Kettler

German manufacturing company

For the company based in the United States, see Kettler Inc. For the surname, see Kettler (surname).

Kettler

Company type| GmbH & Co. KG
Industry| Sports equipment
Founded| 1949
Founder| Heinz Kettler
Headquarters| Ense, Germany

Key people

| Karin Kettler
Products| Bicycles, exercise machines, Kettcar, patio furniture, table tennis tables, pedal vehicles

Number of employees

| 2000 (est.)[1]
Website| intl.kettler.net

Kettler (German: Kettler GmbH) 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

[edit]

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) in December 2015, and the company exited the bankruptcy proceedings in March 2016. Karin Kettler, who had mostly retired from the day to day business, died in a traffic accident in March 2017, aged 57.[citation needed]

The company filed for bankruptcy again in July 2018, and the court opened the bankruptcy proceedings again in October 2018. On October 11, 2019, the end of the company was decided, and the employees were informed about this on October 14. Production officially ended at the end of January 2020.[4]

## Products

[edit]

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

[edit]

The model of the original Kettcar (2010)

#### Kettcar

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.

### Table tennis tables

[edit]

The official table tennis table used in the 1996 Summer Olympics

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

### Furniture

[edit]

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]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kettler.net". Retrieved 26 June 2013.
2. ^ Langenscheidt, Florian (2006). Deutsche Standards: Marken des Jahrhunderts. Gabler Verlag. pp. 276–279\. ISBN 978-3-8349-0436-2.
3. ^ "Challenge Validation". Dun & Bradstreet - Accelerate Growth and Improve Business Performance (in German). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
4. ^ Hansmann, Rolf (31 January 2020). "Kettler: Die letzten Tage eines Traditionsunternehmens". www.wp.de (in German). Retrieved 28 April 2022.
5. ^ "Kettcar". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
6. ^ "Kettler.net". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
7. ^ "Duden". Retrieved 26 June 2013.
8. ^ "KettlerUSA Table Tennis". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
9. ^ "Resin". KETTLER USA.
10. ^ "Home - The Garden Furniture Shop - Ireland's #1 Online Outdoor Store". The Garden Furniture Shop.
11. ^ "Garden Furniture UK | Garden And Outdoor Furniture Sets UK". 13 March 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Kettler PL
* Kettler Match 5.0 tabletennisjudge.com

* v
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Sports equipment brands

This list includes companies that produce sports equipment. List by sport include only current products manufactured

Multi-sports|

* Acerbis
* Adidas
* Admiral
* AFA
* Alpine Pro
* Anta
* Arc'teryx
* Asics
* Atletica
* BLK
* Burley-Sekem
* Castore
* Champion
* Charly
* Classic
* Descente
* Diadora
* Erke (brand)
* Erreà
* EvoShield
* FBT
* Fila
* Fischer
* 4F
* Garcis
* Givova
* Grand Sport
* Grays
* Head
* Hummel
* ISC
* Jako
* Joma
* Kappa
* Kelme
* Kookaburra
* Le Coq Sportif
* Legea
* Li-Ning
* Lotto
* Luanvi
* Lululemon
* Macron
* Majestic
* Mikasa
* Mills
* Mitchell & Ness
* Mitre
* Mizuno
* Molten
* NAAI
* New Balance
* New Era
* Nike
* Nivia
* O'Neills
* Oakley
* On
* Peak
* Penalty
* Poker
* Pirma
* Pro-Specs
* Puma
* Reebok
* Reusch
* Russell
* Schutt
* Scott
* Signia
* Skins
* Slazenger
* Sportika
* Starter
* Topper
* Uhlsport
* Umbro
* Under Armour
* Voit
* XBlades
* Xtep
* Warrior
* Warrix Sports
* Wilson
* World Balance
* Yonex
* 2XU

Association football|

* Athleta
* Bukta
* Capelli
* Finta
* Marathon
* Nanque
* Patrick
* Select
* Sport-Saller
* St Margaret's

Australian football|

* Cotton On
* Sherrin

Baseball / softball|

* DeMarini
* Louisville Slugger
* Marucci
* Nokona
* Rawlings

Basketball|

* AND1
* First Ever
* Spalding

Boxing|

* Boxa
* Everlast
* Fairtex
* Lonsdale
* Sting
* Twins Special

Cricket|

* CA
* County
* Dukes
* Duncan Fearnley
* Gray-Nicolls
* Gunn & Moore
* Sanspareils Greenlands
* Sareen
* Stuart Surridge

Cue sports|

* Alcocks
* Brunswick
* Parris Cues
* Riley

Cycling|

* Bell Sports
* Castelli
* Giro
* Northwave
* Rapha
* Santini SMS
* SIDI
* Troy Lee

Darts|

* Winmau

Golf|

* Adams
* Ashworth
* Bettinardi
* Bridgestone
* Callaway
* Cleveland
* Cobra
* FootJoy
* Forgan
* John Letters
* MacGregor
* Maxfli
* OnCore
* PXG
* Penfold
* Ping
* Polara
* Srixon
* TaylorMade
* Titleist
* Top-Flite
* Wilson Staff
* Scotty Cameron
* Yamaha Golf

Gridiron football|

* Riddell

Handball|

* Select

Ice hockey|

* Bauer
* Canadien
* CCM
* Hespeler
* Itech
* Jofa
* Koho
* Mission
* Sher-Wood
* Titan
* Vaughn

Martial arts|

* Fairtex
* Tapout
* Twins Special
* Venum

Motorsport|

* AGV
* Alpinestars
* Arai
* Bell Sports
* Dainese
* Momo
* Nolan
* OMP
* Schuberth
* Shark
* Shoei
* SIDI
* Simpson
* Sparco
* Troy Lee

Rugby|

* Canterbury
* FI-TA
* Gilbert
* LE
* St Margaret's
* Steeden
* Webb Ellis

Running / Hiking|

* Altra
* Brooks
* Hoka (brand)
* Karhu
* Karrimor
* LA Gear
* Merrell
* Olympikus
* Saucony

Skiing|

* 4FRNT
* Alpina
* Armada
* Atomic
* Black Crows
* Black Diamond
* Blizzard
* Elan
* Faction
* K2
* Kneissl
* Liberty Skis
* Line Skis
* Look Bindings
* Madshus
* Marker
* Moment Skis
* Nordica
* Peltonen
* Rossignol
* Rottefella
* Salomon
* Skigo
* Spyder
* Swix
* Völkl

Surf|

* Billabong
* Haydenshapes
* Hurley
* Mambo
* Ocean Pacific
* O'Neill
* Oxbow
* Rip Curl
* Quiksilver

Swimming|

* Arena
* Speedo
* TYR
* Zoggs

Table tennis|

* Butterfly
* Kettler
* Killerspin
* Stiga Sports

Tennis / racket sports|

* Babolat
* Carlton
* Donnay
* Dunlop
* Ellesse
* Lacoste
* Prince
* ProKennex
* Sergio Tacchini
* Snauwaert
* Tecnifibre
* Volley

Water polo|

* Delfina Sport
* KAP7

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

German bicycle manufacturers

Current|

* AT Cycles
* Canyon
* Corratec
* Cube
* Derby Cycle
* Diamant
* Focus
* Ghost-Bikes
* Hase
* Kalkhoff
* Kettler
* Opel
* Prophete
* Propain Bicycles
* Riese und Müller
* Rose
* Rixe
* YT Industries

Defunct|

* Adler
* Brennabor
* Express Werke
* Hoffmann
* Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau
* NSU
* Simson
* TWN
* Victoria
* Wanderer

Components|

* Continental
* Magura
* Rohloff
* Schlumpf Drive
* SON
* SRM
* Schwalbe
* Wippermann

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