Kettler

Kettler is a German company based in Ense-Parsit. The company produces riding toys, leisure gear, patio furniture and exercise equipment.[2]

In the United Kingdom Kettler (G.B.) Limited was registered in 1985 and is the owner of the KETTLER trademark in the UK. Since the death of Karin Kettler it has operated as an autonomous company within the Heinz Kettler Foundation. The company retains the brand values of the original Kettler company and concentrates mainly on outdoor and indoor furniture. The Managing Director, Paul Bevington has been with the company since 1990.

History

The company was founded in 1949 in Parsit by Heinz Kettler. Originally starting in the attic of a sawmill, Kettler grew into a worldwide manufacturing and distribution organization, selling products in over 60 countries. In 2005, Heinz Kettler died and his daughter Karin took over the company. The CEO is Ludger Busche.[3]

The company filed for bankruptcy under own management (similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy) to avoid an uncontrolled takeover by an investor. The bicycle unit was subsequently sold to ZEG (Zweirad Einkaufs Genossenschaft

Products

In 1949, Kettler started producing patio furniture and added the Kettcar toy car to their inventory in 1962.[5]

In 1977, Kettler added aluminium bicycles to their product line and started producing fitness equipment and table tennis tops soon after. Kettler now sells a full line of children's toys, from push trikes for toddlers to licensed pedal tractors for children.

Toys

Kettcar

The Kettcar was introduced in 1962 as Kettler's first pedal vehicle. Similar to a bicycle, the pedals turn the wheels over a chain. The Kettcar, however, has four wheels and requires no balancing to ride. Since its debut, Kettler has made many different varieties of the Kettcar and has sold more than 15 million of them worldwide.[6]

The popularity of the Kettcar in Germany is so immense that the word "Kettcar" has become a synonym for four wheeled pedal cars and was entered into the Duden, the official German dictionary, describing it as a "pedal powered chain vehicle for children" [7] The first four letters of the word Kettcar are derived from the company "Kettler" and the German word for chain, "Kette". The last three letters are derived from the word "car".

Licensed pedal vehicles

Next to their own brand name, Kettler produces and sells pedal vehicles under the license of multiple other companies. Kettler is the sole producer of CAT, Case, Massey Ferguson and New Holland pedal tractors.

Kettcar

Licensed pedal vehicles

Table tennis tables

Kettler produces a number of table tennis tables, that are tournament bounce certified.[8] In January 1996, the committee of the Olympics in Atlanta chose Kettler as the official provider for table tennis gear for the summer games. Kettler still manufactures and sells the same table that was used in the Olympics under the name "Atlanta".

Bicycles

Kettler started manufacturing aluminium bicycles in 1977. The bicycle unit was sold in 2015; ZEG as the new owners continue to manufacture the bicycles under the "Kettler Alurad" brand.

Fitness

Kettler has a fitness equipment line, ranging from exercise bikes and crosstrainers to treadmills and rowers.

Furniture

Having its roots in building furniture, Kettler continued producing it and expanded its selection to aluminum, wrought iron, resin and teak wood furniture. Kettler produces furniture mainly for outdoor use.[9][10][11]

type	GmbH & Co. KG
foundation	1949
founder	Heinz Kettler
location	Ense, Germany
key people	Karin Kettler
num employees	2000 (est.)‡R1R‡
industry	Sports equipment
products	Bicycles, exercise machines, Kettcar, patio furniture, table tennis tables, pedal vehicles
homepage	http://intl.kettler.net

History

Products

Toys

Kettcar

Licensed pedal vehicles

Kettcar

Licensed pedal vehicles

Table tennis tables

Bicycles

Fitness

Furniture

External links

References