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Anniversary Magazine

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4 FASCINATING SPORTS

6 SIR ARNOLD LUNN, ENGLAND, FATHER OF COMPETITIVE ALPINE SPORTS

8 BITTEN By THE „SKI BUG“

12 STEAM FROM MOTHER’S WASHTUB

18 BOOM TIME FOR PATENT ATTORNEyS

22 A PIONEERING DECISION

26 THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION

28 BUILT ON A SOLID FOUNDATION

36 INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING PLATFORM

40 ON PROPHETS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

42 STöCKLI AMBASSADOR OF AN ECONOMICALLy STRONG REGION

44 LEAVING ONE‘S MARK ON THE WORLD

48 STöCKLI – „STRADIVARI OF SKI SPORTS“

50 WHEN THE HEART OF A GOURMET SKIPS A BEAT

54 SKI-STöCKLI PEDALING WITH POWER

58 FROM LEAFLET TO PRODUCT CATALOG

62 SKIS FOR CROWNED HEADS

64 STöCKLI SKIS AND BIKES – TWO EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS

68 «My CONTRACT WITH STöCKLI WAS A STROKE OF LUCK FOR ME.»

70 MAINTAINING LONG-TERM JOB SECURITy

72 MILESTONES IN 75 yEARS OF STöCKLI SWISS SPORTS LTD

78 FRIENDS

CONTENTS

75 YEARS

3

The weather report sounds promis-

ing: fresh snow and sunshine. For days

now some winter sports addicts have

been fi dgeting nervously in their offi ce

chairs. As the weekend fi nally arrives, it

fi nds thousands of Swiss on their way

to their favorite skiing areas. Yet this

migration is not a phenomenon of our

leisure-oriented society. Skiing has cap-

tivated millions of people around the

world for more than 75 years. And one

of these people was my father, Josef

Stöckli. On his very fi rst self-made skis

he would attack the slopes, making da-

redevil downhill runs in Heiligkreuz and

Sörenberg. At that time the fascination

for this sport was the motivating force

behind the unique success story of our

family business.

Beni Stöckli Sr.

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Stöckli Swiss Sports AG

Fascinating Sports

My father laid a solid foundation. And we

– i.e., my wife Rita and my brother, Walter

Stöckli – have been strongly dedicated and

committed to carrying on the life work of our

parents, Marianne and Josef Stöckli. We had

the opportunity to realize new ideas – ideas

which substantially contributed to the deve-

lopment of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG, evolving

it into a successful chain of retail sporting

goods stores with its very own line of skis and

bikes.

The third Stöckli generation is just as fas-

cinated with sports. Almost three years ago I

was able to hand over the management reins

to our son, Beni Stöckli. He took on this chal-

lenge well prepared and I am convinced that

with his ideas and visions he will set additio-

nal milestones in our company history.

As we proudly reminisce on the achieve-

ments of the past 75 years, we do so with the

confi dence that we have worked hard for this

success. And by “we“ I mean the entire staff

of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG Our highly motiva-

ted and well-trained employees have always

been the key to our success. They have inter-

nalized my father‘s credo of

“only selling what I am thoroughly con-

vinced of“

and implement this philosophy on a day-

to-day basis in our business. Our fascination

for sports is and will remain the driving force

behind this commitment.

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75 YEARS

4

Beni Stöckli:

Highly motivated and well-trained

employees are the key to success.

5

Those who were born and who grew up in the moun-tains are indiffer-ent to their herit-age of beauty. And those who have nev-er seen the moun-tains have no clue as to what they are missing. On the other hand, a child whose youth is spent divided between London and the Alps suf-fers moments of bitter despair and months of gnawing homesickness for his short weeks in paradise.

Sir Arnold Lunn, England, father of competitive alpine sports

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7

Nowadays when people talk about

the prehistory of ski racing they usually

refer to the daring experiments made by

our great-grandfathers during the times

when Sir Arnold Lunn discovered the

elegance of skiing more than one hund-

red years ago. However, the prehistory

of ski sports dates back much further.

Not only have ski fragments been found

in the marshes and bogs of Scandina-

via, written documents also reveal that

people already began using skis several

thousand years ago as a means of loco-

motion. Thanks to so-called “marsh geo-

logy,“ scientists have been able to date

the remnants of skis found in the Nordic

bogs back 4000 years. Even more enlight-

ening are some rock drawings found in

Helleristingern on the Norwegian coast

that have been described by archeolo-

gists as being the work of the younger

Stone Age. And almost equally old are

some other stone drawings depicting

ski scenes that have been found in Rus-

sia. Nevertheless, these fi ndings cannot

answer the question as to how skiing

really began, and as is often the case

with such questions, the opinions of re-

searchers can differ widely. The Finnish

prehistory scientist, Professor Uuno Taa-

vi Sirelius (1872–1929), believes that the

ski stems from more southern regions

where it was used as a marsh shoe. His

colleague R. B. Viklund from Sweden is

of the opinion that skis were developed

from Lapp fur shoes which in the win-

ter were attached to a wooden board to

prevent the wearer from sinking more

deeply into the snow.

«Doch die Hölzer an den Füssen haben

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BITTEN by the “ski bug”

8

With painstaking detail Willy Amrhein designed the

entries for the Ski Club Engelberg‘s 1904 Ski Touring Book.

9

“But the boards underneath the feet have barely moved”

The most important stimulus for the

breakthrough of skis was, however, a comple-

tely different event. On August 15, 1888, the

North Pole scientist and Nobel Prize winner

Fridtjof Nansen ventured to traverse Green-

land from the east to the west coast on snow

shoes together with three Norwegians and

two Lapps. As Nansen reached his destination

on October 3 of the same year, this underta-

king triggered a huge wave of enthusiasm

with young people in Central Europe for his

means of locomotion. Nansen‘s traversal of

Greenland marked the birth of modern ski-

ing. Inspired by Nansen‘s book Across Green-

land on snowshoes, a certain Christoph Iselin

built a couple of these so-called “snowshoes”

in the winter of 1891 in order to test them –

however,

“only in the deep of night or during snow

fl urries,”

as he later admitted. Although the boards

underneath his feet hardly moved, except

on the steepest slopes, Christoph Iselin did

not give up. In 1892 in Winterthur he met a

Norwegian who had three pairs of Huitfeld

skis sent from Christiania for Iselin and one

of his friends and who personally traveled to

Glarus to demonstrate what could be done

with such boards. The men from Glarus were

thrilled as they observed how the Norwegian

jumped over a 60-centimeter wall projecting

out of the snow. One year later in 1893 the

Glarus Skiing Club – the fi rst skiing club in

Switzerland – was founded, followed shortly

thereafter by skiing clubs in Bern and zurich.

The “ski enthusiast bug” began to spread and

gain strong momentum in Switzerland, large-

ly due to Norwegians who were staying in

Switzerland either professionally or for study

purposes.

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Ever since skiing became popular

in Switzerland, its tracks in the snow

have been documented.

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Steam from mother’s washtub

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Steam from mother’s washtub

Josef Stöckli built the fi rst

skis using the simplest of methods.

13

Own brand

Josef Stöckli was already inventive back

in those early days. In order to save weight

he fluted the top surface of the skis. These

were the first “Stöckli brand” skis. The skis

must have been good because friends and

acquaintances soon began to take notice of

the Stöckli own brand. And so it happened

that in 1935, Josef Stöckli more or less spent

day and night either in his father’s carpenter‘s

shop where he was employed as a full-time

carpenter, or in his mother’s laundry room,

standing by the steaming washtub. In the

very first winter the young ski maker sold 50

pairs of skis, all made in his free time. This was

the birth of Stöckli Ski, today the only remain-

ing ski manufacturer in Switzerland

A “daredevil”

Josef Stöckli was the perfect example of

a daredevil. In fact, as far as skiing was con-

cerned he was not even afraid of the devil

himself. He was “like a wild dog let loose”

and totally fearless. Or, as he once put it

himself:

“We skied like maniacs.”

What got him and his friends especially

going was a steep slope located near the First

on Heiligkreuz in Entlebuch. Normal skiers

made a detour around this steep slope. Not

so Josef Stöckli and his friends. Each of them

tried to outdo the other. They didn’t always

come through such daring downhill runs wit-

hout mishap. A photograph was taken in this

area which all his life Josef Stöckli counted

among his favorites. It shows the ski maker

performing a somersault on skis, at a time

when the word “freestyle” was not even con-

nected to skiing yet.

During the first quarter of the last

century, what did young people do

when they wanted to go skiing, but

didn‘t have the money to buy the then

wickedly expensive sports equipment?

Correct – they made their own skis out

of wood. This, however, was easier said

than done. Although trees grow sky-

high and long enough for the ski‘s gli-

ding surface length, none grow with

an automat-ic upward curve for the ski

shovels. This is where the saying “Neces-

sity is the mother of invention” comes

in. Ash wood can be bent fairly easily,

provided the plank has been previously

thoroughly exposed to steam. And what

could be more suitable for the job than

mother’s washtub! So one day in the

early 30s Josef Stöckli filled his mother’s

large washtub with water and lit the fire

underneath – not to wash dirty clothes,

no, his interest lay more in the ashwood

planks he had previously cut to size in

the family workshop and which he then

held over the steaming washtub and ca-

refully bent into shape.

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Ash wood boards were bent into

shape over mother‘s washtub to make

the home-made skis.

14

Acrobatic skiing was still unknown when Josef Stöckli performed

a somersault with his 2.05 meter skis in Heiligkreuz.

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Steam for uniform heating

Josef Stöckli made it a policy of only sel-

ling what he himself had tested and which

would meet his high standards. He was al-

ways his own, and no doubt best, ski tester.

He checked each and every one of his new de-

velopments thoroughly himself. His intuition

for innovative and even revolutionary deve-

lopments in ski manufacturing was legendary.

This was demonstrated in 1945 when he con-

structed the fi rst bonded skis using hickory

and ash. A functional ski press still exists from

that era, and compared to the usual presses

of that period, it is not heated by electricity

but rather by steam. Steam – hasn‘t that al-

ready been mentioned earlier? Josef Stöckli

had discovered that steam distributes heat

more uniformly. The only remaining tasks

were to determine the proper temperature

needed to achieve optimum bonding of the

skis and the most suitable bonding agent.

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Metal instead of wood

For the company founder skis were not

just skis. Each pair was unique, even though

in the meantime the main income of the

young Stöckli family had for some time come

from ski manufacturing and no longer from

the carpenter‘s shop. The fi rst break came in

1957. Josef Stöckli had followed the deve-

lopment in ski manufacturing with keen in-

terest. It is no wonder that he was the fi rst

to adopt an idea from Head which he then

implemented in the same year by beginning

with the manufacture of the fi rst metal skis.

The fi rst three pairs did not meet his ex-

pectations, but after performing test runs on

the Clariden mountain, he knew “where the

design needed to be changed.“ Even though

now in old age, Stöckli Sr. was proud to know

that his small ski factory on the outskirts of

Entlebuch was the only other manufacturer

besides Head and Attenhofer to have metal

skis on the market. By 1959, Stöckli had al-

ready switched its entire production to met-al

skis, one year before the Frenchman Jean Vu-

arnet – racing on metal skis – achieved the fi -

nal breakthrough with his Olympic victory at

Squaw Valley in America. Up to this point in

time about 1,100 pairs of metal skis had left

the production facility in Wolhusen.

17

“A pair of planks conquer a valley” is

the heading of the Engelberg document

which records the history of skiing in

the monastery village since its begin-

nings around 1900. In actual fact the

two planks, called skis, did not conquer

just a valley but whole areas of country-

side. The breakthrough of skis, a piece of

equipment which in its basic form was

thousands of years old, was not to be

stopped. Barely had this novel piece of

sports equipment found its footing in

Central Europe when the local inhabi-

tants felt the need to modify what they

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Boom time for patent attorneys

considered to be rather primitive means

of locomotion. The planks really needed

to be improved upon. This called for

inventors and designers, and they came

in droves, each hoping his idea would

be the one to revolutionize skiing. Patent

attorneys had no reason to complain

about the lack of work, and their ar-

chives were filled with drawings and

descriptions. New ideas kept being re-

gistered with the office for intellectual

property. However, a great number of

the registered patents never got past the

workshop stage.

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Toothed profile for skis

Then there were other

inventors who appeared to

be way ahead of their time.

The Engelberg ski manufac-

turer Louis Beerli was one

of them. On November 1,

1946, he submitted a pat-

ent application for the

construction of skis with

“partially inward arched

sides.” At that time

nobody was talking

about carving. In fact,

though, Louis Beerli

handed in a patent

which actually de-

scribed the geometry

of today’s carving skis way ahead of any-

one else. Josef Stöckli, the founder of Stöck-

li Swiss Sports Ltd., also belongs to those ski

manufacturers who were continuously think-

ing about the further development of the

skis and the associated components such as

bind-ings, climbing aids, etc. For decades ski-

ers pondered the question of how to fi nd a

better means for climbing than the strapped-

on sealskins. Josef Stöckli’s train of thought

went one step further. His invention were

the so-called “ski crampons,” which prevent

the sealskins from slipping sideways when

traversing sloping terrain. A U-shaped metal

climbing shoe was fi tted near the binding.

According to the patent specifi cation, made

out on February 15, 1966, this toothed met-

al profi le would guarantee good climbing.

Unfortunately, Josef Stöckli shared the same

fate with his inven-

tion as many of his contemporaries who

were also dedicated to innovation, and he ne-

ver made a fortune from this invention.

Forerunner of modern ski manufacturing

Josef Stöckli could have earned money

much easier with another invention. How-

ever, it remained as “could have.” The patent

application was made, but the patent grant

was never issued. The patent concerned the

so-called “trapezoid,” which won recognition

in ski manufacture and is still in use today.

Josef Stöckli was

his own test skier, and

he was never easy on his

own products. Today, one

would probably describe

him as being a “darede-

vil.” He was one of those

people who, when on skis,

feared nothing and nobody.

On one of these test runs he

noticed that – as was usual

at the time – the sidewalls of

the skis, designed at an exact

right angle to the coated run-

ning surface, slowed down the

skiers when they assumed extre-

me leaning angles in tight curves.

His solution was strikingly simple:

He tapered the sidewalls from the

bottom to the top, so the cross-sec-

tion of the ski formed a trapezoid.

His invention would reappear when

the fi rst carving skiers conquered

the slopes. The new ski models allow winter

sportswomen and sportsmen to negotiate

curves at extreme lean angles. This would be

an impossible undertaking without the tra-

pezoidal design. With or without patent re-

cognition, Josef Stöckli most certainly left his

mark on modern ski design.

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A PIONEERING decision

22

“in increasingly shorter intervals periods I

became more and more preoccupied with the

idea of selling my skis directly to the skiers.”

And fi nally the inevitable happened.

Following a visit to a sporting goods

dealer at Zuerichstrasse in Lucerne, Josef

Stöckli returned home in a rather bad

mood. Once home the young business-

man disclosed to his wife Marianne that

from now on Stöckli skis could only be

bought in direct sales. He was sick and

tired of coping with dealers and even

accepted the fact that the ski industry

branded him as a black sheep.

Quality at a reasonable price

This was a courageous step. And back

then Josef Stöckli could not even imagine

that this particular day in 1967 would actu-

ally prove a lucky break for his business rather

than a black day. Although sporting goods

dealers avoided the ski producer from Entle-

buch like the plague, end users accepted him

all the more and the fan community of Stöckli

skiers grew from winter to winter. Admiration

for the ski producer also climbed substan-

tially parallel to the company‘s sales fi gures

– an admiration which many at fi rst did not

want to admit or show publicly. The ski indus-

try had always considered Stöckli as the black

sheep who wouldn‘t give a hoot about mar-

gins and the like.

Josef Stöckli began to produce skis

in Wolhusen at a time when there was

more than just one ski factory in Switzer-

land. Approximately 30 ski production

facilities were in business then. Conside-

ring the prevailing conditions, the com-

panies Authier, Schwendener and Atten-

hofer were already large, fl ourishing ski

producers. After the end of World War II

the Swiss again had time to devote to

their hobbies. Skiing was “in” and once

again found more and more fans. With

this boom, the pressure on margins in-

creased due to the competition, a fact

which worried the company founder, Jo-

sef Stöckli. At one time he was quoted

as saying that

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Bäbu knew exactly how a ski must work

24

Whatever savings Josef Stöckli made by

avoiding the intermediate trade he passed

on directly to his customers. In the process he

discovered the advantage he gained by not

having to put up with dealers, because this

left him more time to develop new models.

More and more the young businessman was

convinced that the step taken into direct sales

had been the only right decision. This strate-

gy allowed the ski producer to offer his custo-

mers qualitatively high-class skis at reasona-

ble prices, a philosophy which is still upheld

today. Customers find the exact same ski

models actually used by Stöckli ski aces in the

World on the shelves of the retail stores. Ever

since 1967 the direct, vertical marketing struc-

ture has been the secret of the company‘s suc-

cess. Had Josef Stöckli not followed his entre-

preneurial instinct, the enterprise would have

most likely succumbed to the same fate as his

contemporary competitors. From Attenhofer

to Authier to Schwendener – all of them have

since disappeared from the scene. Stöckli, on

the other hand, survived and now has a solid

foothold in the internationally highly compe-

titive ski business.

Up until the spring of 2010, shortly before

his death, the company founder still follow-

ed ski development with great interest and

alertness. Josef Stöckli is sorely missed by the

ski makers at the Malters factory who always

looked forward to his regular Friday visits. To-

gether they would enjoy a midmorning snack

and talk shop. “He was a pragmatist, not a

theorist. He always wanted to be informed

of everything going on and had all new de-

velopments explained to him in great detail,”

recalls Ruedi Arnet, Head of Development at

Stöckli. There was a time thirty years ago,

Arnet was learning the ropes of ski construc-

tion from scratch, when he was anxious to

acquire all of Josef Stöckli‘s knowledge and

experience. As Arnet‘s trainer, the company

founder taught him everything he needed

to know about how a ski must be built in

order for it to be dynamic and alive. “Bäbu

knew exactly how a ski must function. And

he didn‘t keep this knowledge to himself, but

was always ready and willing to pass it on to

us greenhorns with great openness.”

Stöckli‘s direct sales strategy allowed

the company to offer its customers high

quality skis at a reasonable price.

25

The struggle for recognition

Beni Stöckli inherited a burden from

his father: his business continued to be

anything but loved by sports equipment

dealers. Not even proven success could

change this. Direct sales were everything

but image building. But Beni Stöckli

would not be Beni Stöckli if he had de-

viated from the path taken. Moreover,

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the suppliers of ski bindings, ski boots

and skiwear had recognized for some

time already that they would make con-

siderably smaller turnovers year after

year without this enterprise in Wol-

husen. Nevertheless, the sector still

refused to take the ski manufacturer

from Entlebuch seriously. In fact, they

even belittled him. This would not even

change when Stöckli entered the ski

racing business by sponsoring Elmar

Reindl, the strongest regional athlete at

the time. Elmar Reindle met with imme-

diate success and in the very first season

proved that Stöckli makes not only good

but especially fast skis.

Company founder, Josef Stöckli (center) with the second

Stöckli generation Walter (left) and Beni Stöckli (right)

26

The struggle for recognition

Elmar Reindl‘s achievements with Stöck-

li skis made the rounds in the ski industry.

Still, it was anything but easy to approach

young, promising ski talent. If it was found,

he or she soon bailed out. Competitors put

up sound arguments. At that time Stöckli was

not a member of the all-powerful Swiss Ski

Pool. If a Stöckli skier managed to advance

into the cadre of the ski association, Stöckli

skis were taboo on his feet, as Lorenz Areger

from Entlebuch experienced personally. The

skier from Hasle literally left the competition

behind as he rode the Stöckli skis. Based on

his impressive performances he himself sug-

gested that he be allowed to participate in

the World Cup – the highest level of alpine

ski sports. Although he grew up with Stöck-

li skis, Lorenz Aregger was forced to change

ski brands in mid-season, and from then on

his performance deteriorated rather than

improved, a situation which served as a signal.

From then on Beni Stöckli never again wan-

ted to see any ski talent who trusted his skis

suffer as much as Lorenz Aregger had, so he

fought tooth and nail for admission into the

Swiss ski pool. It was a long hard battle that

lasted several years and finally paid off in the

winter of 1991/92 when Stöckli received sup-

porter status. Two years later the company

became official supplier of the Swiss Ski Pool.

At long last the ski racers were also allowed

to use Stöckli skis in World Cup Races, open-

ing a new chapter in company history.

I never want to see a ski talent suffer again

27

A Wolhusen business, Stöckli was set

up on a solid foundation by its founder,

Josef Stöckli. And the continuation of

company operations by a younger gene-

ration was provided for. Beni Stöckli Sr.,

son of the founder, acquired shares of

the enterprise first from his brother, Wal-

ter, and later also from his father, Josef.

This involved a change of strategy. While

back then, one had to look hard to spot

under the shop counter a few pairs of

ski boots, ski bindings and especially

ski poles, from now on such gear was

a staple of the sales program. As Beni

Stöckli took the fate of the company in

his own hands in 1982 and became CEO

and Chairman of the Board of Directors,

what remained was the direct selling

strategy for the company‘s own skis.

Without hesitation he proceeded to turn

the company from an exclusive ski pro-

ducer to an actual commercial enterprise

and full-range supplier in the outdoor

sports market.

“Because,” as the current Chairman of

the Board of Directors of Stöckli Swiss

Sports AG says:

“we cannot live solely on ski production.

Pursuing this path would have forced me to

shut down the business long ago.”

With conviction and a clear goal, Beni

Stöckli followed the strategy of establish-

ing various solid foundations for his

business, one of which was the promo-

tion of the textile and fashion sectors.

As of 1980 customers entering a Stöck-

li store could purchase everything to do

with outdoor activities. In this respect

Beni Stöckli was able to rely on the ac-

tive support of his wife, Rita, who was

the actual pioneer who established the

entire textile division and gave it today‘s

character.

Built on a solid foundation

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The headquarters of Stöckli Swiss

Sports Ltd. has been in Wolhusen ever

since the company‘s foundation in 1935.

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A revolution in sportswear

Within the past couple of years the

sportswear sector has undergone tremen-

dous change.

Rita is convinced that

“Gore-Tex revolutionized sportswear.”

When she reflects on the beginnings, she

cannot resist a smile as she recalls that in the

first season 100 pairs of Ted Stone ski pants

and 100 Brunex ski jackets hung from the

clothes racks. But they sold like hot cakes.

Back then ski jackets were heavy and espe-

cially voluminous. Even alleg-edly waterproof

ski jackets soaked up water

“and increased the weight of the jack-

ets. At that time sportswear was neither

windproof nor watertight, and not at all

breathable. Today, these three features are

precisely what constitutes good, functional

sportswear.”

In the past one put on a thick sweater

underneath the padded ski jacket, but today

various functional articles of clothing serve

the same purpose of keeping the body warm.

Fashion, design and a flair for modern

cuts – that has always been Rita‘s world.

“I love fashion and I love dealing with

people.”

She quickly finds the right rapport with

customers and senses what they are looking

for. This is essential, and Stöckli employees

learn this on their very first day at work.

“Customers should always leave our

store with a good feeling,”

is Rita Stöckli‘s credo.

30

Own fashion line

For some time now Stöckli‘s activities

wide range restricted to winter. Its wide range

supply of articles for biking, trekking, wal-

king, running and in-line skating leaves

nothing to be desired. Parallel to this Stöck-

li has been gradually building up its own

fash-ion line of skiing, trekking, running and

biking apparel. This line clearly bears the sig-

nature of Rita Stöckli.

“From conception up to completion and

delivery, we are there to provide support and

advice in all phases.”

This is necessary because Rita Stöckli is

convinced

“that we must be better than the com-

petition. In addition, the price-performance

ratio must also be satisfying.”

Today, Stöckli can rightfully call itself the

sporting goods chain with the largest selec-

tion of ski apparel in Switzerland. Accordin-

gly, this has also led to a change in corpo-

rate identity, meaning that the ski factory

Stöckli AG has changed its name to Stöckli

Swiss Sports AG and as of October 2007 the

supclaim “Outdoor Sports“ was added to the

logo, giving it a new market appearance.

31

32

Stöckli, the full-range supplier

Today, Stöckli holds a key position in

the Swiss sporting goods dealers‘ scene. Its

external expansion was just as successful as

the initial step taken by the merchandising

company to become a full-range supplier.

In 1981 Stöckli opened its first retail outlet

in Sörenberg, and as of 1987 the company

began to expand the number of points of sales

to today‘s total of 14. Together with the flag-

ship store in Wolhusen, they contribute to the

fact that in the sporting goods sector, Stöckli

counts among the largest single sporting

goods dealers in Switzerland.

Beni Stöckli Sr. implemented the steps to

transform the exclusive ski manufacturer into a

commercial enterprise and full-range supplier in

the outdoor sector.

33

1

2

4

5

8

9

CD

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Growth thanks to own points of sale

Both in the past and today, we focus our attention on each and every individ-ual customer

comments Beni Stöckli,

because that is our company philosophy

In the meantime he has handed over the

executive reins to Beni Stöckli Jr. who now

already heads the third generation of the fa-

mily business. On April 1, 2008, the grandson

of the company founder took over the opera-

tional management as CEO of the company

from his father, Beni Stöckli Sr., who remains

connected with his company as Chairman of

the Board of Directors.

Customer orientation is practiced each

day at Stöckli. The company‘s 14 points of

sale, established over the past years, plus the

35 partner businesses guarantee customer

proximity. Beni Stöckli was fortunate to take

over from his father a business that was built

on a solid foundation. In 1982 Stöckli‘s turn-

over was approximately CHF 3 million; in the

meantime it has grown to CHF 60 million. The

family business employs 240 people in 14 of

its own points of sale. The third Stöckli gener-

ation has set itself the goal of continuing to

develop both its successful ski production sec-

tor and its own bike line, and of strengthen-

ing the enterprise in the outdoor sports

sector.

34

34

6

7

8

AB

C

STORES

1 3627 HEIMBERG

Stockhornstrasse 11

2 3063 ITTIGEN / BERN

Ey 5A

3 8302 KLOTEN

Balsberg•Balz-Zimmermann-Strasse7

4 5702 NIEDERLENz

Lenzburgerstrasse 2

5 1806 ST-LéGIER S/VEVEy

z.I. Rio Gredon 11

6 8820 WäDENSWIL

Florhofstrasse 13 (at the old factory)

7 9501 WIL/SG

Sirnacherstrasse 1

8 6110 WOLHUSEN

Kommetsrüti 7

9 4528 zUCHWIL

Ausserfeldweg1•GewerbezentrumN5

RENTAL & SERVICE CENTERS

A ENGELBERG

Residenz an der Aa

(opposite the Titlisbahnen parking lot)

B HOCH-yBRIG

Valleystation•Mountainstation

C MELCHSEE-FRUTT

Stöckalp

D SöRENBERG

Rothorncenter

PARTNERS

35

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Urs Kälin was a member of Stöckli‘s successful

racing team for several years.

36

The news hit like a bombshell in mid-

summer: Stöckli, having just advanced

to become the official supplier of the

Swiss Ski Pool, announced that Urs Kälin

had joined Stöckli‘s ski racing team. A

native of Canton Schwyz, Kälin had only

recently won the bronze medal in giant

slalom at the Olympic Winter Games in

Lillehammer, nota bene using a product

that he had trusted for many years. Si-

gning Urs Kälin was a well deliberated

step and above all a calculated risk for

both sides. “Bull‘s eye or washout” read a

headline in Switzerland‘s then leading

tabloid newpspaper “Blick.” The fine line

between “top or flop” was, at least to out-

siders, very small. Not so for the main

actors. Beni Stöckli was firmly convinced

that his company could provide its new

figurehead with absolute top materi-

al underneath his feet, and Urs Kälin

quickly gained confidence in the new ski

International Advertising Platform

material.

“I want to prove that winning skis can

also be built in Switzerland,”

said Urs Kälin in a strong, self-confi-

dent manner and trumped it with one

more comment:

“I will certainly not wind up in the off-

side position.”

Beni Stöckli, for one, admitted openly

and honestly that he never once thought

about

“the consequences that any bad results

could have on our business, because we are

sure that it will work.”

37

On Urs Kälin joining Stöckli two years

previously, Beni Stöckli had dictated the fol-

lowing to journalists in Wolhusen: “We are

sure it will work.” Skeptical, “Blick” senior

skiing editor at the time speculated that com-

pany owner, Beni Stöckli had fulfilled himself

a childhood dream by entering the World

Cup competitions. But this was far from true.

Although the company owner admitted to

not having calculated the World Cup commit-

ment right down to the last Swiss franc and

cent, he still pursued a clear strategy.

first official title for Stöckli. Following the

Swiss championship title, Stöckli did not have

to wait long for the first international victory.

In Flachau, Austria, on January 6, 1996, Urs

Kälin, wearing his Stöckli skis, was in a class

all by himself. That day marked the first time

that an athlete with Stöckli skis stood on top

of the World Cup‘s podium. But it got even

better: In the same winter, the World Cup

was held in Sierra Nevada. Traveling to the

Andalusian winter sports station, Stöckli ath-

lete Kälin was certain that with his victory in

Flachau he had the best World Cup winter

of his career “in his pockets.” Well, the rest

is history. Only the Italian eccentric, Alberto

Tomba, was faster than Kälin on his Stöckli

skis. Swiss champion, World Cup victory, vice

world champion – what a fast climb for Stöck-

li!

Stöckli‘s debut in the World Cup was a

bull‘s eye. In the very first race and on the

highest echelons of ski racing Urs Kälin fini-

shed fifth in the finals of the giant slalom in

Tignes. This was worth more to a new team

in the World Cup than a podium finish to an

established team. Moreover, Urs Kälin proved

that fast skis could also be built in Switzer-

land. From then on the success story began

to roll: In seven World Cup giant slaloms and

in his first winter on Stöckli skis, Urs Kälin ne-

ver finished lower than 13th. And March 25,

1995, is recorded in company history books

as a very special day: Urs Kälin became Swiss

giant slalom champion in Flumserberg – the

Historical days in Flumserberg,

Flachau and Sierra Nevada

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38

Paul Accola was a member of Stöckli‘s

successful racing team for several years.

39

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Swiss Made is an especially good

argument when used for exports. The

Swiss, on the other hand, need to be

convinced.

The flag of a country is more than

just a practical, everyday national iden-

tification. It symbolizes the country and

its people and is thus emotionally impor-

tant at least for those who believe that

the people and their country represent

fundamental values. The colors in a coat

of arms, its symbolism, and the heraldic

animals inevitably also lead to associ-

ations, either consciously or subcon-

sciously, and therefore interact closely

with the national self-image. The white

cross on a red background as a national

symbol is more en vogue than ever be-

fore. The Swiss are again proud to fly

their flag. They have recognized that

the Swiss designation of origin is still

extremely valuable. A study confirms

that Swiss products and services, both at

home and abroad, enjoy an excellent re-

putation. They are regarded as being re-

liable and of high quality. The economic

benefits can likewise be shown for pro-

ducts of Swiss origin. No wonder then,

that more and more Swiss manufactur-

ers are taking advantage of this bonus,

including Stöckli who also considers the

terms “Swissness” and “Swiss Made”

important topics. Referring with some

pride to the Swiss cross in the company

logo, Beni Stöckli said:

40

On prophets in their home countries

Swissness also for summer products

One aspect in Stöckli’s favor is that its pro-

ducts have always been made according to a

high standard of quality which will be adhe-

red to in the future. Today, in order to benefit

from the country of origin when marketing

products, a positive country image is far from

being enough. If Swissness be especially cre-

dible as a distinguishing factor, the product

itself must also be perceived as being typi-

cally Swiss. Stöckli has never denied its origins

and so has created a good image for itself,

especially in the international marketplace.

Chocolate and watches always represented

high product competence. Thanks to Stöckli‘s

know-how and innovations over the last deca-

des, the company has built up a brand credit

which places the it in an excellent competitive

position, both at home and abroad. What has

worked out well for their product ski, Stöckli

will also implement in the company’s summer

product line, the bike sport sector.

“The mountain bike incorporates as much

Swissness as possible.“

The benchmark is set just as high here be-

cause the bike line must represent the same

high quality standard as the ski line. A posi-

tive and welcomed secondary effect that it

has allowed Stöckli to create more jobs in this

branch.

“We are a Swiss family business and ob-

viously are also following a Swissness course,

above all in the export sector where “Swiss

Made“ʼ is a good sales argument.“

The Swiss need to be convinced

How did that proverb go again? “No

prophet is accepted in his own country.“

The Stöckli family could write a book on this

subject. The newly coined pseudo-Anglicized

term “Swissness” was nowhere near a con-

clusive reason for the Swiss to go out and

purchase a pair of Swiss skis. To achieve this,

Stöckli had to take the not very easy and

often laborious roundabout route via other

countries. But today, Beni Stöckli is convinced

“that it was worth the time and energy

invested. First of all, we had to prove that

our products were good at the international

level.“

The decisive factor for success was the

World Cup, which Stöckli effectively used as an

international advertising platform. In retro-

spect, Beni Stöckli pointed out:

“From an advertising point of view, par-

ticipation in the World Cup was extremely

significant.“

The only remaining Swiss ski manufac-

turer gave the bigger ski brands a scare. Re-

cognition abroad was not long in coming,

which positively influenced the export of

Stöckli skis. Like so many Swiss pioneers be-

fore him, Beni Stöckli had to realize that the

prophet was only accepted in his own country

after he had become recognized abroad.

“Perhaps even more important is the fact

that thanks to our World Cup involvement

we are able to keep up-to-date with new

developments. Our advantage is that we can

react early and very quickly to new trends.

The know-how gained from the World Cup

flows directly into the products which custo-

mers find on the shelves at our sales points.“

Just how well established internationally

the Stöckli brand is today is shown by many

international ski tests. It is not surprising that

for years Stöckli products have always achiev-

ed top positions. Today, Beni Stöckli knows

“that we wouldn’t have survived with

just the ʼSwiss Madeʼ label. It was our good

products that pulled us through.“

Other examples – such as our earlier com-

petitors Attenhofer, Schwendener or Autier

who also produced skis “Made in Switzer-

land“ – support the above statement by the

fact that it did not help them to survive. Did

the trendy term “Swissness“, which at the

end of the 1990s postulated a new and more

relaxed national self-image for many Swiss,

come too late?

41

STÖCKLIAmbassador of AN ECONOMICALLY STRONG region

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Max Pfister,

Cantonal Councillor of the canton of Lucerne::

42

STÖCKLIAmbassador of AN ECONOMICALLY STRONG region

Twenty years ago hardly anyone

could imagine that today Stöckli Swiss

Sports AG would be counted as an im-

portant business in the canton of Lucer-

ne. The Swiss ski industry was in bad

shape and even several rescue efforts in

the form of takeovers were short-lived.

Shutdowns occurred and the number

of Swiss ski manufacturers melted like

snow in the warm spring sun. Only one

defied the downward spiral: Stöckli in

Wolhusen. The unconventional distribu-

tion system of direct sales, often sneered

at by its competitors, proved to be a lu-

cky break amidst the general crisis being

experienced by the Swiss ski indust-

ry. Stöckli was the only ski producer to

survive in the country‘s once proud and

large industry.

Role as instructor and employer

Today, Stöckli Swiss Sports Ltd. represents

a flagship business in the Lucerne economy,

a fact which pleases Max Pfister, Cantonal

Councillor and Financial Officer:

“Stöckli makes a large contribution to our

economy, both as an employer and trainer of

various occupational groups.“

Switzerland is a winter sports nation and

a tourism country and Max Pfister thus consi-

ders it extremely important

“that the name of a Swiss business is vi-

sible in the international context of ski pro-

duction.“

Lucerne‘s Financial Officer even goes one

step further and describes the family business

from Wolhusen as an ambassador to the eco-

nomically strong region of Lucerne.

“With Mike Schmid‘s Olympic medal the

company has proven that it belongs among

the leading ski manufacturers worldwide.

The Stöckli family, together with its entire

staff, as well as Lucerne, can be proud of

this.“

Customized solutions

Over the past years, the canton of Lucerne

has established itself as an attractive econo-

mic business location in Switzerland. Financial

Officer Max Pfister notes:

“Our efforts to create good framework

conditions for the company‘s further deve-

lopment have met with success.“

The different needs of each enterprise

must be examined individually. Thanks to

the manageability of the economic region,

the canton of Lucerne can react quickly and

flexibly, providing businesses with so-called

customized solutions. Only recently were

those responsible at Stöckli able to convince

themselves of this as the extension of their

production and warehouse space in Wolhus-

en came up for discussion.

Top-notch model bearing a Swiss cross

Max Pfister is convinced that Stöckli will

continue its successful journey in the future.

Lucerne‘s Financial Officer substantiates this

by citing the strong commitment shown by

the owner family and its staff

“who put their heart and soul into the

enterprise.“

He also mentions another key success

factor: the winter sportsmen who proudly

fasten Stöckli products on their feet and give

in to the thrill of skiing. Pfister, an avowed

Stöckli fan, admits candidly that it‘s a pretty

good feeling

“to wear a top-notch model with a Swiss

cross from our canton on one‘s feet and feel

the envy of others on the chairlift.“

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44

Managing the operative and finan-

cial succession of an enterprise today is

a great challenge for every businessman.

Planning the course of succession is obvi-

ously one of the most important but also

most difficult strategic tasks. Beni Stöck-

li Sr. can look back on the successful han-

ding over of company reins. He did not

pass on the operative responsibility for

Stöckli Swiss Sports AG to his son, Beni,

on an impulse. Instead, it was the result

of long, advanced planning. Of course

Beni Stöckli is aware that being able to

transfer the company to his son was a

happy coincidence. Today, only about

one third of all Swiss family businesses

manage to keep their company within

the family, a fact which the latest studies

show could have a negative effect on the

Swiss employment market. In Switzer-

land alone about 45,000 to 60,000 suc-

cessions in small and medium-sized busi-

nesses will be pending in the next five

years. This corresponds to about 3 to 4

percent of all Swiss SMEs. Current stu-

dies assume that about 73,000 jobs will

be lost in the upcoming five years as a

result of failed or unresolved company

successions. The situation is quite differ-

ent at Stöckli where jobs are even created

thanks to a carefully planned passing

down of management responsibilities to

the third generation.

Leaving one‘s mark on the world

Three Stöckli generations decisively shaped

the history of the family business. From the left:

Beni Stöckli Jr., company founder Josef Stöckli and Beni Stöckli Sr.

45

We are primarily businessmen

The moment when the company reins

were passed on to his son marked the

second time that Beni Stöckli Sr. has ex-

perienced a change in generations in his

role as main actor.

Did you have an easier time when you

took over the business from your father, Jo-

seph?

Beni Stöckli Sr.: Whether or not it was

easier is difficult to say today. It was a com-

pletely different time and thus cannot be

compared.

Beni Stöckli Jr.: I‘m sure I had it easier,

especially because contrary to my father I was

able to prepare myself for the new responsi-

bility. He had to set the pace in the business

from the very first day on. I, on the other

hand, was granted an education geared to

my future responsibilities. Moreover, I served

as an assistant to my father for some time and

in this way could prepare myself for the job.

Was there less pressure to succeed on

you than on your son, Beni?

Beni Stöckli Sr.: I see absolutely no dif-

ference. I was under strong pressure then but

there is certainly not less pressure on my son.

Beni Stöckli Jr.: The pressure is even far

greater when you own an enterprise. We see

ourselves primarily as businessmen. In other

words, our thinking and actions are based on

long-term considerations; after all, we also

bear the responsibility for our 240 employees.

Meeting expectation

Scientific studies show that with SME

successions only one third of any daughters

or sons take over the business, and the

trend points downward. This is all the

more astonishing because it has been

proven that a succession within the

family is in almost all cases easier than

an external solution. Still, this type of

succession does not always happen

without conflicts. In many cases the as-

signer expects more from his own off-

spring than he would from a third party.

Did you ever think about not going into

the business?

Beni Stöckli Jr.: Actually I did have such

thoughts. I mean neither of us knew whether

we could function in the same business as

father and son. For this reason I also took a

course in Commercial Information Technolo-

gy during my studies. I wanted to leave my-

self a backdoor open in case the business with

my father did not work. However, it didn‘t

take long for me to realize that not only did

we harmonize, but we also perfectly enhanc-

ed each another.

Beni Stöckli Sr.: I am extremely pleased

that Beni accepted this enormous challenge.

The question as to whether I would get on

board or not did not even cross my mind. I

wanted to take over my parent‘s business,

and as a result I put Stöckli‘s destiny into my

own hands at an early stage.

Are you obligated to do more as a son

than if a third party took over the position

of CEO?

Beni Stöckli Jr.: yes, I believe that my fa-

ther expects more from me and has the right

to. On the other hand, he is also here for me

whenever I need advice. A decisive factor is

that he can express his opinion on specific

matters and that we agree on the same stra-

tegic policies.

BENEFITING from the experience of the senior partner

The emotional aspect of succession

planning is often underestimated. Many

businessmen recognize the rational ne-

cessity of passing on their responsibili-

ties, but emotionally they cannot let go

of their life‘s work. A life without their

business is inconceivable to many. As

soon as they hand over the reins, their

opinion and experience is suddenly no

longer sought. Studies show that espe-

cially with successions within the family,

the successor is measured against the

success of his predecessor. It is impor-

tant that the successor does not simply

follow in the footsteps of his predeces-

sor, but tries to leave his own mark.

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Beni Stöckli, what kind of conclusion do

you draw three years after the transition?

Beni Stöckli Jr.: The transition phase

proceeded smoothly. Of course we were not

always of the same opinion, but differences

were discussed and cleared up. I highly value

my father‘s advice, as well as his experience

and intuition.

Beni Stöckli Sr.: As I took over the com-

pany from my father this happened in the

shortest period of time. This time I could pre-

pare myself for the change in leadership pro-

cess. I have absolutely no problem with the

fact that my son is in charge of operative ma-

nagement at the company. The whole growth

process from a ski factory to an international

commercial firm over the past 40 years cost

me a lot of strength and energy. Today I enjoy

being able to take life a little easier and I

never get bored, even if I have nothing more

to do with day-to-day business. As Chairman

of the Board of Directors I am still very close

to the enterprise of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG.

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Building the perfect racing ski can

be compared to creating a master violin

for a soloist.

48

What do the famous violinmaker An-

tonio Giacomo Stradivari and the only

remaining Swiss ski manufacturer Stöckli

have in common? At first glance one

might say, absolutely nothing at all. On

the one hand there is the violinmaker

who in the 18th century made superior

musical instruments which today achieve

prices in the millions at auctions. Winter

sportswomen and sportsmen similarly

describe Stöckli skis made in Malters as

being superior. Of course, this alone is

nowhere near enough to justify utter-ing

the names Stradivari and Stöckli in the

same breath. But then again, an Italian

ski sports journalist, reporting in a glos-

sy magazine on some ski tests, directly

compared the skis from the House of

Stöckli with the violins from Stradivari.

As the journalist wrote, the Stöckli skis

are the “Stradivari of ski sport.“ Some ye-

ars later a Swiss journalist went even

one step further and maintained:

“To build the perfect racing ski is like

making a masterpiece violin for a soloist.“

Wood is the vital material

Research has shown that Antonio Gia-

como Stradivari was able to use a quality of

wood which is no longer available today. This

would explain why today’s instrument ma-

kers have failed to make instruments of the

same superior quality, despite the advantages

offered in this age of high technology. Wood

also plays a central role in manufacturing skis.

A wooden core is still the key to a good ski.

Although many attempts have been made to

imitate the advantages of wood as a dynamic

material in ski design, all tests have failed

miserably. Thus almost all racing skis still have

a wooden core combined with other materials.

“Wood,“ says Ruedi Arnet, Stöckli’s Head of

Development,

“is a natural high-tech product. Synthetic

materials never attain the elasticity, preci-

sion, dynamics and flexibility of wood.“

The true potential of skis

Just as the violinmaker is always in search

of the best wood for his instruments, so me-

ticulously does the ski manufacturer select

the wooden core for his skis. Over a hundred

factors must be in harmony with each other,

whether for making an instrument or a pair

of skis. In both cases this is a highly complex

matter. Every component, however small

and seemingly unimportant, must fulfill high

quality requirements. At the end of the day,

it is the interaction of many parameters that

will decide whether an instrument fulfills the

high demands set by the soloist. The quality

of a violin is measured by its tone. The qua-

lity of a racing ski is measured by its speed.

Nevertheless, for both violin and ski, the

true potential of the “material“ can only be

revealed through the above-average skills of

the user.

Stöckli – “Stradivari of ski sports“

49

Bctem veros euisi

eugait luptat. Ut wissit la

consecte dunt.

When famous leading chef and

native of Kriens, Armin Amrein, is seen

standing at the stove in his Hotel Wals-

erhof in Klosters, chances are that he is

preparing a menu for the Prince of Eng-

land. It is traditional that Prince Charles

and his sons spend their skiing holidays

in the Hotel Walserhof, and it is just as

traditional that Armin Amrein uses only

the best and, even more important, mar-

ket-fresh ingredients to prepare a gour-

met menu. Amrein‘s kitchen is honored

with 17 Gault-Millau points and a Mi-

chelin star – putting him in the topmost

league of leading Swiss chefs. In his lei-

sure time he and his wife Corina like to

hit the ski runs on Stöckli skis:

“Just like in the kitchen, when it comes to

skiing I like to rely on high quality products,“

emphasizes the former TV chef with

his typical smile.

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Star chef Armin Amrein uses only

the best ingredients to create a gourmet

dish. The same applies when he skis:

he trusts only top quality products.

50

When the heart of a gour-met skips

a beat

51

Ingredients are

critical Ruedi Arnet, former head of Stöckli‘s De-

velopment Department and member of the

Stöckli Board of Directors, finds the compa-

rison between ski production and gourmet

cooking appropriate. “The ingredients are

decisive – whether you are building skis or

cooking. A leading cook buys directly from

the producers. And practically the same thing

holds true for ski makers. We, too, are con-

stantly searching for the best materials to

build our skis.“ What leading chef Armin Am-

rein serves his guests on plates is described

by food critics as harmonious or as a special

culinary highlight. But what about ski design?

Here the various materials must also be in

harmony, or as the ski maker puts it, the ski

must function. While the chef uses different

ingredients to prepare fish as opposed to red

meat, a Laser also differentiates itself from a

Cross Model ski with regard to ingredients,

i.e. materials used. “The fact is,“ says ski ma-

ker Arnet, “that only the best is suitable for

all our ski models.“

Highest rankings in ski tests

Ski construction is not just work on an

assembly line. As in Armin Amrein‘s gourmet

kitchen, making a good ski requires painstak-

ing manual work, with emphasis on accuracy

and attention to detail. Ruedi Arnet draws a

comparison to the gourmet kitchen: “When

the chef uses too much salt, the menu be-

comes inedible. When a ski maker uses the

wrong glue, or too much of it, the ski‘s desir-

ed characteristics are lost.“

In order for the menu to tickle the pala-

te, or, in other words, in order for the ski to

exhibit the desired properties when leaving

the ski press, Stöckli Swiss Sports has been col-

laborating for years with various specialists –

for example with experts from the Snow and

Avalanche Research Institute in Davos and

the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

(ETH) in zurich. Together they seek the opti-

mum in snow sports pleasure. A proverb says

that too many cooks spoil the broth, but does

this also hold true for ski construction? For

Ruedi Arnet everything depends on the right

mix: As though trying to solve a puzzle, Stöck-

li specialists work hand-in-hand until the final

product is mature for delivery. In the gourmet

kitchen, one cook is busy cooking the meat,

while another is responsible for preparing

the side dishes. Here as well, a balanced har-

mony is required to achieve satisfaction with

the gourmet. In the end, the guest determi-

nes what is prepared in the kitchen. At Stöckli

the customers unconsciously determine the

trends to be set in ski construction through

their buying behavior. Gault-Millau points

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Like a star chef, Stöckli Head

of Development Ruedi Arnet

is constantly in search of the

best ski materials.

52

or Michelin stars are to leading chefs what

various ski tests are to ski makers. For years

Stöckli‘s new models have reached the top

echelons in international ski tests. As Ruedi

Arnet proudly comments: “We have proven

that a Swiss ski producer with its high quality

products can keep pace and also win.“

e driving force sk i ake

The search for the optimal, perfect ski

– that is the permanent driving force mo-

tivating ski producers. Ruedi Arnet is con-

vinced that “the future is a constant forward

movement.“ Carving skis have brought new

stimuli to skiing, helping it to regain social

acceptance. They undoubtedly represent the

most signifi cant change in ski sports in deca-

des. New trends may have tried to contest the

carving generation‘s popularity, but withon-

ly moderate success. Stöckli‘s development

manager Arnet adds: “It is important not to

follow every trend, but to remain faithful

to oneself.“ And so, just like Armin Amrein

who tries out new gourmet creations season

after season in his 17–Gault-Millau-point re-

staurant, Stöckli is already involved in de-

veloping the skis of the future. Ruedi Arnet

believes that “the future lies in polyvalent

skis with a broad application range, both

on the slopes and off.”

Reci Recipe that was created especially for the cold season by 17-Gault-Millau-and-one-Michelin-star decorated gourmet chef Armin Amrein........................................................................................Mini A le Cake

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into slicesWasabi pasteTempura batter (Asia Shop)Cinnamon sugarPowdered sugar

Spread the Wasabi paste on the apple slices. Mix the Tempura batter according to the instructions and keep cool.

Dip the apple slices into the Tempura batter and fry until golden brown, roll in cinnamon sugar and dust with powdered sugar........................................................................................A le Balsamic Ice Cream

250 g Milk¼ Vanilla bean (seeds)100 g Egg yolk100 g Sugar3 g Ice cream thickener250 g Cream30 g Apple balsamicBring the milk and the vanilla seeds to a boil and let steep briefl y. Mix the egg yolk, sugar and ice cream thickener, add to the milk and cook until soft and thickened but not set, enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain, add cream and apple balsamic, let cool, freeze and pacotize........................................................................................Wasa A le Pre

200 g Green apple puree (Boiron)80 g White wine40 g Sugar Dash of Wasabi pasteCombine all ingredients, bring them to a boil and let cool.

.......................................................................................White ocoate Espuma 160 g Milk Dash of ginger160 g White chocolate200 g Cream If desired, some grated lime peelBring the milk and ginger to a boil and let steep

briefl y. Remove ginger and stir in the white chocolate, add the cream and fi ll into an ISI bottle (1 cartridge).

.......................................................................................GarnishesApple chipsMint leaves Fried glass noodlesRaspberry sauce

53

Ski-Stöckli PEDALINGwith power7

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The Stöckli bike collection is one

of the company‘s main pillars.

54

“Urs Huber wins Eiger

Bike-Challenge“

“Stöckli Team conquers

the Transalp

landing 5th place“

“Urs Huber wins the

Bike Marathon EM-Revanche

on a Dolomiti Superbike“

“Good results for Konny

Looser and Anita Steiner“

“Stöckli Napf-Bike-Marathon

with World Cup Stars“

With these and similar headlines, members of the Stöckli bike team regularly at-

tract wide coverage in the sporting press. Stöckli athletes are not only fast on their

skis in winter, but in the warmer months of the year they are also among the world’s

best in bike sports. The history of the mountain bike from the House of Stöckli, when

compared with its winter sport tradition, is relatively young. What began 14 years

ago with just three mountain bike models has in the meantime expanded to an im-

pressive collection of 26 models. If one looks for any parallel in the ski sector it is

the fact that Stöckli leaves nothing to chance, neither in the biking nor in the skiing

sector, and has earned this success with hard work and one typical Stöckli charac-

teristic: “quality.“ Quality is at the very top of the requirements list. Irrespective of

whether in the beginners’ or the top-league range, all components of a model have

the same high quality level.

Ein Bike ist nicht einfach ein Bike

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Beni Stöckli junior:

We want our bike line to be just

as strong as our ski business.

56

As much Switzerland as possible

Stöckli’s bike line is certainly something

to be proud of. Of course Stöckli bikes are

also conceived and designed on the drawing

board; but living the bike sport is more im-

portant. Prototypes are intensively tested by

the responsible personnel. Day by day, the ra-

cing team tests new frames and components

with regard to their resilience and durability.

The results flow back into development and

thus guarantee the high innovative power

which for decades has proven to be an impor-

tant success factor for Stöckli in ski manufac-

turing. Whoever buys a Stöckli bike can rest

assured that his or her new piece of sports

equipment embodies as much of Switzerland

as possible. All specifications are defined and

tested by Stöckli engineers, and whenever

feasible, partnerships are entered into with

Swiss manufacturers.

Strengthening the ”summer“ product line

The reason why Stöckli also focuses on

the “bike“ product line in addition to the

well-established “ski“ product line is very

simple – Beni Stöckli: “With our new stra-

tegy we could ensure the company‘s survi-

val in the event that we encounter a winter

with poor skiing weather.“ With the climate

change we may expect to see winters with

less snow more often. Thus for some time

now, Stöckli has been exerting full pedaling

power in their bike line. CEO Beni Stöckli‘s

target: “In five to ten years we want to be

similarly strong in bike brand names as we

are in the ski business.“ Although winter still

provides 70% of our sales, a shift towards

summer is clearly recognizable. “People are

noticing that we can supply top-quality pro-

ducts not only in winter but also in summer.

This increasingly pays off, as is underlined by

the sales figures. In our anniversary year of

celebrating “75 Years of Stöckli“ the compa-

ny experienced an increase in summer sales

in the double-digit percentage range. And

just like Urs Kälin once put the product “ski“

on the map with Stöckli’s participation in the

World Cup, today it is Urs Huber who, being

the best marathon biker, is waving the flag

for bikes from the House of Stöckli. And what

is good for a top rider like Urs Huber can only

be advantageous for the larger mainstream

group of hobby bikers.

A bike is not just a bike

Mountain bikes are – and how could it be

otherwise – a typical American invention. In

1973, Gary Fisher belonged to a group of fa-

natics who started to build bicycles more ro-

bust and above all suitable for cross-country

riding. He was also the first one to incorpo-

rate a modern gearshift on of the old bikes

and a quick-release lever for the saddle stem.

In the 80s the mountain bike was becoming

increasingly popular. The boom reached Eu-

rope and was so strong that sales figures for

mountain bikes surpassed those of all other

types of bicycles. At that time, the mountain

bike helped the rather stagnant bicycle indus-

try, much in the same way that the carving

ski had earlier revived the ski industry. The

frames underwent further development and

together with new materials became not only

stiffer but also lighter. Today, besides the thin-

walled steel tube frames, other types made

of materials such as aluminum, titanium and

carbon fiber are among the models enjoying

the highest sales. Bike accessories and fittings

also underwent further development. Today,

a mountain bike is no longer simply a moun-

tain bike. In spite of many common features,

mountain bikes differ from each other consi-

derably, depending on the intended use. For

instance, a cross-country or touring bike dif-

fers fundamentally from a bike destined for

high-speed descents on downhill trails.

57

1987/1988

1989/1990

1976/1977

1978/1979

Simon Bolzern is a well-known pho-

tographer from Central Switzerland.

Lately a lot of hectic activity has been re-

ported from his photo studio in Kriens.

Outside the sun is shining and the thermo-

meter is climbing, but except during a

few breaks this is barely noticed by an-

yone working hard inside the studio

where deep winter rather than summer

dominates. A scene is hardly wrapped up

when the models must change for the

next sequence. Which cap and which ski

matches what winter sports suit – such

details have already been determined

in advance during the planning stage of

the photo shooting. Perspiration beads

are quickly dabbed off foreheads with a

cloth, one last check is made to ensure

that the make-up is still intact, and off

the models go to the next photo series.

All photos for the new winter catalogue

are shot over only three days, and this

requires full concentration on the part of

all involved.

From leaflet to product catalog

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1986/1987

1989/1990

1991/1992

1992/1993

1993/1994

1980/1981

1981/1982

1984/1985

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1996/1997

1997/1998

1999/2000

2003/2004

2007/2008

100 pages of new items

The new Stöckli product catalog must be de-

livered to Stöckli‘s headquarters in Wolhusen

and the company‘s points of sale before the

actual start of the winter season. Photos, text,

graphics and printing – all these aspects require

coordination. The new catalog counts 100

pages and is designed to put customers in the

mood for the coming winter season. Inside

the catalog Stöckli Outdoor Sports presents

the largest selection of skiwear, ski boots and

helmets in Switzerland, including numerous

new items from over 100 renowned brand

labels. Once the winter pictures are wrapped

up, the makers of the Stöckli product catalog

have no time to sit back because next year‘s

summer catalog is already waiting in the

wings.

Leaflet, brochure, catalog

At Stöckli great importance has always

been attached to presenting its own product

line. What originally began as a four- to six-

page leafl et has in the past 40 years turned

into an actual catalog. By the end of the 70s

a brochure that had already grown to 16

pages focused on self-produced alpine and

cross-country skis, including accessories such

as ski poles, leather gloves and ski bags. With

the reorientation of the company from an

exclusive ski producer to a commercial enter-

prise, the number of pages increased from

year to year. The earlier leafl et had defi nitely

outlived its time as an advertising medium

and was dropped years ago, giving way to a

modern and styled product catalogue.

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1999/2000

2000/2001

2001/20022005/2006

2006/2007

2007/2008

2009/2010

2010/2011

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Fairy tales in which kings and princes play the leading role usually start with

“once upon a time,“

or something similar. Perhaps in a couple of years one will talk about Stöckli and say “once upon a time.“ But what counts is the here and now. History has nothing to do with fairy tales – it is reality. It is a story in which kings play a role. Juan Carlos, Thomas Sutter, DJ Bobo, Donghua Li, Bruno Kernen, Mike Schmid – each of them is a crowned head in his own individual way. Juan Carlos is King of Spain and thus the only real crowned head with a castle and all that goes with it. Switzer-land does not have a monarchy, let alone a king. Nevertheless, Thomas Sutter can call himself a king king (which he has been since 1995) – nota bene wrestling king. Only one year later Donghua Li, living in Lucerne, reached Mount Olym-pus, so to speak, with his victory in gymnastics at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Since then Donghua Li has been the uncrowned king among Swiss gymnasts. DJ Bobo, who also lives in Lucerne, has been an inter-national music star who has already achieved the status of a pop king. And finally there is Bruno Kernen who became king of skiing when

Skis for crowned heads

he won the title of Downhill world Champion in 1997. The youngest in this league is Mike Schmid, Olym-pic winner in ski cross. All of these crowned heads have one thing in common – they win using Stöckli skis.

Compliment from a king

Whenever someone visits Stöckli to have

his or her ski bindings adjusted, or when a

last check is made with a newly acquired bike

before delivery, our friendly Stöckli sales per-

sonnel invite their guests to a cup of coffee

at the coffee bar in Wolhusen. On the wall

of this bar visitors can view a photo gallery

showing prominent contemporaries posing

with Stöckli skis. One photo stands out be-

cause it bears an embossed golden crown. It

is a picture showing the King of Spain, Juan

Carlos, standing next to a ski instructor and

proudly holding his red Stöckli skis towards

the camera. With a personal dedication, the

King of Spain thanks Beni Stöckli for the

“wonderful ski.“ What a compliment for a

Swiss ski! The King of Spain is certainly wise

to rely on Swiss quality. Mike Schmid proved

this at the Olympic Winter Games where the

racer from the Bernese Oberland simply had

wonderful skis underneath his feet as he rode

to Olympic victory.

63

Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver:

Swiss ski racer Mike Schmid stands high-

ly concentrated at the start to the final

heat in ski cross. This new discipline is

part of the Olympic program for the first

time and demands versatile skiing skills

from the athletes. As in snowboarder

cross, the ski run has jumps, waves and

curves. Four skiers start simultaneously

and classification is based on the single-

elimination or knockout system. For the

Swiss ski racer this moment means “to

be or not to be.“ Anything but a victory

in this race would be a huge disappoint-

ment for the skier from the Bernese

Oberland who is considered the favorite

in this race. On the home front, sports

enthusiasts throughout Switzerland are

just as anxious sitting in front of their

TV screens at prime time. The start it suc-

cessful and Mike Schmid immediately

takes the lead where he stays all the way

to the finish line. Extremely happy with

his Olympic victory and filled with pride,

Mike Schmid turns his skis towards the

TV cameras – a priceless advertisement

for Stöckli, his sponsor in Wolhusen, who

can now celebrate the first Olympic vic-

tory in company history.

Stöckli skis and bikes – two exclusive products7

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Stöckli skis and bikes – two exclusive products

Quality before quantity –

Stöckli skis and bikes will continue

to be exclusive products in the future.

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Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver:

A complete Stöckli triumph in the ski cross

competition‘s gold medalist Mike Schmid

(left) and bronze winner Audun Grønvold.

Stöckli uses only the best

materials in both ski and

bike production. 66

Original skis for customers

The skis shown to a million TV viewers

by the new Olympic champion, Mike Schmid,

are unique because they were developed

and built especially for this race and were

the only pair that existed at the time. Mike

Schmid had decided in favor of this model

following various tests – because skis are not

just skis and Stöckli skis are special. Although

in the meantime 50,000 pairs of Stöckli skis

are produced annually, they stand out from

the crowd because even today they are to a

large extent still made by hand and require

special attention to detail. Those who benefi t

the most from the technical innovations of

the champion skis worn by Mike Schmid are

fi rst and foremost Stöckli customers. They

fi nd these exact same champion skis – which

were used by Stöckli pilots at large events

such as the Olympic Winter Games on the

shelves of the sales outlets.

Exclusivity with a future

The same principle holds true for Stöckli‘s

own bike line. Launched in 1996, the line has

made a name for itself in the bike scene sur-

prisingly fast. The year 2002 marked the fi rst

great racing success with a fi rst place in the

Long Distance European Championship. Ex-

perience gathered from racing fl ows directly

into the ongoing development of new bikes.

Although today the Stöckli trademark could

be placed everywhere in Switzerland, Stöckli

sells its own products on a very exclusive ba-

sis. By virtue of this strategy, a selected dea-

ler network of 35 renowned sporting goods

stores was established in Switzerland. Here

again the principle of “quality before price“

applies, a motto that provides Stöckli with

the assurance that the customer will receive

competent advice on skis and bikes both at

its partner stores and its own points of sale.

Stöckli skis and bikes will continue to be an

exclusive product in the future, because Beni

Stöckli junior is convinced that

“If we were to surrender our exclusive-

ness when distributing our core products, it

would mean the end of our enterprise.“

67

Olympic champion Mike Schmid:

My contract with Stöckli was a STROKE OF LUCK for me.

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A bronze medal for Audun Grøn-

vold (NOR) in ski cross, one silver medal

in both super G and giant slalom for

Tina Maze (SLO), and gold for Ashleigh

McIvor (CAN) and Mike Schmid (SUI) in

ski cross at the Olympic Winter Games

2010 in Vancouver. This is quite a proud

collection of medals for Stöckli – the sole

Swiss ski producer. Swiss Olympic cham-

pion Mike Schmid recalls the day that

changed his life and talks about “rockets

underneath his feet.“

Mike Schmid, how did you feel when you

were waiting at the starting gate for the fi nal

heat at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancou-

ver?

Mike Schmid: I was so nervous that I no

longer realized what was going on around

me. The physiotherapist and my ski technician

told me later on that they had never seen me

like that before. It was a very special moment.

Certainly one is highly concentrated in such a

situation, focusing only on the run. The en-

vironment is completely blocked out and al-

most ceases to exist.

68

At such a moment how important is it to

know that one is equipped with the best ma-

terial?

Mike Schmid: That means the battle is

already half won. This knowledge gives you

strength and the necessary calmness to con-

centrate completely on the start. And if you

can keep pace with the top racers during the

timed heats, this gives you additional security

and motivation.

Who decides which ski model you fi nally

fasten to your feet?

Mike Schmid: I can rely 100 percent on

my ski technician and trust him blindly. When

he gives me a pair of skis, I know they are fast.

No need for me to think it over much longer.

You are a fast starter and outrun your op-

ponents usually on the fi rst meters. Does this

require special training?

Mike Schmid: It takes power to come

out of the starting block and this I focus on

in training. It begins with strength training

and then with the fi rst training on snow in

the summer. In the summer of 2009 we even

had a starting ramp in front of the house in

Saas Fee where we could practiceon a carpet,

without snow.

On the surface you appear as though

nothing could really faze you. How do you

manage to become a “wild animal“ the mo-

ment you are on the piste?

Virtually overnight your success in Van-

couver put ski cross into the spotlight of

even those fans who are not ski crazy. Is Mike

Schmid the “Winkelried“ of ski crossers?

Mike Schmid: If it promotes our kind

of sport, and more and more young people

begin to take interest in ski cross, then I‘m

pleased to be a “Winkelried.“ Ski cross is a

fascinating sport.

Ever since Vancouver, the world has

known that Stöckli makes the best skis for

ski cross. Do you consider this more of an

advantage or a disadvantage for yourself

personally?

Mike Schmid: Receiving a contract from

Stöckli four years ago was a stroke of luck

for me. Their skis have already been top class

over all these years. From this point of view

the competition is aware of the fact that we

have excellent skis. Obviously more athletes

will now try and get a contract with Stöckli.

And it‘s a well-known fact that competition

stimulates the business.

But doesn‘t that also mean that you face

a bigger challenge of defending your number

one position at Stöckli?

Mike Schmid: As an Olympic champion

I am already the one being hunted. But this

is a sporting challenge that I enjoy meeting.

Mike Schmid: I can‘t deny that private-

ly I‘m a rather quiet person. However, on the

piste I come alive and can unfold my abilities.

A certain amount of aggression is required to

master a ski cross run.

Probably also because in ski cross one

fi ghts tooth and nail?

Mike Schmid: Of course you fi ght. I en-

joy that part and it‘s satisfying. Fighting man

against man has a fascinating component. It‘s

not like me to back down in such situations.

To what extent has your life changed

since the Olympic victory?

Mike Schmid: Although I‘ve experienced

a number of things, I don‘t think my life has

changed that much. Of course people recog-

nize me on the street more readily now than

before the Olympic victory. I‘ve also been able

to make advertising appearances or do photo

shootings for sponsors – things which were

somewhat unusual for me. But I enjoy the

responsibility that goes with these additional

commitments.

Have additional sponsoring possibilities

arisen thanks to the Olympic victory?

Mike Schmid: I‘ve become more interes-

ting for one or the other sponsor since the

Olympic victory. However, to me it‘s more im-

portant that all sponsors who supported me

prior to the victory will continue to support

me afterwards.

69

Beni Stöckli, what comes to your mind

when you reflect on the past 75 years?

Beni Stöckli: First and foremost I would

say gratitude. My grandfather launched the

whole saga with his ski production. Over the

past 40 years my parents have turned a fac-

tory producing only skis into an international

commercial enterprise. Both my grandfather

and my father set the right strategic course

and by so doing made it possible for Stöck-

li to survive as the only remaining ski maker

in Switzerland. Three years ago I was privile-

ged to take over the management of an tho-

roughly healthy enterprise. This was possible

not only because of our excellent products

but also thanks to top motivated employees

who completely identify with our business

philosophy.

What are your goals for the coming

years?

Beni Stöckli: Owing to our company his-

tory, Stöckli is currently still focused primarily

on winter activities. The task of the third

Stöckli generation will be to minimize this,

which explains why our efforts are increasi-

ngly directed towards the summer.

Will this not weaken the core winter

business?

Beni Stöckli: Absolutely not. Summer ac-

tivities must be expanded without weakening

winter business. The potential of winter busi-

ness is far from being fully exploited, both

domestically and internationally. Our goal is

to broaden our product line and thus provide

more security for the enterprise on a mid- to

long-term basis. From a long-term point of

view this will enable us to protect jobs even

when winter business does not meet expec-

tations.

Is that why the company name was chan-

ged from Stöckli Swiss Ski to Stöckli Outdoor

Sports three years ago?

Beni Stöckli: The name change is only

one of several measures. With our new cor-

porate identity we want to demonstrate that

we are a year-round supplier. In addition, we

have considerably expanded our efforts in

the area of biking. When our customers talk

about Stöckli, then in the future they will see

us as an outdoor sports supplier with skis and

bikes as core products.

It will not be easy to change this con-

sciousness among customers.

Beni Stöckli: I‘m fully aware of this and

of the fact that this process will take time.

Fortunately, I have the time so that we can

reach this target. This is only possible by vir-

tue of the fact that we are a family business.

Such time would not be granted in companies

where shareholder value is given priority. As

already mentioned, our goal is to create and

secure jobs on a long-term basis.

Maintaining long-term job security

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Beni Stöckli junior,

CEO Stöckli Swiss Sports AG

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Top-motivated employees completely themselves

the company philosophy and guarantee

success for our family business.

Silvan Aemmer, Malters, in the 4th year of his apprenticeship

Currently 7 apprentice ski makers in training

(1 to 2 new apprentices accepted per year) 71

Milestones in 75 Years of Stöckli Swiss Sports AGA milestone describes a significant point in development, an event with a special meaning.

The 75-year history of Stöckli includes a multitude of events which can be called milestones.

We hereby invite you to take a tour of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG history.

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The Stöckli story is a unique

path to success in Switzerland.

72

1935• Josef Stöckli starts production of a solid ski

made of ash wood in his parents‘ carpentry

shop. He receives orders for about 50 pairs of

skis from friends and acquaintances and con-

siders both production and sales as a sideline

and hobby.

1945• Production of the first glue-laminated wood-

en ski made of hickory and ash wood with

screwed-on steel edges and, for experimen-

tal purposes, with glued-on celluloid upper

edges.

1951• Construction of a duplex house with a small

workshop located on the premises of today‘s

company headquarters in Wolhusen.

• Ski production begins with two employees.

1957• Production of the first metal skis begins.

1959• Entire production is converted to make

metal skis. The pure wooden ski disappears

from Stöckli‘s already broad selection of ski

models.

Milestones in 75 Years of Stöckli Swiss Sports AG

1965• Production of the first plastic compound

skis begins.

until 1967• Distribution via sporting goods stores begins.

• Conversion to direct sales.

1967• Continual expansion of the “commercial

merchandise” product range including ski

bindings, ski boots, cross-country skis and ac-

cessories.

1978• Beni Stöckli Sr. takes over company

management from his father, Josef.

1981•Opening of the first Stöckli store in Sören-

berg, canton of Lucerne.

1986• New production facility commissioned in

Malters, canton of Lucerne.

1987•Opening of second Stöckli store in Heim-

berg near Thun, canton of Bern.

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1988•Opening of third Stöckli store in Wädens-

wil, canton of zurich.

• First rejection of application for admission

to the Swiss Ski Pool due to Stöckli not being

a member of the supplier and sports dealer

associations because of its direct sales policy.

1989•Opening of fourth Stöckli store in Wil,

canton of St. Gallen.

1990• Second rejection of application for admis-

sion to the Swiss Ski Pool.

1991• Stöckli becomes a member of the Ski Pool

Liechtenstein.

•Marco Büchel from Liechtenstein is the first

skier to officially race on Stöckli skis in the Ski

World Cup.

1992• Third application for admission to the Swiss

Ski Pool.

1993•Opening of the fifth Stöckli store in Vol-

ketswil, canton of zurich.

1994• Admission to the Swiss Ski Pool.

• Vice Olympic champion Urs Kälin and

Marcel Sulliger are the first Swiss athletes to

switch to Stöckli.

1995•Opening of the sixth Stöckli store in

zuchwil, canton of Solothurn.

• Change in distribution system.

• The first successes in the World Cup result in

increased worldwide demand for Stöckli skis.

• In Switzerland Stöckli now delivers its skis

exclusively to specially selected sporting

goods dealers, a total of 35 by today.

• The export business booms and today

Stöckli ships its products to 31 countries.

• Urs Kälin wins the first Swiss giant slalom

champion title on Stöckli skis in Flumserberg.

1996• A very successful winter: Urs Kälin secures

the first giant slalom World Cup victory in

Flachau for Stöckli; at the World Cup in Sierra

Nevada Kälin is only beaten by Alberto Tom-

ba.

• Stöckli launches its own mountain bike line.

• Stöckli now also sponsors extreme skier

Dominique Perret and shoots the ski video

“Natural Born Skier“ with him in the leading

role.

1997• Dominique Perret and Jean Troillet are the

first to challenge the north face of Mount

Everest on skis. Bad weather prevents them

from starting at the top. The descent thus be-

gins at 8,500 m which is the world record!

1998• The seventh Stöckli store opens in St-Légier

s/Vevey, canton of Vaud.

• Three Stöckli athletes – Urs Kälin, Marco

Büchel and Paul Accola – qualify in the overall

top nine of the giant slalom World Cup.

• Together, Stöckli and Dominique Perret de-

velop the first freeride ski called the STORM-

RIDER. With this model Dominique Perret

subdues Mount Alberta skiing 120,000 meters

in altitude within only 14 hours – another

world record!

1999• A first for Stöckli: First World Cup slalom

victory thanks to Didier Plaschy, while Marco

Büchel finishes vice champion in giant slalom

in Vail.

• Expansion of production facility in Malters .

• Dominique Perret‘s third ski film, “Soul

Pilot”, is in the box. The extreme skier is ad-

mitted to the “Sector No Limit Team“ which

consists of 30 extreme athletes.

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2000• The first Stöckli Rental & Service Center is

opened in Melchsee-Frutt / Stöckalp, canton

of Obwalden.

• Founding of the Stöckli bike racing team

with seven athletes, participation in the Elvia

Swiss Cup / “Strom“ Cup.

2001•Opening of the second Stöckli Rental &

Service Center in Hoch-ybrig, canton of

Schwyz.

2002• 600 m² building extension to the produc-

tion plant in Malters.

• Andrea Huser wins the European Long

Distance Bike Championships in Bad Göisern,

Austria.

2003• It rains four medals at the Swiss alpine

championships in Verbier, canton of Valais.

• The Stöckli bike team is enlarged to nine

athletes, and the focus is put on long-distance

races.

2004• Central warehouse in Wolhusen is expan-

ded and enhanced with a new building.

•Opening of the Stöckli store Kloten, canton

of zurich, extending over 2 200 m².

• The third Stöckli Rental & Service Center is

opened in Engelberg, canton of Obwalden.

2005• The worst flooding in 100 years also affects

the sales office in Wolhusen, where the lower

level must be completely renovated.

• Successful season for the Stöckli bike team,

including first place in the World Cup Mara-

thon.

2006• Expansion of the zuchwil store, canton of

Solothurn, and the Rental & Service Center in

Hoch-ybrig, canton of Schwyz.

• Ambrosi Hoffmann wins the bronze medal

in the super G at the Olympic Games in Turin.

• Riders of the Stöckli-Craft team again enjoy

a successful season. Urs Huber (U23) and Tho-

mas Stoll land first place in the overall eva-

luation of their categories in the “iXS Swiss

Bike Classic“. Thomas zahnd is overall winner

of the Euro Bike Extremes.

2007• Stöckli modernizes its corporate identity by

changing the company name to “Stöckli Swiss

Sports Ltd.“ A new logo (Stöckli Outdoor

Sports) and slogan (“Moving differently“) are

launched on October 1, 2007.

• Andrej Jerman wins the first World Cup

downhill race in Stöckli‘s history in Garmisch-

Partenkirchen.

• In the summer the Stöckli-Craft bike team

again shines, scoring top rankings. Renate

Bucher becomes Swiss vice champion in cross

country. Xavier Dafflon wins both the Jur‘Alp

Cup and the Freiburger Cup. Urs Huberwins

the “iXS Swiss Bike Classic“ and the “iXS Euro

Bike Extremes,“ while Thomas Stoll completes

this success with finishing second.

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2008• As of April 1, 2008, Beni Stöckli Sr. hands

over management reins to his son, Beni

Stöckli Jr. Stöckli Outdoor Sports is now in the

hands of the third generation. The previous

CEO remains Chairman of the Board of Direc-

tors and assumes representative tasks in the

areas of trade, export and racing.

• Numerous successes in the alpine World Cup

are achieved by Andrej Jerman (podium place

in the Chamonix downhill) and Fabienne

Suter who wins two super G races.

• Stöckli ski crossers also celebrate several

podium places. Newcomers on the national

team squad include Alois Mani and Richard

Spalinger as well as Mike Schmid.

• Across-the-board success is also accorded

to Stöckli‘s FIS carving team who win the

European championship title. René Stössel

wins the same title in the single evaluation,

and Ivan Eggenberg becomes vice European

champion.

• Even in the summer there is no stopping

the wave of success. Numerous victories and

podium places go to the Stöckli-Craft bike

team in the marathon, XTerra and Triathlon.

One highlight is Urs Huber‘s renewed total

victory in the “iXS Swiss Bike Classic“ through

Urs Huber, while Thomas zahnd comes in

third.

2009• The eighth store is opened in Ittigen,

canton of Bern.

• The fifth Rental & Service Center is opened

In Hoch-ybrig Laucheren, canton of Schwyz.

• In the alpine World Cup, Stöckli wins the

brand evaluation in the women‘s super G

through additional numerous victories and

podium places.

• The ski cross team brings home more victor-

ies and podium places in the World Cup, the

World Championships and the X-Games.

• The FIS Carving Cup Overall Evaluation

2008/09 goes to the Stöckli Carving Team.

•Once again outstanding results for the

Stöckli-Craft bike team. For the third time

in a row Urs Huber wins the “iXS Swiss Bike

Classic“ overall evaluation and Thomas zahnd

lands third place. Manuel Küng becomes U23

Triathlon European Champion. Renata Bucher

becomes European champion in the ITU Cross

Triathlon and lands victories and podium

places in XTerra.

• Bruno Kernen assumes the function of Stöck-

li ambassador. Together with Dani Mahrer,

Stöckli now has two former World Cup top

athletes who represent Stöckli following their

career in sports.

2010• 75-year Anniversary of Stöckli Outdoor

Sports.

• Company founder Josef Stöckli dies on

February 19 at age 94.

• Stöckli wins five medals at the Olympic

Games in Vancouver: gold for Mike Schmid

(SUI) in ski cross; gold for Ashleigh McIvor

(CAN) in ski cross; silver for Tina Maze (SLO)

in super G; silver for Tina Maze (SLO) in giant

slalom; bronze for Audun Grønvold (NOR) in

ski cross.

• Stöckli Outdoor Sports opens its ninth store

in Niederlenz, canton of Aargau.

• Stores in Wolhusen and Wädenswil are re-

novated and enlarged.

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Publisher

Stöckli Swiss Sports AG

Kommetsrüti 7

6110 Wolhusen

Telephone 041 492 62 62

www.stoeckli.ch

Graphic Design

Werner Riedmann, Matthias Urban

Woerkgroup, Klaus

Text

Beat Christen

akomag Kommunikation &

Medienmanagement AG, Stans-Lucerne

Photos

Simon Bolzern

Atelier für Werbefotografi e

(Studio for Advertising Photography), Kriens

Archives Stöckli Swiss Sports AG

Wolhusen

Printing

Swissprinters AG,

zofi ngen

Coordination

Adrian Albrecht,

Stöckli Swiss Sports AG, Wolhusen

Friends

Very few businesses can write histo-

ry. Stöckli Swiss Sports AG has been able

to do so in its 75-year company history.

Friends and good acquaintances ordered

the fi rst “do-it-yourself“ skis from Josef

Stöckli and since then have been cons-

tant companions of the Stöckli family.

They include the makers of this Anni-

versary Magazine.

•WernerRiedmannhasbeenresponsible

for the graphic design of Stöckli skis for two

decades. His feel for trends gives skis their un-

mistakable design.

•When the time comes to produce the

newest Stöckli catalogues, Simon Bolzern

stands behind his camera and shoots products

in the most favorable light.

•Asaskijournalistwhohascloselyfollo-

wed the events at the ski runs, Beat Christen

has been repeatedly involved in documenting

the company history of Stöckli.

Overall responsibility for the realization

of the „75 Years of Stöckli“Anniversary Ma-

gazine: Werner Riedmann, Simon Bolzern

and Beat Christen

75 YEARS

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75 YEARS