Acme United Purchases Tiger Sharp Knives

September 26, 2007

If you are over thirty years old, it is hard not to think of Wile E Coyote and the Roadrunner when you hear the name Acme.  Well Acme United is slowly changing that mindset for knife owners with its recent notable purchases of high profile knifemakers.  We reported recently on the auction that followed the purchase of Camillus Cutlery by Acme United earlier this year. Well Acme has made waves again with its acquisition announced yesterday of Tiger Sharp Technologies including inventory, trademarks, brand names, and patents.  The purchase price was reported as $350,000.  This seems like a great price for a company that has won the Knives Illustrated Best Import Knife for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 as well as Best Design in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006, as well as a 2001 Blade award for Best Imported Design.

Tiger Sharp has posted revenues of $400,000 dollars last year based on sales of its replaceable blade pocket knives, which were sold through a variety of retail outlets including most notably John Deere and Browning.  Chairman and CEO of Acme stated that he envisions the purchase of their unique replaceable bladed knives as a way to penetrate further into a larger scope of industries such as the restaurants, florists, and other industrial cutting applications.

Acme United is becoming a company to keep an eye on in the world of knives, and especially pocket knives with their most recent two purchases.  Hopefully they will pursue innovation with the same zeal that they apparently have put behind these latest acquisitions.  If that occurs we are very likely to see some really cool new Camillus pocket knives sporting replaceable blades.  I look forward seeing how this plays out and how they put the pieces together of these latest strategic purchases.