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Fischer (company)

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Fischer Sports GmbH
IndustryWinter sports equipment
Founded1924; 100 years ago (1924)
FounderJosef Fischer
Headquarters,
Key people
Mag. Franz Föttinger, CEO
Mag. Christian Egger, CFO
ProductsNordic skiing, Alpine skiing, and ice hockey equipment
Revenue
List
    • (2019–20) 191.5 million EUR
    • (2020–21) 132.9 million EUR
    • (2021–22) 148.8 million EUR
    • (2022–23) 198.5 million EUR
Number of employees
Approx. 480 in Ried, Austria
Approx. 850 at other locations
Websitefischersports.com

Fischer Sports is an Austrian winter sports equipment manufacturing company, more specifically Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing and ice hockey equipment. Winter sports equipment include skis, boots, bindings, and accessories (bags, backpacks). For ice hockey, Fischer produces sticks, skates, pucks, blades, jerseys, and protective gear (jockstraps, socks, gloves, and visors).

The company's clothing line includes t-shirts, polo shirts, jackets, pants, hoodies, raincoats, knit caps, gloves, kerchiefs, and socks.

History

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The company was founded in 1924 by Josef Fischer Sr., a cartwright, in Ried im Innkreis, northeast of Salzburg, Austria. In addition to making wagons, he made an occasional pair of skis. By 1938,[1] the company had significantly expanded its ski manufacturing, with 30 employees, and sales of handmade skis in the United States reached 2,000 pairs. Following the conclusion of World War II, Josef Fischer Jr. became involved in the reconstruction of the company.

In 1949, Fischer developed the first ski press to speed up production, which was still by hand. By 1958,[1] the company employed 137 craftsmen, and was manufacturing 53,000 pairs of skis annually. In that year, Fischer adopted its three-triangle logo. In 1964, the company completed a new factory on the outskirts of town, featuring a state-of-the-art computerized sawmill. Fischer also introduced metal skis for the first time, on which Egon Zimmerman won the downhill at the 1964 Winter Olympics. By 1967, the company had 775 employees, and produced 330,000 pairs of skis. The company's research efforts over the years include skis for racing, including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and skis for attempting the world speed record.[2]

In the early 70s, Fischer became the biggest ski manufacturer in the world.[1] The Europa 77, with its fibre-glass technology, was revolutionary. This was the foundation to capture the Scandinavian market. Franz Klammer won the Olympics in 1976 on Fischer C4 skis. In 1988, Fischer opened the factory in Mukachevo, Ukraine.

2002 was the year of Fischer's stock buy-back. Since then, Fischer has been 100% family-owned.[1]

Fischer Tennis division was sold to tennis accessories manufacturer Pacific Entermark GmbH in 2009.[3]

Success in professional sports

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At the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi 39 gold, 36 silver and 35 bronze medals were awarded to athletes with Fischer equipment: a total of 108 medals, which were won mainly in the Nordic disciplines.[1] This surpassed the result at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver 2010 (74 medals).

The Norwegian athlete Marit Bjørgen, who is equipped by Fischer, is the best Olympic cross country skier of all time. In Sochi she won three gold medals.[4] US-American Joss Christensen is the first Olympic champion in the Alpine discipline of Freeski Slopestyle.[5]

At the Alpine, Nordic and Biathlon World Championships 2017 in St. Moritz (SUI), Lahti (FIN) and Hochfilzen (AUT) the Fischer equipped athletes took 45 gold-, 43 silver- and 38 bronze medals – a total of 126 medals. At the 2019 World Championships in Seefeld (AUT), Östersund (SWE)and Åre (SWE) there were 129 medals - 45 gold, 40 silver and 43 bronze.[citation needed]

Affiliated companies

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Fischer Sports has several affiliates:[6]

In Alpine skiing

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Active

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Athlete Sport
Eva-Maria Brem alpine skiing
Adrien Coirier freeskiing
Lynsey Dyer freeskiing
Thomas Fanara alpine skiing
Max Kroneck freeskiing
Sandra Lahnsteiner freeskiing
Roland Leitinger alpine skiing
Manfred Mölgg alpine skiing
Steven Nyman alpine skiing
Nicole Schmidhofer alpine skiing
Max Franz alpine skiing
Kyle Smaine freeskiing

Retired

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Athlete Sport
Kristian Ghedina alpine skiing
Nicole Hosp alpine skiing
Denise Karbon alpine skiing
Franz Klammer alpine skiing
Hans Knauß alpine skiing
Tanja Poutiainen alpine skiing
Michael von Grünigen alpine skiing
Harti Weirather alpine skiing
Egon Zimmermann alpine skiing

In Nordic skiing

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Active

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Athlete Sport
Kamil Stoch ski jumping
Dario Cologna cross country
Eric Frenzel nordic combined
Jarl Magnus Riiber nordic combined
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo cross country
Ingvild Flugstad Østberg cross country
Denise Herrmann biathlon
Johannes Thingnes Bø biathlon
Stefan Kraft ski jumping
Iivo Niskanen cross country

Retired:

Athlete Sport
Therese Johaug cross country
Maiken Caspersen Falla cross country
Charlotte Kalla cross country
Kaisa Mäkäräinen biathlon
Martin Johnsrud Sundby cross country
Tora Berger biathlon
Laura Dahlmeier biathlon
Sven Fischer biathlon
Magdalena Forsberg cross country / biathlon
Andreas Goldberger ski jumping
Gregor Schlierenzauer ski jumping
Thomas Morgenstern ski jumping
Adam Małysz ski jumping
Magdalena Neuner biathlon
Petter Northug cross country
Marit Bjørgen cross country
Bente Skari cross country
Yelena Välbe cross country
Thomas Wassberg cross country

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e 90 Years Fischer History
  2. ^ "The Fischer Story", Skiing (November 1985) p. 142
  3. ^ "Pacific acquires Fischer Tennis". tennisindustrymag.com. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  4. ^ "Athletes - Famous Olympic Athletes, Medalists, Sports Heroes". Olympic.org. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Sochi 2014 Ski Slopestyle men - Olympic Freestyle Skiing". Olympic.org. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Home - Fischer Sports". FischerSports.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
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