Zwilling J. A. Henckels is a knife manufacturer based in Solingen, Germany. It is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of kitchen knives, scissors, cookware and flatware, having been founded in June of 1731 by Peter Henckels. Staub is a premium French enameled cast iron cookware and bakeware manufacturer that was originally headquartered in Turckheim, Alsace, France. The first piece, a cocotte or coquelle, was designed by Francis Staub in 1974 in a dormant artillery factory. While Staub operates as an independent company, it was acquired by Zwilling in 2008.