KNIPEX provides the trade with a high level of inventory availability, extensive consulting and training and a wide variety of sales support.
KNIPEX pliers are in demand all over the world and over 65% of the production is exported. An international network of branches, agencies and importers connects KNIPEX to its customers in over one hundred countries, including Draper Tools in the UK.
KNIPEX Quality - Made in Germany - Distributed by Draper with Pride!
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