An electrician who got mad broke new ground for work wear – this year Snickers Workwear celebrates 30 years as market leader in Europe. Stockholm, February 2005 - Snickers Workwear changed the way people look at work clothes. In the mid seventies, there was virtually nothing on offer in the way of functional work wear. Thirty years later, Swedish electrician and founder of Snickers Workwear, Matti Viio, can sleep well at night. His vision of creating functional work clothes for trades people so that they could work better, faster and with more professional pride and fewer injuries became a huge success even in Europe. Snickers Workwear was founded in Sweden in 1975 by Matti Viio. The idea for his company came when he himself was working as an electrician. Matti found that the clothing he had for his job was not functional, the materials were not practical and there were no pockets or places for tools. Lying or kneeling on a cold concrete floor in thin cotton trousers not only damaged your knees, it also did nothing for the wearer’s self-esteem. When no-one would listen to an electrician’s suggestions for changes, Matti got angry, went home and designed his own work clothes. The development of new collections then followed rapidly. By the end of the 1970s, Snickers Workwear managed to get the entire Swedish construction industry to subsidize proper work clothes. In 1983, Snickers Workwear was ranked among Sweden’s 100 most important innovations after World War II.
In the mid 1980s, Snickers opened franchise offices around Europe. Trades people wore ordinary blue jeans and simple overalls. Initially, few showed any interest. A conservatism within the industry contributed to this lack of interest. Today, many have come to realise the advantages and benefits of investing in proper work wear that both protects the body from premature wear and tear and injury, and makes the job easier and more efficient. Snickers Workwears’ range today includes around 300 models. Each year, the company produces around one million articles of clothing. These products are targeted primarily at businesses and professionals in construction, trades, services and industry. Snickers Workwear still does the development and design of the clothing. Today, the company’s turnover is close to 60 million euros. It employs 350 people and has sales subsidiaries in 15 countries. The next expansions are planned for the Baltic states and central Eastern Europe. Creating even better work wear, and developing its quality and design remain central to the company. The basic idea, to improve conditions for trades’ folk, remains, too. Today’s increasingly mobile trades people are demanding more and different functions at the same time. Work wear needs to suit many requirements, in spite of individual differences among those who will ultimately wear the clothing. The clothing must also be practical and durable, made of material that breathes and is easy to launder. The design and cut of work wear is also important to Snickers Workwear, reinforcing a sense of professional pride among those who wear the clothes. ___________________________________________________________________________________ The Snickers Workwear group manufactures and supplies workwear for tradespeople and service workers. Our products are renowned for their high quality, functional design and innovative solutions. The company was founded in 1975 in Sweden and has expanded greatly since that time. Snickers Workwear is now one of Europe’s leading workwear brands, with a presence in 15 countries. For media inquiries:
Evelina Andersson
Head of Communication
Phone +46 8 92 51 14
Mobile +46 70 669 44 66
Fax +46 8 35 07 20
evelina.andersson@snickers.se Snickers Workwear News Archive is offered as a service to the press for research purposes. Please note that all information is accurate as of the date of the release. |