With the invention of the peeler, Alfred Neweczerzal (1899-1959), a descendant of Czech immigrants born in Davos, founded his company Zena AG. Already in 1931, he is said to have purchased a punching machine and set up a workshop in a residential building in Zurich Wiedikon. Neweczerzal was a market trader and at the same time an innovative tinkerer, who initially developed various kitchen helpers before applying for a patent for a vegetable slicer with an adjustable blade in Germany in 1936. In 1947, he patented his invention under the name 'Rex' as Mod. Int. 11002 worldwide. The Rex peeler has been manufactured almost unchanged since 1947: To increase stability, its handle is made of a double-bent metal strip. Production in Affoltern am Albis is carried out using the same machines. Around 1 million pieces are produced annually. Their popularity is primarily due to their efficiency and ease of use. Thanks to the movable transverse knife head, Rex also follows uneven vegetable and fruit surfaces, and it can even slice hard cheese or chocolate. Its frugality in use is due to a spacer parallel to the blade that determines the thickness of the peel.