Cutlery the term "tableware" has come into use to avoid the implication that they are made of silver. The major items of cutlery in Western culture are the knife, fork and spoon. In recent times, hybrid versions of cutlery have been made combining the functionality of different eating implements, including the spork (spoon / fork), spife (spoon / knife), and knork (knife / fork) or the sporf which combines all three. The word cutler derives from the Middle English word 'cuteler' and this in turn derives from Old French 'coutelier' which comes from 'coutel'; meaning knife (modern French: couteau). The word's
Messer Group held two third of the company shares. Around 1997 to 2004 the gas and welding related sections were bought back by the Messer Family building the current Messer Group GmbH. The company subsidiaries for Germany, UK and the US were sold to Air Liquide, including a four-year Non-compete clause for the Messer Group. After the expiration of the non-compete clause in 2008 the Messer Group GmbH is selling gases for industrial use again. Messer Tehnogas AD have production sites in seven cities in Serbia - Belgrade, Novi Sad, Bor, Niš, Pančevo, Smederevo and Kraljevo Messer Group The Messer Group GmbH