Launch of the BERNINA 830: BERNINA presents a new first-class sewing and embroidery system

With a sewing and embroidering speed of over 1,000 stitches per minute, a length of 60 cm and a wealth of new, patented features that both simplify and enrich your sewing and embroidery experience, it leaves all previous machines in the shade. Six years in the making, the BERNINA 830 will be launched in Europe in April as the Swiss sewing-machine manufacturer's new flagship sewing and embroidery system.

‘The BERNINA 830 is the best machine ever to leave our factory' says Claude Dreyer, CEO of the BERNINA Textile Group. And BERNINA's history is not exactly lacking in innovations: from 1892, when company founder Karl Friedrich Gegauf brought the world's first hemstitching machine onto the market, till 2002, when the world's first MS Windows-operated sewing and embroidery computer was introduced, BERNINA products which were more than a stitch-length ahead of the competition have time and again become the talking point of the sewing-machine industry. From the long line of outstanding products that have turned BERNINA into a Swiss cult brand, the new BERNINA 830 now stands out even more clearly. ‘The BERNINA 830 is unique' says Claude Dreyer. ‘The technical challenges faced in developing it were enormous.' In April 2009, this technical masterpiece will be available from specialist shops in Europe.

True Greatness

First contact with the 830: Open the cover on the front of the BERNINA 830 and the bobbin emerges from the lit interior with a gentle hum. And what a bobbin it is! The thread holder with the eyecatching black-and-white design holds almost 90 metres of standard sewing thread – around 40 per cent more than the bobbin of the previously largest home sewing machine. And the rest of the 830's dimensions are also a cut above the ordinary: The free arm extends 40 cm across the work surface. To the right of the needle, there is more than 30 cm space for manoeuvring your sewing project, making it a cinch to spread out and move fabrics under the needle. The 830 also sets new benchmarks for embroidering: the ‘jumbo' embroidery hoop offers an embroidery area of 40 x 26 cm.
You don't need to be a pro sewer to recognise that the BERNINA 830 is something special.  Design language, materials and workmanship make it clear: this machine is more than just a household aid – it's a product that stands for genuine values such as outstanding quality, high functionality and a long service life, and whose exceptional position is reflected in its physical size. But it's only once it goes into action that the BERNINA 830 shows its true greatness. Even at its highest speeds – 1,100 stitches per minute in sewing mode and 1,000 stitches per minute in embroidery mode – it ensures the flawless stitch formation characteristic of a BERNINA. Among numerous other highlights, the 830 features 360-degree multi-directional sewing (adjustable in 1-degree increments), presser-foot control with automatic fabric-thickness recognition, the programmable securing function, flip-up-and-tuck-away BERNINA dual feed which makes sewing together tricky materials child's play, the integrated BERNINA Stitch Regulator which regulates stitch length as a function of sewing speed, and last but not least, the fully automatic threader: with the press of a button, the upper thread is guided through the eye of the needle as if by magic.

A Tradition of Innovation

BERNINA has the reputation of manufacturing sewing and embroidery systems that last for generations. At the same time, this company has proven itself capable time and again of delighting its customers with revolutionary products. The first sewing machine with a built-in trackball, the first computerised sewing machine with Windows CE, or the BSR system which regulates stitch length as a function of sewing speed are examples of BERNINA exclusives. ‘Through innovation, we succeed in defending our position in the strongly concentrated global sewing-machine market, and in reinforcing the BERNINA brand', says CEO Claude Dreyer, describing the importance of ongoing innovation. The BERNINA 830 will contribute its share to the success of this strategy. The year 2002 saw the start of its development. With over 70 new functions, 15 new patents and innovative software, the finished machine is now testimony to the culture of innovation characterising this tradition-steeped Steckborn company. ‘We've spared no expense' Claude Dreyer declares, adding that the BERNINA strategy is geared to the long-term and to sustainability. ‘When we're convinced of the strategic and economic benefit of a project, then we're also prepared to make investments which will only pay off at a later date.'

The internationally recommended retail price of the BERNINA 830 is USD 12,000. For this sum, the customer takes possession of a sewing and embroidery system that is first-class in terms of all its major functions and features.

Outstanding Made-in-Switzerland Quality

As a Swiss company with an international focus, BERNINA is nowadays represented by 1,110 employees in over 50 countries. With around 400 employees, the Steckborn premises not only enjoy an up-to-date infrastructure including modern production lines and a high-tech measuring room for quality assurance, but also the Creative Center, a ‘world of sewing experience' with a large showroom, a specialist library and a broad range of courses on offer, inaugurated in autumn 2006. ‘In Steckborn, product development, manufacturing, quality assurance and marketing are concentrated in a single location', states Claude Dreyer. ‘This unity is essential in order to produce top-quality technology.' The BERNINA 830 is therefore a 100% Swiss product, made in Steckborn, Switzerland.

Interview with Claude Dreyer, BERNINA Textile Group CEO

In an interview, BERNINA Textile Group CEO Claude Dreyer tells us about the BERNINA 830 and what this revolutionary sewing and embroidery system means for the world of sewing and for the BERNINA Textile Group itself.

Mr Dreyer, with the BERNINA 830 you're launching a sewing and embroidery computer that already enjoys cult status in the USA, where it was first launched. What makes the 830 so special?
CD: With the BERNINA 830, we've succeeded in developing one of the world's finest sewing and embroidery system, first-class in terms of all major features.  Thanks to its ease of operation, high functionality and outstanding product quality, the BERNINA 830 meets all the needs and wishes of sewers, quilters and embroiderers.

What, in your opinion, are the most important features of the BERNINA 830?
CD: In terms of stitch quality, size of the sewing and embroidery areas, stitch speed, functionality, ease of operation, design, and impression of value, BERNINA is setting a new standard in the sewing-machine industry.

When did BERNINA begin developing the 830? What were the reason for and aim of its development?
CD: In 2002, we elaborated a vision for a new generation of BERNINA sewing machines. The aim was to build the world's finest sewing and embroidery system which would comprehensively meet the needs and wishes of all sewers, quilters and embroiderers. In keeping with this aim, the project was called ‘New Generation'.

Were there crucial moments during this period?
CD: The ‘NewGeneration' project was unique in terms of its demands, scope, length and costs. The initial technical challenges during the development of the new, swing-out hook were enormous.

Were there any especially gratifying moments?
CD: For me personally, the presentation of the new BERNINA 830 on the occasion of BERNINA University in Kansas was an emotional moment. BERNINA University in the States is a major, several-day-long annual event with dealer training sessions and product presentations. We chose this occasion to introduce the BERNINA 830 to the public for the first time. Dealer and end-customer reactions were extremely positive. The high expectations of our discerning customers were exceeded.

Major staff and financial resources were committed to the 830 Project for several years. Is BERNINA a company that's prepared to take risks?
CD: The BERNINA strategy is geared to the long term and sustainability. When we're convinced of the strategic and economic benefit of a project, then we're also prepared to make investments which will only pay off at a later date.
With the BERNINA 830, we've developed a new technical platform for the future.

Bearing in mind what the new sewing and embroidery computer is capable of achieving, the name ‘830' seems a bit humdrum. Where does it come from?
CD: With the designation of ‘BERNINA 830', we're focusing quite deliberately on the BERNINA brand name. The BERNINA 830 is the flagship of the whole BERNINA sewing-machine family.

The retail price of the BERNINA 830 is USD 12,000 – a hefty price for a sewing machine …
CD: Because all of its main features are first-class, the BERNINA 830 offers users outstanding added value. I am convinced that now more than ever, consumers prefer a product with strong, genuine values such as outstanding quality, absolute ease of use, high functionality and a long service life.

What economic role does the 830 play for the BERNINA Textile Group?
CD: The BERNINA 830 is of great economic importance for the BERNINA Textile Group. Owing to its great competitiveness, we expect good sales worldwide. As the world's finest and most innovative sewing system, the BERNINA 830 will have a positive signal effect on the entire BERNINA sewing-machine range through image transfer. The BERNINA 830 is built in Switzerland. Its complex engineering and the associated value-added activities can safeguard jobs in Switzerland.

Claude Dreyer (50), resident in Hemishofen, has been the BERNINA Textile Group CEO since January 2008. From 2001 to 2008 he served as BERNINA's Director of Technology. Prior to this, he was the Managing Director of Lawson Mardon Neher (today Alcan Kreuzlingen).