Wahl Clipper history

On February 2, 1921, he purchased 100% of the stock of his uncle's manufacturing company which made the clipper, and incorporated the business as Wahl Clipper Corporation.

1946Founded in 1946, Moser Elektrogerate GmbH, an international manufacturer, headquartered in Unterkirnach, Germany, eventually became recognized as a leading global manufacturer of products similar to Wahl, including hair clippers, massagers, shavers and pet trimmers.

In 1948 the company launched the Senior clipper which, 60 years later, continues to be a staple among barbers’ and stylists’ tools.

Leo Wahl took the title of board chairman in 1954 as three of his sons became responsible for operational management.

Until his death in 1957, Wahl worked with barbers all across the nation for input to design more convenient and efficient hair clippers and introduced other hair care tools along the way.

Revenues reached $3 million in 1960.

Disposable electric shaver blades appeared in 1965.

Thanks in part to the strike, by 1971 annual sales had stagnated at $3.3 million after reaching $4.5 million a couple of years earlier.

In 1972, after a much longer strike lasting half a year, most of the plant’s 88 workers voted to decertify the union, making Wahl an open shop for the first time in 15 years.

By this time, the long hair fad was largely over, and sales reached $5.2 million in 1976.

The battery-operated Groomsman Beard and Mustache Trimmer was introduced to the consumer market in 1984.

A “stubble device” for the Groomsman, introduced in 1986, offered men a less-than-close shave for achieving a look made famous by Don Johnson of the hit television show Miami Vice.

In 1988 Wahl established a subsidiary at Herne Bay in the United Kingdom, then bought out its distributors Marchant Hills and Throssle Suppliers, Ltd.

Wahl started the 1990s strong; revenues leapt by one-third to $58.2 million in 1990.

The Peanut turned out to be one of the most popular products Wahl ever created.By 1992, the company had added over a total of 150,000 square feet to the building.

Sales exceeded $100 million in 1994, roughly one-quarter of which were generated by exports to more than 70 countries.

Wahl bought Germany’s Moser Elektrogerate GmbH in October 1996.

Sales had more than rebounded by 2002, reaching nearly $200 million.

In 2006, the company displayed its market awareness in its Wahl Outdoors marketing campaign, which targeted outdoorsmen, who were likely to both sport facial hair and to own dogs.

Laura joined W.E.A.T. in 2008 and has dedicated her career to education, program development and the progression of the barber industry.

“Hard work and perseverance is what keeps me driven” says Nguyen, Wahl’s 2018 Barber Battle winner.

2019 Wahl celebrates 100 years of creating innovative products and services.