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Franz Kneissl — World Champion
Taking one of Austria's most storied sports brands into the ebike market — a full range of Italian-manufactured models for ski dealerships, anchored by the carbon Bosch World Champion flagship.
Franz Kneissl — World Champion
ZÆT Role: Market positioning, sourcing & graphic design | Manufacturer: Atala S.P.A., Italy | Year: 2021
The Brief
Franz Kneissl III carries one of the most recognisable names in Austrian sports history. The Kneissl ski brand dates back to Franz Kneissl I's first handmade wooden ski in 1910, producing equipment for generations of world champions and Olympic medallists. Franz Kneissl III — himself a double offshore powerboat world champion in 1982 and 1983 — set out to bring the Kneissl name into the electric bike market, sold through the Austrian ski dealerships that already carry the Kneissl brand.
ZÆT identified Atala S.P.A. — part of the Accell Group — as the ideal Italian manufacturer to produce the range under the Kneissl branding. ZÆT managed the full process: manufacturer sourcing, model selection, graphic design and brand application, component specification, and supply chain coordination during a period of significant industry-wide component shortages.
The flagship World Champion model features a carbon frame, Bosch Performance Line CX motor, 750Wh battery, Shimano drivetrain, and hydraulic disc brakes — a product built to carry the Kneissl name without compromise.
The Result
The Kneissl ebike range launched through Austrian ski dealerships and via Fitstore24, with the World Champion carbon eMTB as the headline product. The range covers Mountain, Trekking, City, and Kids categories — all manufactured exclusively in Italy.
How ZÆT Built This
Define Direction
Brand heritage analysis: Kneissl ski legacy to ebike extension · Market positioning: premium Austrian sports brand in Italian-made ebikes · Product range definition: Mountain, Trekking, City, and Kids models · Distribution strategy: Austrian ski dealerships and Fitstore24 network
Build the Foundation
Carbon frame specification for World Champion flagship model · Bosch Performance Line CX motor and 750Wh battery integration · Shimano drivetrain and hydraulic disc brake specification · Full range engineering: eMTB, trekking, city, and youth models · Atala S.P.A. Italy manufacturer alignment and production coordination
Execute and Launch
Austrian ski dealer network activation for ebike sales · Fitstore24 exclusive distribution partnership · Graphic design: Kneissl branding on Atala base models · Summer launch timing aligned with Austrian ski dealership seasonality · Component supply chain pre-ordering amid industry shortages
The Result
