Pirge is 145 Years Old!

1877 – Among the young Turks who migrated from the Balkans to Anatolia during the Russo-Turkish War (93 War) was a young man named Mehmet.

1879 – Mehmet began working as an apprentice under Yahya Usta in the Okçular Bazaar, located near the Grand Mosque of Bursa, a center of craftsmanship and trade in the region. He started producing pocket knives and agricultural tools.

1895 – Upon Yahya Usta’s passing, he left his trade, craftsmanship, business ethics, and clean production practices to Mehmet, whom he regarded as his only son despite having three daughters. Mehmet inherited the business with the intention of carrying forward his master's legacy. He, too, had now become a “Master.”

1920 – For many years, Master Mehmet produced knives and agricultural tools, teaching the craft to younger generations, just as Yahya Usta had taught him. His first words to new apprentices were always, “Let’s do our work honestly and cleanly.”

1934 – With the introduction of the Surname Law, Master Mehmet took the surname “Pirge,” meaning “Master Trainer.”

1940 – After Master Mehmet, his youngest son, İsmail Pirge, took over the craftsmanship, marking the beginning of the father-to-son transfer of knife-making skills.

1952 – İsmail Pirge, representing the second generation, expanded production capacity and outsourced work to external craftsmen to meet the growing demand while also expanding the business.

1960 – Feyzi Pirge, İsmail’s eldest son, started working in knife-making as a third-generation representative.

1970 – Pirge achieved its first exports to Egypt and Iraq.

1984 – After the untimely passing of Feyzi Pirge’s brother, İhsan Pirge, Feyzi was forced to leave knife-making temporarily to focus on hotel management, a field his brother had overseen.

1984 – During this time, Feyzi Pirge handed over the business to his son, Mehmet Pirge, the fourth-generation representative, at a very young age. Working closely with his grandfather, Mehmet quickly developed his skills.

1992 – Having rapidly advanced while working alongside his grandfather, Mehmet Pirge took over the business and began implementing his dreams by introducing technological innovations to the industry. The first Pirge store opened.

1993 – Mehmet imported Turkey’s first knife grinding and polishing machine, marking the beginning of a new era in Bursa’s knife-making industry. This technological innovation shifted the craft toward mechanization, emphasizing mass production and price competitiveness, thus laying the foundation for its modern structure.

1995 – Mehmet Pirge began exploring export opportunities for machine-produced knives in Europe. Traveling by train, he visited countries across Europe, starting with Germany, conducting market research.

1996 – Robots were integrated into production processes, and the first sanding unit was introduced to begin production.

1997 – Mehmet Pirge registered Yeşilyayla Kesici Aletler Madeni Eşya ve İnşaat San. Tic. Ltd. Şti. with the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

1998 – Pirge made its first sales in supermarket chains and established its position in Metro Market.

2001 – Pirge became the first company in Turkey to produce colored handles in compliance with HACCP standards. With the growth of tourism, the business entered a new phase, introducing the concept of “Professional Knives” to Turkey.

2003 – Pirge became the knife manufacturer with the most patents, utility models, and design registrations in Turkey.

2006 – Pirge moved to a new facility, starting production in a 2500 m² building. This location change, a significant step at the time, accelerated the company’s industrialization.

2009 – The fifth generation of the Pirge family began participating in the business. Under the leadership of Mehmet Bey, efforts to modernize the company commenced, setting the stage for Pirge’s future.

2009 – Knives produced using Turkey’s first CNC Grinding Machine ushered in a new era for Bursa’s knife industry. Grinding with a precision of 0.01 mm, these knives offered superior sharpness.

2010 – With the introduction of Turkey’s first CNC Serration Machine, another innovation was added to mass production, making it easier to cut crusty products like bread and mass-produce blades for slicing machines.

2012 – Pirge, a pioneering company in Bursa’s knife industry, participated in the prestigious Ambiente Frankfurt Fair for the first time, introducing Bursa knives to countries worldwide. The fair’s impact was significant, garnering interest from the Middle East and Eastern European countries, accelerating Pirge’s export growth.

2014 – With aspirations of becoming a global company, Pirge entered a partnership with a company in Solingen, Germany. However, the partnership later dissolved due to failure.

2015 – To accommodate its growing production capacity, Pirge added a new 4000 m² factory and opened a new production facility in Kestel, where operations are conducted today.

2016 – Turkey’s first robotic grinding and handle processing machines were introduced. These investments began a new phase in knife-making, focusing on utilizing human labor more efficiently. With the robots’ outputs, the number of knife craftsmen increased, highlighting the growing value of skilled labor.

2018 – Investments in more environmentally friendly production increased. New liquid treatment systems allowed grinding fluids to be recycled more efficiently, improving production efficiency and speeding up recycling. Production capacities increased.

2020 – Pirge consolidated its operations, which had been conducted at multiple locations, under one roof in a 12,000 m² factory, entering a new phase of industrialization. This allowed the company to manage all processes, from steel storage and laser cutting to heat treatment and packaging, under one roof.

2022 – Work began on state-of-the-art AS-RS systems for more efficient logistics processes.

2023 – Pirge’s management professionalized, and the company’s corporate culture began to be documented. Pirge continues its journey as an important brand, touching every life with the significance of knives.

2024 – Pirge, the address of sharpness, stainless steel, and great design, celebrates its 145th year with a 12,000 m² factory, an annual production capacity of 5 million, and a family of 250 members.