Elna sewing machines
The Elna International Corp. SA , based in Meyrin, is a Swiss manufacturer of textile machines . The product range includes sewing machines , overlock and coverlock machines as well as ironing presses .
history
The company started manufacturing sewing machines in 1934 under the name Tavaro SA in Geneva, the brand name Elna was introduced in 1940. In October 1941, Elna International Corp. SA registered in the Registre du Commerce du Canton de Genève under the file number 01580/1941. The Spanish engineer Ramon Casas Robert is named as co-founder of the Elna sewing machine factory, who brought his invention of the cantilever sewing machine and patents to Tavaro SA.
The Elna brand became known in 1940 for its first compact electric case-free arm sewing machine with a lighting swivel arm, which was intended for the household. The Elna 1 was painted in green and broke the tradition of the then common black color scheme for sewing machines. The suitcase sewing machine became an unprecedented success worldwide and Elna thus conquered a permanent place in the sewing machine industry. In 1949 the Elna 1 was sold in 25 countries. The green Elna 1, also known by the nickname “Grasshopper”, was produced until 1952.
In 1952 Elna brought the Supermatic model onto the market, which not only enabled its users to use the zigzag stitch, but also a variety of utility and decorative stitches. The different types of stitches were controlled by interchangeable pattern discs. The Elna 2 Supermatic was presented for the first time at the Swiss sample fair in Basel.
In 1964 the Star series came on the market, it was the first electronic sewing machine with new functions and sewing programs as well as an automatic buttonhole. In 1967 the era of compact light metal sewing machines began. Elna Air Electronic was the first sewing machine with pneumatic speed control. From 1980, electronics became an integral part of Elna household sewing machine technology. In 1985 the Elna 5000 appeared, it was the first Swiss sewing machine with a programmable memory.
In 1987 the first portable household overlock came out, the first with a 5-thread, 2-thread-seam machine. In 1988 Elna launched the first ironing press with a built-in sleeve board. In 1992 the Elna Diva followed with 370 sewing programs, 7 buttonhole variants and programmable alphabets and monograms. Elna-Xquisit followed in 2001, a computer-controlled sewing and embroidery machine with automatic threading from the thread spool to the needle, as well as automatic winding of the bobbin thread for embroidery. In 2004 the Elna 7200 Quilter's Dream Pro followed, a computer-controlled sewing machine with industrial equipment such as high-speed sewing, long-arm, knee-lever control and a versatile stitch program preselection.
In August 2006 the Janome Sewing Machine Company Ltd , Tokyo acquired the worldwide activities and naming rights from Elna. However, Elna International Corp SA retains its independence.
The original Tavaro SA was deleted from the Geneva Commercial Register in April 2008.
In 2010 Elna celebrated her 70th anniversary. In the anniversary year, the Elna 9600 was released for fashion manufacturers in the haute couture industry, a sewing, quilting and embroidery machine that can be connected directly to the PC in order to read the creations developed on the PC into the machine.
In 2012 Elna updated her great classic and introduced the new Lotus series, which is much lighter and more compact than the 1960 series. The Lotus is the most successful Elna model sold worldwide with over a million machines. The 1965 Lotus is the only sewing machine on display in the New York Museum of Modern Art since 1968.
Web links
- Elna Switzerland - Swiss Design
- Story Elna 1 (English) with pictures on sewmuse.co.uk
Individual evidence
- ^ Registre du Commerce du Canton de Genève
- ↑ Patent US161246 : Published on 1950 , inventor: Ramon Casas Robert.
- ↑ Commercial register and business information on moneyhouse.ch
- ↑ Elna Lotus
- ^ Exhibition directory: MoMA Number: 493.1970
