For over 60 years he dedicated himself to the uvex brand: Rainer Winter – a visionary at a time when brand development did not yet play a major role. A family entrepreneur with heart, for whom the well-being of employees and also of children – for them he founded the Rainer Winter Foundation – was important. He is regarded as one of the most influential personalities in the company’s history.
Born on 10 December 1935 in Nuremberg, he joined the company founded by his father in 1956 – with the clear goal not simply to follow in his footsteps, but to expand them with ambition. Early on, he recognised the importance of strong brands: after a stay abroad in the USA, where he gained valuable insights into modern brand management, he developed the name “U.V.E.X.” – Ultra Violet EXcluded – and thus laid the foundation for a global success story.
He drove expansion in North America and Europe, founded new companies, acquired strategically important brands, and restructured the business under the umbrella of UVEX WINTER HOLDING GmbH & Co. KG. Protecting people was always the focus.
Rainer Winter was far more than a successful entrepreneur. He was a person with heart and a social conscience. In 1980 he founded the Rainer Winter Foundation to give disadvantaged children and young people new opportunities – an engagement that continues to this day.
Rainer Winter passed away in January 2025 at the age of 89. Until the end, he remained closely connected to the company as a background-moderator and advisor. His down-to-earth nature, his humour, and his great sensitivity for people shaped the company culture in a lasting way.
