PFAFF (German: PFAFF Industriesysteme und Maschinen AG, PFAFF Industrial) is a German manufacturer of sewing machines and is now owned by the SGSB Co. Ltd.[2]

MAX PFAFF Industrial
Founded1862 as PFAFF, Kaiserslautern, Germany
FounderGeorg Max Pfaff
HeadquartersKaiserslautern, Germany
Key people
  • Min Zhang (Chairman)
  • Cornelia Mast (CEO)[1]
Number of employees
180 (2014)
ParentSGSB Co. Ltd
Websitewww.pfaff-industrial.com/en

History

edit

PFAFF was founded in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in 1862 by instrument maker Georg Michael Pfaff (1823–1893). Pfaff's first machine was handmade, and designed to sew leather in the manufacture of shoes.

In 1885, Georg Michael Pfaff opened a sewing machine shop in London. The PFAFF factory was expanded and modernized. Georg Pfaff, the second son of the founder, took over the management of the company after his father's death in 1893 and expanded it further with great success.[3] The founder's firstborn son, Jacob Pfaff, died in 1889. His daughter, Lina Pfaff, took over the company in 1917 when her brother Georg died and ran it successfully on a global scale until 1926. Her nephew, Karl Pfaff, took over the company when she retired at the age of seventy-two.[4]

It made its one-millionth machine in 1910. Pfaff was bought by Husqvarna Viking in 1999. [5]

In 2006, the American equity firm Kohlberg & Company, owner of Singer, acquired Swedish VSM Group, owner of Husqvarna Viking and PFAFF, thereby creating SVP Worldwide.[6]

In March 2013, the German holding company of SGSB Group Co. Ltd., ShangGong (Europe) Holding Corp. GmbH, took over 100% of the shares of PFAFF Industriesysteme und Maschinen AG.[1]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "ShangGong (Europe) Holding Corp. GmbH took over 100% of the shares of PFAFF Industriesysteme und Maschinen AG in Kaiserslautern". Dürrkopp Adler. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  2. ^ "SGSB Group". www.sgsbgroup.com. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  3. ^ "The history of Pfaff extends over 150 years". PFAFF Sewing Machines. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  4. ^ "LINA PFAFF: A DEDICATED ENTREPRENEUR". Archion. Archion. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. ^ James, V. "Vintage Pfaff History: When Was My Pfaff Sewing Machine Made?". Sewing is Cool. Sewing is Cool.
  6. ^ "PFAFF® SEWING MACHINE BRAND CELEBRATES 145 YEAR ANNIVERSARY". SVP Worldwide. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.