HERCULES' HISTORY

A story of union and pioneering spirit


THE BEGINNINGS

In 1931 landed in Brazil's southern region, precisely in Porto Alegre, Paul, Fritz and Ernest. They came from Germany and intended to establish a similar business to the one they had in their homeland, since 1919: the Gebruder (German for Brothers) Zivi cutlery. Right after their arrival, they joined some Brazilian partners of German origins and, even before the year's end, Zivi Kluwe, Muller & Cia Ltda was founded.

Three cutlery masters had come from Germany with the Zivi brothers to assist them. Together, they immediately started to produce several kinds of professional knives, along with some utilitarian ones. Only two years later appeared the scissors that up to this date are famous for their superior quality. In 1936, demonstrating a broad market vision, the company pioneered the production of stainless steel flatware in Brazil. The famed German company Krupp provided raw material. The stainless steel flatware were made by Zivi and sold under the trade name Hercules, offering an alternative for imported items since, at this time, Brazilian flatware were made of alpacca and nickel.

At the beginning of the 40's two important developments brought changes to the company's outlook. Initially, two new products' brands were created - Mundial, which has dominated for four decades the sporting knives' market, and Mundial 4 Aces, to become the brand for more sophisticated scissors and nail scissors.

Two years later, in 1942, occurred the first change in the company's structure. The partners Kluwe and Muller walked away, and the company went on to be called Zivi e Cia. Some years later, it adopted the names Zivi S/A cutlery, and Hercules S/A flatware industry.

Throughout this period, Hércules and Mundial brands grew incessantly and, as a consequence, have become South-American leaders in their respective segments. So, in the sixties, the company started to invest strongly in exports, continuing to grow well into the following two decades. Nowadays, the group's products are to be found in 90 countries, in all five continents.


THE PARALLEL CHAPTER

In Parallel with these facts, there was another successful, and even older, business story going on in Rio Grande do Sul, the story of Eberle, founded by Abramo Eberle, an Italian immigrant who had come as a child to Brazil. In 1896, before he was 18 years old, Abramo bought a small metalwork shop from his father. From this shop, where he used to help his mother, Eberle constructed his company, the first piece he manufactured having been a kerosene lamp with wick. Time went by and business diversified - Eberle went on to produce a vast line of products that also included flatware, electrical engines, buttons, metal rings and rivets, as well as the machines to apply them, among other things. It was a long and rewarding journey up to 1985, when it was absorbed into Zivi Hércules Group, giving way to another story, even more prodigal and successful.


THE NEW HISTORY

Throughout the nineties, the group went through an adaptation to fit into the new economic reality. At the decade's end, all the industrial units were restructured, aiming at a processes' unification, activities standardization, and the synergy of strengths, coming to be called Eberle Mundial.

The new structure worked so well that the company was awarded ISO 9001, and QS 9000 quality certifications, expanding even further its reach, opening commercial offices in São Paulo, Boston and Buenos Aires.

At the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004, the group went through a capitalization and strategy redefining process, that culminated with the creation of Mundial S/A - Consumer Products, after combining the Zivi, Hercules, and Eberle companies.

Today, the company holds in its portfolio the following brands: Mundial (Beauty Care products), Hercules (home appliances), Eberle (Fashion - fastening components, and Crafts - arts and crafts accessories) and Aqquant (water leisure).

Nowadays, it is one of the few companies in the world that produces 6 lines of forged knives (pieces made into one single piece of steel), that hold several international quality certificates, exporting to the most demanding markets, like the USA, Germany, and Australia.


MUNDIAL QUALITY