the most successful Austrian Race Ski of all time!
A 150 years of History
1861 The company Kneissl is founded as a „wooden carriage workshop“
1919 – 1921 Franz Kneissl I. started first serial production of alpine skis in Austria. Kneissl ski becomes a registered trademark
1932 Renamed to “First Austrian ski factory”
1936 – 1938 The first laminated ski is developed. As 18-layer ski Kneissl “Splitkein” it goes into production. Franz Kneissl I. travels to the USA to purchase Hickory directly in Memphis Tennesse. In the year 1936 20.000 pairs of skis are produced
1945 Death of Franz Kneissl I.
1946 After the war Franz Kneissl II. takes over the company and continues the business with 3 employees
1948 Participation at the Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz with the “One Man Team Engele-Haider”
1950 Kneissl introduces the first multi-coloured ski to the market. With 4 colours it marks a new standard in design. Kneissl becomes the most successful ski brand at the Ski World Championship in Aspen, with 3 out of 6 possible gold medals. At the beginning of the 1950s almost the whole Austrian National Team rides on Kneissl skis
1960 The first synthetic ski with a wooden core is developed – the Kneissl “White Star” becomes a legend in the skiing world – a technological milestone in the whole skiing industry
1967 In Japan a Kneissl Cup is implemented. Participation is only possible for skiers riding on Kneissl skis – right at the first race more than 150 participants start
1969 Opening of the next Kneissl factory by its Highness Prince Karim Khan
1974 The hour of birth of the Kneissl sportswear collection due to the taking over of the sportswear company “Sportalm” Kitzbühel. For the first time a skiing company produces and sells sportswear under its own brand – the Kneissl Star and Logo. Production of fully synthetic alpine skis, nordic skis and jumping skis as a further technological step
1975 Kneissl is the most successful brand at the Nordic Ski World Championship in Falun. This impressively proves the breakthrough of the new technology in ski production
1978 Kneissl develops the first fully synthetic tennis racket “White Star Pro”, a real “silver bullet”
1980 Ivan Lendl becomes ATP player of the year and plays Wimbledon Finals with the Kneissl “White Star”. At the Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid 27 medals are won on Kneissl skis, 11 out of those are gold medals. After the return from the Olympic Games the company has to declare bankruptcy
1981 The German Crosscountry-Ski manufacturer Trak becomes controlling shareholder
1982 Kneissl manufactures tennis rackets for Puma under the brand Puma
1989 Takeover of the company by a group of Austrian investors around Erhard Grossnigg and Hans Peter Haselsteiner
1990 Kneissl develops the “BIG FOOT”. It revolutionizes the winter sports market and is known as the main incentive for the carving ski
1991 Kneissl and Dachstein are combined together into the “Kneissl Dachstein Sportartikel AG”
1992 Kneissl develops the first carving ski “Kneissl ERGO”. The “ERGO” gets the ski market out of its depression and provides the skier with a whole new skiing experience. Techniqe, image and attraction of the ski sport are sustainably changed, the ski sport is revived. The “BIG FOOT” becomes the world’s most sold winter sport product.
1994 Death of Franz Kneissl II.
1996 Kneissl takes over the brands Raichle and Dynafit
1998 Renamed to Kneissl & Friends. The red star accompanies as strongest brand Raichle, Dachstein, Dynafit and Deeluxe as a family brand
2003 The company group is restructured and the ski boot segment and its brands are sold. A Tyrolen investor group takes over the company, secures the founding location in Kufstein and puts a focus on the core competences of the company with development and manufacturing of skis of the highest quality