The Swiss army will keep getting its Swiss army knives from a Swiss manufacturer, after Victorinox beat foreign rivals to keep the contract.
“Victorinox will produce the new soldier’s knife for the Swiss armed forces after offering taxpayers the best deal,” the Swiss defense ministry said in a statement.
The right to supply Swiss army knives — standard issue to all Swiss soldiers since 1961, and perhaps the most famous pocket knife in the world — was opened to tender in February, in a move that stunned many Swiss.
PHOTO: EPA
They felt that such a national symbol must not be made outside Switzerland, and Alois Kessler, a politician from Canton Schwyz where Victorinox is headquartered, launched a petition to keep manufacturing local.
In the end, seven manufacturers in Switzerland and abroad, including China, submitted bids.
The Swiss military favors a version with a large blade, can opener-cum-screwdriver, leather punch and bottle opener. The order for 75,000 knives is worth 1.38 million Swiss francs (NT$39 million).(AFP)
瑞士Victorinox公司打敗外國競爭對手，保住繼續為瑞士軍方生產瑞士軍用小刀的合約。
瑞士國防部在一項聲明中表示，「Victorinox將以最優惠的價格，為瑞士軍方生產新的軍用小刀。」
自一九六一年起，瑞士刀就一直是瑞士全體士兵的標準配備，這種軍刀或許是全球最知名的口袋小刀。今年二月，軍方將瑞士軍刀的供應權開放投標；消息一出，讓許多瑞士人大吃一驚。
這些人認為，這類代表瑞士的象徵不該由瑞士以外的廠商生產。Victorinox公司總部所在的什威茲邦的政治人物艾洛伊斯．凱斯勒於是發起連署請願，希望能繼續由當地廠商負責製造。
結果，共有瑞士及包括中國在內的七家各國廠商參與競標。
瑞士軍方偏好有大刀片、開罐器兼螺絲起子、皮革穿孔器及開瓶器等功能的刀款。這筆七萬五千把小刀的訂單，價值一百三十八萬瑞士法郎（新台幣三千九百萬元）。（法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）
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