Hedge Trimmers and Cable Cutters for Life
Interview with Nabil Francis, Managing Director of FELCO SA
Anyone who purchases a pruning shear or motorized garden shear from FELCO only needs to make this purchase once in a lifetime – because even for products that are 50 years old, this traditional Swiss company still holds spare parts for the necessary repair work. What innovations the quality manufacturer is currently dealing with and how the knowledge transfer from tree pruning to the development of cable cutting tools has taken place, was revealed by Managing Director Nabil Francis in an interview with Wirtschaftsforum.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Francis, for 80 years FELCO has consistently stood for excellence and durability - what range of products do you provide to support your customers exactly?
Nabil Francis: FELCO is a global leader in the field of motorized as well as manual pruning shears and sawing tools, which are appreciated by private users in domestic gardens as well as professional landscapers and other craftspeople in orchards or vineyards. In addition, we also offer products for cutting cables for various industries.
Wirtschaftsforum: A completely different market segment!
Nabil Francis: Of course, these two fields of application differ significantly, and we tailor our customer outreach accordingly. Yet, upon closer look, multiple intersections become apparent: Whether you want to cut branches or cables, you would still want a high-quality device with perfect ergonomics to make these tasks as comfortable as possible – and also in product development and fundamental engineering principles, there are surprisingly many similarities, so we would like to continue to utilize our expertise in both product groups.
Wirtschaftsforum: What distinguishes FELCO's products from those of your competitors?
Nabil Francis: We continue to stand for high quality and durability: You generally need to buy a pruning or garden shear from us only once in your lifetime – and then you can pass it on to the next generation with a clear conscience. It just requires a little maintenance and occasional minor repairs, for which we provide detailed videos on YouTube. Alternatively, our customers can send their products to one of our repair centers in 30 countries, where we refurbish over 500,000 garden shears each year. Some have been in use for over 50 years, and of course, we consistently keep the necessary spare parts available for them – a clear statement against a disposable society and for greater sustainability, which we have stood for over 80 years.
Wirtschaftsforum: How has FELCO remained innovative during this time?
Nabil Francis: A company like ours cannot survive without constant innovation – our entire team is aware of this. Currently, we are working on several further developments that will increase the safety of our products and at the same time make the user experience even more pleasant and elegant – for example, with our coated F-Tech blade, which reduces the friction force during cutting by about 30%. Moreover, the scissors are easier to clean, reducing the risk of transmitting diseases from one plant to another when pruning multiple trees. In the development of our motorized cutting tools, we were also able to develop a patented system for finger protection: it detects when a finger enters the sawing device and then immediately stops the cutting process – a significant safety gain for both professionals and hobby gardeners alike.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do the requirements of a professional user differ from those of a private user?
Nabil Francis: Of course, landscape gardeners use our products much more intensively, which is why they might want to replace the blades occasionally, something that is rather rare in a private setting. We also offer several devices that are specifically tailored to the special requirements in the professional sector, such as our FELCO 834, an electric pruning shear equipped with three different cutting heads. However, in terms of durability, safety, and ergonomics requirements of our products, there are hardly any differences between the various segments.
To ensure this quality as comprehensively as possible, we also offer our customers custom-made tools that are perfectly tailored to the size of their respective hand. While some believe that larger tools also mean more cutting power, this is a misconception: the best possible cutting process can only be achieved with the perfectly fitting tool – and it should definitely fit properly, especially when you have to buy it only once in a lifetime like with FELCO.
Wirtschaftsforum: Will FELCO's products remain Swiss-Made for the next 80 years?
Nabil Francis: Absolutely – even though the challenges with an export quota of 95% will certainly not decrease.