Celebrating 40 years of Exped AG
In 1981, a young couple from Zurich embarked on a journey to Canada in pursuit of an unforgettable adventure. Two years later, they took another leap of faith and founded Exped AG with great enthusiasm. Today, a full 40 years later, we look back on an exciting journey filled with remarkable products and exciting innovations.
You can find our entire story summarized in our interactive picture. Just click on it and explore!
Our History
After a survival course in Sweden, Andi and Heidi Brun knew they belonged in nature. 'We had the dream of going to Canada to survive in the wilderness,' Heidi recalls. An unconventional honeymoon ensued. With just an axe and a saw blade, the adventurous duo built a complete log cabin in just four weeks - and that was in late August in Northern Canada, not far from the Arctic Circle.
Life in the wilderness was marked by temperatures as low as minus 40°C, foraging for food, and the occasional encounter with a bear. During those nine months, Andi and Heidi learned that less is more or 'maximizing the natural experience with minimal means.
'We had the dream of going to Canada to survive in the wilderness,'
Heidi Brun, Co-Founder Exped AG
The First Own Products
In 1983, Heidi and Andi co-founded Exped AG and gradually took over the representations of renowned outdoor brands. In 1997, motivated by outdoor colleagues and too many unrealized product ideas, EXPED introduced its first proprietary products to the market, transforming from a distributor to a manufacturer. 'The equipment on the market simply wasn't adapted for Europe, so we said, we can do better,' Andi Brun explains.
The first product developed by EXPED was the Orion. This tent classic is still part of our product range today and is a fundamental part of our philosophy.
'We didn't constantly create new products every year and remove the old ones from the lineup. We chose a concept and continually improved it.'
Andi Brun, Co-Founder Exped AG
A Long-Standing Partnership
No product development without reliable partners. That's why the people behind the products are very important to us. We've maintained a collaborative partnership with our suppliers for decades. We see this consistency as the foundation for sustainable development in our supply chain. 'It simply takes people who believe in you,' Heidi says. 'Without the help of our mat factory, we could never have developed the Downmat. They believed in us.
'Without the help of our mat factory, we could never have developed the Downmat. They believed in us.''
Heidi Brun, Co-Founder Exped AG
The anniversary
In September 1983, 40 years ago, Andi and Heidi founded Exped AG. Just over a year ago, the two took another step and returned to the place where it all began: the wilderness of Canada, although it's not as wild anymore. However, the self-built wooden ladder is still there.
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