uvex
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Eyewear and helmets for over 90 years
The family business was founded in 1926 by Philipp Winter in Fürth, Northern Bavaria. As Optische-Industrie-Anstalt Philipp M. Winter, it initially only produced protective glasses for work. In 1930 the first ski goggles as well as goggles for motor sports and mountaineering were produced. Even at the 1936 Olympic Games some participants already used these goggles. In 1956, son Rainer Winter joined the "Winter Gesellschaft für Optik und Augenschutz" as second managing director. In search of a catchy name, he finally developed "uvex", which is derived from "UltraViolettEXcluded", the sun protection feature for UV protection.
In the 70s, uvex experienced an enormous upswing. The company now also established itself internationally and steadily expanded its product range. Almost all plants were expanded and new locations were opened. In 1980 the subsidiary Alpina was founded in Friedberg near Augsburg. The first helmets produced in Germany were added to the range in 1987/88. Since 1994 the uvex Group has been divided into four divisions. In addition to uvex Sports and Alpina, uvex Safety is responsible for occupational safety, while Filtral produces fashionable sunglasses.
The high quality of the products is reflected in numerous awards. In 2010, for example, uvex was named "Brand of the Century" for the consistent brand management of its ski goggles. Not without reason do numerous top athletes rely on the German manufacturer. At the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014, 450 athletes were equipped by uvex, including Felix Neureuther.
Despite the great expansion - the uvex Group now employs 2700 people and has 48 subsidiaries in 22 countries - the company is still a family business. The company is currently managed in the third generation by Michael Winter and his sister Gabriele Grau. With the grandchildren of the retired Rainer Winter, Leo and Lisa Winter as well as Alexa and Kira Grau, who are already working in the company, the continuation in family hands is also secured. Development and production take place within Europe, for the most part in Germany.
uvex protects from head to toe
With this philosophy in mind, uvex is always working on improvements to its product range, from ski and cycling helmets and goggles in the sports sector to protective clothing for companies. It is precisely this exchange between the different areas that uvex sees as a great advantage in development and research. In addition to innovative technology, wearing comfort is one of the company's most important concerns. But the brand can also set accents in design time and again.
In helmets with octo+ technology exactly these factors are brought together. With the first fully automatic fitting system, they are the latest innovation in this field. Via flexible slats, octo+ surrounds the head from all sides and adapts perfectly to its shape, regardless of the helmet size.
Protection for people and the environment
The company motto protecting people also applies internally. "Whoever wants to protect people must take responsibility. It is precisely from this mission that the obligation to act in a sustainable, socially responsible manner is derived," explains Managing Director Michael Winter. uvex attaches great importance to a respectful and fair working atmosphere and offers its employees a wide range of training opportunities, as well as in-house sports activities. This is why uvex was awarded the "Top National Employer" award for the 5th time in 2018.
In addition, the Rainer Winter Foundation has been supporting children in need, disabled or sick children in Germany and abroad since 1980. The focus of the foundation's work, however, is primarily in the Nuremberg metropolitan region, where uvex has its headquarters.
To ensure sustainable production, uvex is also intensively involved in energy management and has already recorded significant savings. For example, 90 percent of its own electricity requirements can be obtained from green energy. Under its own social standards, uvex strictly controls its suppliers worldwide and uses only absolutely pollutant-free products.
(Photos: uvex)
