IMCO Austrian lighter and metal goods factory

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The Austrian button and metal goods factory Julius Meister & Co was a company from near Vienna that produced lighters until 2012. After IMCO closed in 2012, the Japanese company Windmill acquired the brand name in 2013; CI-Clip now manufactures paper clips at the former company location in Tribuswinkel .

history

IMCO was the oldest existing lighter manufacturer in the world , along with Ronson in the USA . In 1907, Julius Meister founded the "Austrian Button and Metal Goods Factory Julius Meister & Co" in Vienna. IMCO was formed from the initials. Mainly buttons were made for military use. After the First World War , the demand for it ended and so from 1918 IMCO switched to the production of lighters, initially from ejected cartridge cases . The shapes of the early IMCO lighters reveal the original shape of the cartridge. The first IMCO lighter was developed between 1918-1919 and in 1922 the first patent no. 89538 was registered. Since then around 70 different lighters have been developed and marketed worldwide. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Austrian lighter industry was leading, as the flint ( Auermetall ) was also invented by the Austrian Carl Auer von Welsbach .

The best-known IMCO lighter is the TRIPLEX Super petrol lighter, which was developed in 1936, technically improved in the 1950s and has been produced unchanged to this day. In the mid-1950s, the range of petrol lighter was expanded to include the Junior and Streamline models. Production was relocated from Vienna to Tribuswinkel near Baden in the 1960s due to the start of the production of friction wheel and piezo plastic lighters with gas. IMCO has particularly established itself on the market with its oblique flame lighters for pipe smokers. A line with high-quality designer lighters and stick lighters was also developed up to 2012. By the time it closed, IMCO had produced over half a billion lighters that were sold worldwide.

The company IMCO Österreichische Feuerzeug- und Metallwarenfabrik GmbH was closed in June 2012. At the former company location in Tribuswinkel, the CI-Clip company now produces paper clips that are sold on the former IMCO website. The Japanese company Windmill acquired the IMCO brand name and the rights to produce IMCO lighters in 2013 and is now producing reprint editions that are identical to the Triplex models.

Products

IFA ("IMCO lighters Austria")

The Imco IFA Patent No. 89538

The IFA (“IMCO Feuerzeuge Austria”) lighter was one of the first products in the company's lighter division. It was produced and exported in large numbers in the 1920s. The beginnings of production from brass cartridge cases are still clearly visible. Nevertheless, thanks to the patented windbreak and the integrated cover, it was already very reliable and thus laid the foundation for the later corporate success of IMCO.

IMCO Triplex JUNIOR, Super and STREAMLINE

Imco Triplex Junior (left), Imco Triplex Super (middle), Imco Streamline (right)

The IMCO fuel lighters JUNIOR, SUPER and STREAMLINE formed the heart of IMCO production until 2012. The decades of experience with the development and construction of lighters becomes apparent when you look at the sophisticated technology of IMCO petrol lighters. As early as 1936, the TRIPLEX lighter was introduced as the first semi-automatic lighter in which the flame ignites as soon as the cap is opened. After a small technical improvement in 1955, this lighter formed the basis for IMCO petrol lighters until 2012. As in the early 1930s, IMCO petrol lighters were made from high-quality steel until the end. The design-related separate supply of flint and fuel had the advantage that while the flint was being replaced, neither gasoline could evaporate nor tools would be required and therefore no small parts could be lost.

IMCO gas lighter 6200

The Imco 6000 radio master

The IMCO gas lighter 6200 was developed in 1952 to ignite gas stoves that were already widely used at the time . Today gas stoves usually have integrated piezoelectric igniters, which means that there is hardly any demand for separate igniters that only generate sparks.

RADIUS, SMART

The Designline product range started in 2006. The top product was the RADIUS stick lighter made from solid aluminum, followed by the SMART made from brushed steel. Like all electronic IMCO lighters, they had a piezo ignition.

G11 TORNADO

Imco G11 gas filling

The G11 TORNADO was developed as the first IMCO gas lighter in the 1960s. The lighter combined the technology and appearance of the IMCO petrol lighters with a gas burner. The lighter was a great success and was built in large numbers over many years.

G55, G77, CHIC4PIPE

Imco G77-R

All IMCO pipe lighters had an inclined flame with which one could ignite pipes safely. The lighters also had a built-in replacement flint and the gas content control in the bottom of the tank or built-in smoking accessories in the CHIC4PIPE series of lighters.

quality and safety

All IMCO lighters met all ISO 9994 standards and were classified as "semi-luxury". This meant that child safety was not required under European regulations. IMCO granted a 10-year guarantee on the function.

Web links

Commons : Imco  - collection of images, videos and audio files