Björn Kjellström

Björn Kjellström (September 9, 1910 – August 26, 1995), originally from Sweden, was a ski orienteering champion in Sweden and co-founder of the compass manufacturing company Silva Sweden AB which produced the Silva compass. More than 25 million Silva compasses have been sold since the founding of the company.

Early life Kjellström competed in his first orienteering race in Sweden in May 1928 at the age of 17, where he finished last in the beginners' class. However, by the fall of the same year he won a district orienteering championship race outside Stockholm. After two years of litigation, Silva of Sweden AB and JWA aka Johnson Outdoors agreed to confirm JWA's exclusive right to distribute compasses under the Silva name in the USA and Canada.

In 2018, Silva of Sweden AB reacquired North American distribution rights to the Silva brand from Johnson Outdoors, and once again distributes all Silva brand compasses to Canada and the USA.