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Cherry AG

From Alfawiki
Cherry AG
Company typePublic (since 2021)
IndustryComputer peripherals, electronics
FoundedJanuary 1, 1953; 73 years ago (1953-01-01) in Highland Park, Illinois, United States
FounderWalter Lorain Cherry
Headquarters
Auerbach in der Oberpfalz
,
Germany
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Peter Cherry (former owner)
ProductsKeyboards, computer mice, card readers, mechanical keyboard switches (Cherry MX, Cherry ML), peripherals
ParentIndependent (since 2016 under Cherry Group)
Websitewww.cherry.de

Cherry AG—previously known as Cherry Corporation and branded as CHERRY—is a German manufacturer specializing in computer peripherals, originally established in the United States but now headquartered in Germany. The company maintains additional offices located in the United States, France, and China. Up until 2008, Cherry offered an extensive product portfolio including sensors and automotive components; following its acquisition by ZF Friedrichshafen AG, it was rebranded as ZF Electronics GmbH, with the Cherry name preserved exclusively for computer input device products. Since 2016, this segment has functioned autonomously under the Cherry Group.

History

Founded in 1953 by Walter Lorain Cherry in Highland Park, Illinois, ownership eventually transferred to his son, Peter Cherry. In 1979, the company shifted its main operations to Auerbach in der Oberpfalz, West Germany. Having manufactured keyboards since 1973, Cherry is recognized as one of the longest-standing producers of keyboards still operating today.

In 2008, ZF Friedrichshafen AG acquired Cherry and integrated it into its operations as ZF Electronics GmbH. After eight years under this ownership, the computer input device division was divested to GENUI Partners in 2016. Later, in October 2020, private equity firm Argand Partners purchased Cherry, which subsequently completed a successful initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in June 2021, trading under the symbol C3RY. The Cherry brand continues to be actively used.

In 2019, Cherry encountered criticism in China due to a promotional giveaway that initially excluded female gamers; following public backlash, the company revised the campaign accordingly.

Cherry’s manufacturing plants are primarily situated in Europe—most notably in Bayreuth, Germany—with additional facilities across Asia and the Americas. All design and development activities take place at the headquarters in Auerbach. The company maintains offices throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas and distributes products globally through a network of partners.

Products

Cherry is best known for its MX and ML mechanical key switches—available in red, blue, and brown versions—which have been widely utilized since the 1980s across industrial electronics and point-of-sale devices and have been increasingly adopted for consumer PC keyboards since approximately 2008.

At CES 2017, Cherry unveiled an updated version of its classic G80-3000 keyboard featuring noise-dampening improvements to address mechanical keyboard sound levels. Technology publication TechCrunch recognized Cherry as the industry standard for mechanical keyboard switches. In 2020, Cherry introduced the Cherry Viola series—its first fully mechanical switch designed for budget-friendly keyboard models.

The company's current product offerings include:

  • Keyboards
  • Computer mice
  • Card readers
  • Various peripherals
  • MIX Technology

Cherry MX

Cherry launched its patented Mechanical X-Point ("MX") switches during the early 1980s with market availability beginning around 1985. Within consumer keyboards, these switches are distinguished by the color of their stems—the component beneath each keycap that moves when pressed.

Leading keyboard manufacturers such as Cooler Master, Corsair, and G.Skill incorporate or replicate Cherry MX switches; for instance, Razer’s Kailh Green switches emulate them in early BlackWidow models. While Cherry produces its own keyboards on a smaller scale—the MX 10.0 TKL model notably excludes a numeric keypad—the company expanded its portfolio in 2018 by introducing low-profile mechanical switches suited for slimmer keyboard designs. Its Cherry MX Silent (Pink) switches appear in products like Corsair’s K70 lineup.

The primary categories of Cherry MX switches are as follows:

  • Linear: Red, Silent Red, Speed Silver, Nature White, Orange, Black, Silent Black, Black Clear-Top, Linear Grey
  • Tactile (non-clicky): Purple, Ergo Clear, Brown, Clear, Tactile Grey
  • Tactile (clicky): Blue, White, Green

Grey variants exist both as linear and tactile types; however, the clicky version has been discontinued. Larger keys such as Space Bar, Shift, and Enter utilize Green and Grey switches; Greens provide a tactile experience reminiscent of IBM Model M’s buckling spring mechanism. Depending on the specific model type, switches are rated for durability up to 100 million actuations.

Switch specifications differ across types regarding click feedback, tactile sensation, actuation force requirements, and travel distances:

Switch type Clicky Tactile Actuation force Tactile force Actuation point Total travel Product code Type
Blossom No No 0.35 N N/A 2.0 mm 3.8 mm MX2A-LC9D Normal
Speed Silver No No 0.45 N N/A 1.2 mm 3.4 mm MX1A-51xx Normal
Northern Light No No 0.45 N N/A 1.6 mm 3.7 mm MX2A-8C7D Normal
Silent Red No No 0.45 N N/A 1.9 mm 3.7 mm MX3A-L1xx Normal
Red No No 0.45 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-L1xx Normal
Nature White No No 0.55 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-41NA Normal
Orange No No 0.55 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX2A-LC3W Normal
Silent Black No No 0.60 N N/A 1.9 mm 3.7 mm MX3A-11xx Normal
Black No No 0.60 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-11xx Normal
Black Clear-Top No No 0.635 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX2A-61NW Normal
Linear Grey No No 0.80 N N/A 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-21xx Larger keys
Purple No Yes 0.35 N 0.55 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX2A-V1NW Normal
Ergo Clear No Yes 0.40 N 0.55 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX2A-Hxxx Normal
Brown No Yes 0.45 N 0.55 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-G1xx Normal
Clear No Yes 0.55 N 0.65 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-C1xx Larger keys
Tactile Grey No Yes 0.80 N 0.80 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-D1xx Larger keys
Blue Yes Yes 0.50 N 0.60 N 2.2 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-E1xx Normal
White / new White Yes Yes 0.50 / 0.70 N 0.60 / 0.80 N 2.0 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-A1xx Normal / Larger keys
Green Yes Yes 0.70 N 0.80 N 2.2 mm 4.0 mm MX1A-F1xx Larger keys


Cherry ML

Cherry Mechanical Low-profile (ML) switches provide a tactile experience similar to Cherry MX Brown switches but with a reduced travel distance. These switches have an expected lifespan of 20 million keystrokes, which is approximately one-fifth that of the MX series. Engineered to minimize keyboard height, ML switches measure in height above the board, compared to for MX switches, with a total travel distance shortened to . The activation point is positioned near the midpoint of the travel at , requiring actuation and tactile forces of 0.45 N and 0.50 N, respectively.

In 2018, Cherry introduced the MX Low Profile switch as an addition to the ML range, aiming to serve users interested in low-profile mechanical switch options.

Awards

Cherry's manufacturing plant in Bayreuth was awarded the Bayerischer Qualitätspreis 2008. The company also earned the Automotive Lean Production Award from the German publication Automobil-Produktion in 2006. Furthermore, in 2005, Cherry GmbH located in Auerbach received the Industrial Excellence Award, recognizing it as Europe's top industrial facility.

See also

External links

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