Velcro
 | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Hook and loop fasteners |
Number of employees | 2,500 |
| Website | www |
Velcro Companies is a privately held company that produces a series of mechanical based fastening products, including fabric hook and loop fasteners, under the brand name "Velcro".
History
Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral invented his first touch fastener when, in 1941, he went for a walk in the woods and wondered if the burrs that clung to his trousers — and dog — could be turned into something useful.[1] He patented it in 1955 and subsequently refined and developed its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late 1950s.
The fastener consisted of two components: a lineal fabric strip with tiny hooks that could "mate" with another fabric strip with smaller loops, attaching temporarily, until pulled apart.[2] Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical,[3] the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.[4]
De Mestral gave the name Velcro, a portmanteau of the French words velours ("velvet"), and crochet ("hook"),[5][6] to his invention as well as his company, which continues to manufacture and market the fastening system.
Humphrey Cripps began investing in Velcro in the 1960s. In 2009, the company was taken private by a private equity firm linked to the Cripps family.[7][8]
Products
Velcro makes fastening products for a wide array of industries, including consumer packaged goods, transportation, personal care, military, packaging, construction, apparel, and agriculture.[9]
Products of Velcro Companies include:
- General Purpose adhesive backed fasteners
- Ties and Straps
- Heavy Duty Fasteners
- Fabric Tapes and Fasteners
- Traditional Hook-and-Loop fasteners
- Woven, knit and molded products
- Kid’s Construction Sets
Causes
The Neeson Cripps Academy, a high performance school for the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) in Phnom Penh was funded by Velcro Companies. New York City-based COOKFOX Architects designed the eco-efficient building, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.[10] [11]
In 2015, Velcro Companies and Velcro Brand Ambassador and design expert Sabrina Soto launched an annual Classroom Makeover contest that takes place during Teacher Appreciation Week. The first winner from Joplin, Missouri received two redesigned classrooms.[12]
In popular culture
- 1968 - Velcro fasteners are used on the suits, sample collection bags, and lunar vehicles brought to the moon by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.[13]
- 1984 - David Letterman wears a suit made of Velcro fasteners and jumps from a trampoline into a wall covered in the product during an interview with the company’s USA director of industrial sales.[14]
- 2016 - As an April Fool's Day joke Lexus introduces “Variable Load Coupling Rear Orientation (V-LCRO)” seats, technology that attaches the driver to the seat with Velcro adhesive to allow for more aggressive turns.[15]
References
- ^ http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1996883,00.html
- ^ "Velcro". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
- ^ Strauss, Steven D. (December 2001). The Big Idea: How Business Innovators Get Great Ideas to Market. Kaplan Business. pp. 15-pp.18. ISBN 978-0-7931-4837-0. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ Schwarcz, Joseph A. (October 2003). Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know: 99 Fascinating Questions About the Chemistry of Everyday Life. Ecw Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-55022-577-8. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
But not every Velcro application has worked ... A strap-on device for impotent men also flopped.
- ^ "Velcro." The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.
- ^ Stephens, Thomas (2007-01-04). "How a Swiss invention hooked the world". swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "History of Velcro Industries N.V. – FundingUniverse". Retrieved 2016-02-08.
- ^ Kowitt, Beth (2013). "Velcro Just Wants Some Closure". Fortune. 168 (1): 52–1NULL. ISSN 0015-8259.
- ^ "VELCRO®Brand Products". Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- ^ "COOKFOX unveils design for new Academy in Cambodia". Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "State of the Art High School to Serve Former Scavengers". Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Velcro Companies And Sabrina Soto Announce Winner Of Classroom Makeover Contest". Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ "Working on the Moon". Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "LiveScience: Who Invented Velcro?". Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "TIME: Best April Fools Day Jokes". Retrieved 16 May 2016.
External links
- Velcro Official US company website
- Original 1955 patent - from Google Patents