Sep. 15--The Genuine Swiss Army Knife's cross logo is nearly as famous universally as the Olympic rings.

Both now have a presence in Salt Lake City.

The city that played host to the 2002 Winter Olympics recently became the North American sales and distribution hub for Wenger Footwear, a new line of shoes being developed under the auspices of the Swiss family-owned company, Wenger SA, which has manufactured the classic camping knife for five generations.

Established Brands International is the San Francisco-based company entrusted with designing, developing, marketing and distributing two separate lines of Wenger Footwear.

Those shoes, manufactured in Asian factories, will be shipped to Established Brands' warehouse at 2657 S. 1030 West in South Salt Lake, and from there to retail stores across the continent. Besides the distribution component, the South Salt Lake office also will house the company's sales management and customer service operations.

"Salt Lake is one of the most strategic distribution points from the West Coast," said Travis Bott, Established Brand's director of business development. "There are major highways going in and out, and you have Salt Lake City International Airport, with its hubs for Federal Express and UPS."

But the transportation infrastructure is just one reason the company set up shop in Salt Lake, Bott added. Five executives have Utah roots. Major investor Tim Fenton is from the state. And Established Brand's international ambitions can benefit from the multilingual capabilities of many returned missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What's more, he said, "Wenger is positioning itself as one of the top outdoor brands in the world. Utah is a hub for outdoor-centric lifestyles. Everything the West embodies, in terms of outdoor recreation, you can find in Utah."

Similarly, the Swiss Army Knife has embodied quality and function since its development in 1893. "Our mission is to mimic that quality and function in footwear," said Ron Page, a footwear industry veteran who is Established Brands' chief executive.

Being true to the Swiss Army Knife heritage is a responsibility Page takes seriously, citing a consumer satisfaction survey in which there was a 96 percent favorable awareness impression of products bearing the Swiss Army label.

"There's a very high bar on what the consumer expects. It puts a tremendous challenge on us to live up to that reputation," he said while working the recent Outdoor Retailer Summer Trade Show, where a giant Wenger banner adorned the tower on the Salt Palace Convention Center's east side.