The companies we represent

It is the aim of B&W International Ltd. to combine the experience and know-how of case experts in Germany with favourable location factors of foreign production facilities. As a member of the bwh Case Group we are a one-stop shop for cases and bags – regardless of the outfit and numbers of items you require. We supply all products, whether produced in Germany or by one of our foreign partners, in excellent quality and at unbeatably low prices – unique in the branch! B&W International Ltd. has achieved an excellent reputation throughout Europe with successful brand names. Our product lines have long been able to establish themselves in the specialized trade: tool cases and bags of the lines supreme cases, profi cases and top cases as well as waterproof, unbreakable outdoor cases or bike cases for transporting bicycles. Our product lines are supplied exclusively via specialized shops – not only in Germany but also in 16 other European countries. Buyers from industry, service providers, the wholesale and retail trade as well as private professionals are always at the right place with B&W International.

As a private enterprise that has been owned by our family for more than 50 years, we feel particularly committed to our customers’ interests. One of our major intentions is to live up to the reputation and tradition of the quality label “Made in Germany”. In the north Bavarian town of Hersbruck we manufacture high-quality measurement tools for the most diversified applications. These products meet the highest demands of trade and industry. On top of that, BMI succeeds in combining tradition and innovation. This is also highlighted by our way into laser leveling. Since 1993, BMI has been one of the leading manufacturers in this technology. A further indication of the continuous innovation is more than 40 active patents. Some of our patented milestones in the development and production of practical measuring instruments are:

• 1986 The introduction of unique spirit levels whose vials have been unalterably fixed by means of ultrasonic welding
• 1986 The minimization of a tape breakage hazard through the FLEXTOP tip for measuring tapes
• 1992 Measuring tape frames with ball bearings of the ERGOLINE series for left and right handers
• 1997 High tech manufacture of EUROSTAR with unbreakable, laser-marked vials
• 1999 The leveling laser BMI Magic and its universal usage
• 2001 Introduction of the enclosed series, RADIUS for measuring tapes
• 2003 Presenting the robust, waterproof construction laser NAUTILUS IPX7
• 2005 topoMAT – sold more than 10.000 times – becomes rainproof according to the IP55 standard
• 2007 Quicky – both tape and folding rule in one

All our efforts follow the intention to equip you with up-to-date, marketable quality measuring instruments so that you can approach your customers in a competent and successful way.

KNIPEX specializes in the development and production of high-quality pliers and is Europe’s leading manufacturer of these products. It all started back in 1882 when C. Gustav Putsch set up his own forge shop in Cronenberg (now a suburb of Wuppertal). We are an independent fourth-generation family company.

KNIPEX pliers satisfy the highest expectations in terms of performance, ergonomics and service life. Our products are designed to meet the requirements of professional users, who must be able to rely on their tools in day-to-day work.

We concentrate our knowledge and expertise on pliers. This is the only way to justify our claim that we are the best supplier in terms of quality, innovation and efficiency. Our success is assured by 650 qualified employees and we attach the greatest importance to their basic and advanced training.

In Wuppertal we have 45,000 m2 (500,000 square feet) of factory space. All manufacturing operations, from forging (including making the forging die) to packaging, are done on our own premises. This method allows us to maintain stringent quality control standards and to co-ordinate all aspects of the manufacturing process.

With over a thousand separate styles and sizes KNIPEX offers a complete range of pliers for almost every application in trade and industry. The breadth and depth of our range ensures that the best tool can always be found for each application.

In the tough and demanding world of everyday usage, KNIPEX pliers meet the challenge to the fullest satisfaction. In terms of material and construction, they are designed to function as heavy duty tools and deliver high load bearing capacity and long service life.

Innovation and high performance are not only characteristics of the tools we make but are also key elements in our production engineering. Modern state-of-the-art machinery ensures that we produce consistently high precision at the most economical cost ratio.

KNIPEX pioneers ideas in pliers design. Again and again, KNIPEX’s innovations offer future-oriented solutions and set standards for easy, effective and reliable work. For our development work we rely on an intensive sharing of experience with users. We utilize the most modern design technology and the highest efficiency testing and experimental equipment.

KNIPEX pliers are supplied only through distribution. We do not deliver direct to end users. We offer our partners in trade a high level of inventory availability, extensive consulting and training and a wide variety of sales support.

KNIPEX pliers are in great demand throughout the world and we export over 60% of our production. An international network of distribution branches, agencies and importers connect us to our customers in over one hundred countries.

Long life is proof of quality. Working with you since 1925, LFA strives to maintain this. Located in an area of France where precision is a tradition, the brand is now present in over 50 countries. Its products undergo major research and development work resulting in worldwide patents. They are manufactured by machines designed and produced internally for maximum quality and flexibility. In an era where time management is essential, everything should be made to last.

The range of consumables developed by LFA follows the same rule as our chucks: giving your tools the ability to live a full life with ongoing efficiency. Drive belts, bearings, carbon brushes, power cords… all these products are designed to last. Even your used batteries can be reconditioned. LFA has always preferred sustainable to disposable. So has the environment.

For more than 100 years Johann Froescheis LYRA Bleistift-Fabrik GmbH & Co. KG is known as a competent partner in producing marking products for industries and crafts. Lyra‘s marking systems meet nearly all requirements for marking. We are working close together with experts in order to cope with challenges in an innovative and competent way. LYRA is the specialist and market leader for industrial marking with more than 200 years of know-how and highest demands in quality and service.

Actually, it was because of NAPOLEON that Johann Froescheis could register his business as pencil manufacturer at the magistracy of Nuremberg in the year 1806.

The former Free Reich`s City lost it`s privileges to set it`s own rules, when NAPOLEON ordered the administrative restructuring of, in that case Bavaria, and Nuremberg was made part of it. Up until then it was the privilege of the carpenters guild to make pencils in Nuremberg.

The fast expansion of the factory made it necessary to relocate the production from the Kleinweidenmühle (little willow mill) to the Großweidenmühle (big willow mill) and to change power from water to steam. This happened around 1900 when about 500 workers and office people were employed, who produced about 7000 Gros of wood-cased graphite and color-pencils per week plus penholders, leadholders and other writing and drawing material.

Norton, the world's premium abrasive brand, offers a complete range of high performance products designed to perform in any abrasive application in all industrial markets.

As the technology leader, Norton sits at the forefront of the industry offering highly engineered value-adding abrasive solutions. Each year, Norton makes substantial investments in R&D helping to generate innovative ideas that aim to revolutionize abrasives. This strong commitment to innovation ensures that exciting new products are continuously introduced, offering substantial benefits to customers by helping to improve process productivity.

As well as New Product Development, Norton is committed to utilizing technology breakthroughs in all its existing products. Both the Norton stock range and made-to-order solutions are continually reviewed to ensure that the product offer remains fresh and conforms to the most recent market trends. This approach ensures that all Norton products benefit from state-of-the art technology, and that the Norton brand has continued sustainable market growth.

Norton reinforces its position as market and innovation leader by constantly analyzing the market to ensure it continuously fulfils customer needs. Norton looks to acquire and hold extensive knowledge about its customers' business activities and product priorities. This market orientated approach enables Norton to better anticipate customer requests and to have an improved understanding of market developments.

Norton's technical expertise ensures not only are the most appropriate products used in all abrasives applications but also they are used in an effective and safe manner, maximizing performance. Through this Norton looks to establish valuable working partnerships with its customers of all sizes and stature. These working partnerships are reinforced through extensive marketing activities that support its complete and innovative product range.

Norton is much more than the world's leading manufacturer of abrasive products, it's a brand that has become and remains number one in the minds of its customers. Norton is committed to the long-term development of abrasives and is part of a company that looks to assist customers in all their abrasive needs.

Ornit Blind Rivets has manufactured blind rivets since 1975. Ornit provides unique custom designed fastening solutions for the automotive, constructive, electronic and industrial markets. Ornit’s product lines are designed for a wide range of applications in all markets.
The company’s portfolio includes structural rivets, roofing rivets, multi-grip rivets and other fastening devices made from various alloy combinations of aluminium, steel and stainless steel.

Ornit’s high standards and top quality products are ensured by quality assurance procedures at all stages of production.

Ornit manufactures in compliance with the IFI 114 and DIN 7337 standards. Ornit’s dedication to performance excellence has led us to be awarded with the ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 9001:2000 certifications.

Ornit’s R&D department is equipped with the latest technology and a highly experienced and knowledgeable team ready to face any challenge. Their expertise provides Ornit’s customers with ideal solutions for any fastening application.

Ornit’s products are exported around the world, i.e. Europe, Australia, South Africa, Far East and Latin America. Ornit established a subsidiary company in the USA, Ornit Inc. to support the distribution of our products in North America. Ornit is the leading distributor of fasteners in Israel.

Ornit, a global company, remains on the front line in the fastening industry by researching, developing and manufacturing innovative fastening solutions.

Ornit’s Objectives

• To continue to learn, understand and foresee the customers’ changing desires and ambitions.
• To provide creative, flexible and competitive fastening solutions for customers worldwide.
• To maintain close business relationships with our customers.
• To remain uncompromising on product quality by implementing quality assurance regulations and maintaining international standards.
• To maintain high service standards by meeting our customers’ needs.
• To broaden Ornit’s worldwide activities through product development.
• To invest in Ornit’s human resources.

Since 1857, PICARD have specialized in hammer production. But we have never allowed ourselves to rest upon our traditions and experiences. We have continued to keep up with the latest technical developments and are always looking for new innovations. The use of better quality steels, more ergonomic shaping for safe, materials offering less fatigue, more effective production options, more precise control processes and an increasing requirement profile for the performance of PICARD hammers.

Uncompromising quality continues to be the foundation of PICARD products. This is proved all over the world by millions of PICARD hammers, tubular handled and planishing tools by their unusually long lifespan.

Many decades of experience and of endeavoring to provide optimal quality have lead to our high requirements regarding the steels to be worked with, to the production machines and to the constant further development of processing technology; especially in the field of heat and surface treatments.

So one can understand that in many cases, PICARD can offer more than normally demanded. Within the production of hammers, the main focus is on the craftsmanship of the employees as well as on modern machinery, whether in our own tool-shop, at the drop forge, in heat treatment or in grinding and polishing.

Thus, the manufactured products with their top quality are continuously acknowledged by our many loyal regular customers.

RENNSTEIG WERKZEUGE - this company in the community of Viernau that owes its name to the „RENNSTEIG” foothpath across the wonderful Thuringian Highlands – follows a long tradition of hand tools development and manufacture in this region. Based on this experience the company RENNSTEIG WERKZEUGE was founded - since 1991 a subsidiary of KNIPEX-WERK C. Gustav Putsch in Wuppertal.

New technologies and working methods typify the processing of high-quality materials that are used to manufacture cable cutting, stripping and crimping tools, striking tools, shank chisels as well as a wide range of pliers.

Our own R&D department enables us to realize the development of numerous new and improved tools. These innovative abilities of the company are also documented by a series of Europe and world patents granted.

Therefore the developing and manufacturing of special pliers for various applications customized acc. to clients’ requests in no time is a main issue of our work.

The presentation of RENNSTEIG quality tools on the occasion of the most important national and international trade and industrial fairs and the feedback from an experienced audience led also to the fact the company being a noteworthy manufacturer of hand tools.

Due to the implementation of a modern quality management system the basic requirements for the successful recertification of the company acc. to DIN ISO 9001 were created. A positive attitude and a qualified involvement of all associates of the company are the guarantee for a successful presence of RENNSTEIG WERKZEUGE GMBH on the sensitive tool market now and in future.

The quality mark granted by the VPA Remscheid research and test institute confirms proven quality for almost all of the tools produced by RENNSTEIG thus certifying a DIN conforming manufacture.

Constantly performed quality inspections of incoming materials, in the course of the manufacturing process and when dispatching the goods guarantee good sales of high-quality products at home and abroad.

Witte Werkzeuge is the origin of the world-wide renowned Kirchhoff group. Being a global player, we employ, more than 3,000 people on our production and cooperation sites in 10 European countries, the USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

The values of the Kirchhoff group, which has been in the propriety of the family Kirchhoff for four generations, are clearly defined, i.e. global thinking, regional acting and the consequent claim to develop products that are oriented on the market and to maximize their potential constantly. In this family business, which is rich in traditions, dynamism, innovation and modernism go along with responsibility, confidence and safety.
Thus, the Kirchhoff group wants to benefit its customers by being a competent partner in the long term whilst guaranteeing them maximum benefits – and this in the three forward looking sectors – tools, automotive and environmental technology.

Witte Werkzeuge can look back to more than 200 years of experience and nowadays is one of the most important manufactures of screw-driving tools on the international market. This success is based upon innovative developments, product security and quality. Witte tools stand up to the highest demands. They are ergonomically advanced and enable tireless and precide working.