Optimus AB
Upplands Väsby, Sweden

This is an Optimus model No 386 with a tank volume of 2,2 litres.

In June 1899, a company was registered under the name of Optimus. It was founded by three engineers, Carl Böös, Carl Neiglick and Petter Östberg and its first products to be manufactured were portable pressure stoves and blow lamps.

The following year an agreement was made with a prominent firm of exporters, A. R. Bildt & Co., for the marketing of the new products. The arrangement became permanent and in time a majority of shares in Optimus passed into the hands of the Bildt family.

The manufacture of stoves and blow lamps soon showed great possibilities and the business steadily expanded. The company's shop had originally been housed in a factory building in Stocholm but now a new site was purchased in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm where a new factory was constructed. The company could move in to the new facilities in 1908.

The new Optimus factory in Upplands Väsby north of Stockholm.

For the time being the sales office remained in Stockholm. In 1919, however, this was also moved out to a new office building adjoining the factory.

Around 1930 two new lines were introduced - pressure lanterns and padlocks. Pressure lantern may be said to be a natural complement to the original lines as they operate on the same principle as the stoves and blow lamps. Sales outlets too are essentially the same for all three products.

At the start of the Second World War, 80 - 90 % of the production was exported and this came to a sudden stop and during the war, the production of padlocks became the survival of the company. After the war there was a high demand for the company's products and especially from markets in the Middle East and Latin America.

Optimus 406 N in box and complete with tools and instructions. The handle was supplied separate.

The increased use of propane gas gave the consumers more comfortable products and the demand for kerosene apparatus declined during the 1960-ies. Consequently, in 1962, the two Swedish companies Optimus and Primus made an exchange of products where Optimus AB took over all products for liquid fuel. At the same time Optimus bought the name Sievert for the production of blow lamps. With this, Optimus became the only company in Sweden producing products based on all types of liquid fuel. Already in 1914, Optimus had taken over the kerosene pressure stove production from Lux.

To meet the competition during the 1980-ies from low-cost countries like China and India, Optimus started a factory in Zimbabwe in 1983. This factory should supply the markets in Africa with low priced products with a high quality. After a good start, the production never managed to compete fully why the factory today only produces small wick stoves for the local market.

Also in Sweden, Optimus had to drastically reduce its operations. The factory, which had employed 300 persons, was moved to Gnosjö and the facilities in Upplands Väsby were sold. The core business was transferred to Optimus International AB and sold to a private person.

Optimus is today a small family owned company, specialising on camping stoves for liquid fuel. The products are sold by agents to around 40 different countries of which USA, Japan and Norway are the biggest export markets.

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