Fronius International GmbH

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fronius International GmbH

Type	Limited liability company (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung)
Industry	Battery Charging Systems, Welding Technology, Solar Electronics
Founded	1945
Headquarters	Pettenbach, Upper Austria, Austria
Employees	3,239 (2012)
Website	www.fronius.com

Fronius International GmbH is an Austrian company, based in Pettenbach, Upper Austria. Fronius is active in the fields of battery charging systems, welding technology and solar electronics.

History

Formation and development

In 1945, Günter Fronius and his wife Friedl set up Fronius International GmbH in Pettenbach. Günter Fronius occupied himself with the development of battery charging systems in an electrical business. A little later, he employed 15 people. In the mid-1960s, the company started to manufacture electronics and welding torches. In 1972, Fronius opened a second site in Thalheim, near Wels, and moved production there. Günter Fronius handed over the management of the business to his two children in 1980, and from then on the company focused more and more on expansion and internationalisation. Sites were opened in Austria and beyond in the years that followed. At the same time, Fronius expanded into the fields of battery charging systems and welding technology. Photovoltaics became a new focus in 1993. In 2001, Fronius opened a factory in Pettenbach, the town in which the company started. The logistics and production site at Sattledt was opened in 2007. With the capture of the American market between 2002 and 2007, the company has now gained a foothold outside Europe.

Today

Fronius employed 3,239 people worldwide in 2012. In addition to the company's headquarters in Pettenbach and other sites in Wels, Thalheim, Sattledt and Steinhaus, Fronius has production sites in the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. Fronius also has sales offices in a total of 19 countries.

Divisions

Battery Charging Systems

Battery Charging Systems is Fronius International's oldest division. Fronius has been researching and developing charging technology since it was founded in 1945. The 1990s saw inverter technology expertise applied for the first time to pulsed charging devices for the charging of vehicle starter batteries. The ACCTIVA series is a high-performance, electronically safe starter-battery charging system. In the field of traction batteries Fronius offers the SELECTIVA series. Different performance classes ensure efficient and economical traction in the most varied of conveyor systems. Charging traction batteries saves on energy costs, extends battery life and reduces maintenance costs. Both product ranges are based on "Active Inverter Technology". The special features of this Fronius technology are very high energy efficiency, 100% electronically safe, constant power throughout the charging process, a compact form factor and the highest safety standards.

Welding Technology

Around 1950, Fronius International launched its first welding transformer with magnet-yoke-control, which allows the welding current to be adjusted continuously. 50 years later the company launched the CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) process, which permits the thermal joining of steel to aluminium. The world's first fully digitally controlled MIG/MAG power sources (TransSynergic 4000/5000 and TransPuls Synergic 2700/4000/5000) were then unveiled. The introduction of the DeltaSpot welding system (resistance spot welding system) facilitated the mass production of aluminium car bodies. This makes the vehicle much lighter and consequently lowers fuel consumption. As a result, CO2 emissions are significantly reduced. Another Fronius innovation is TransCut 300, the first ever plasma cutting device. In this system, fluid acts as the cutting medium, which greatly reduces the emission of harmful substances.

Solar Electronics

Fronius International GmbH has been involved in solar electronics since 1992. The high-performance and innovative inverter series, such as "Fronius IG Plus," and the transformerless inverters from the "Fronius IG TL" range transform direct current collected via solar modules into ready-to-use alternating current. This enables environmentally-friendly 'clean energy' to be fed into the public grid, for which the system operator receives a feed-in tariff. Another Fronius innovation is the "HyLOG" project. This demonstrates a CO2-free internal logistics system using photovoltaics, electrolysis and a hydrogen drive at the Fronius Sattledt site.

Sites

Austria

Fronius is based in Pettenbach, where the company was founded. Covering an area of 6,000 m², it is the centre of excellence for Fronius welding torches and accounting & internal auditing.
The production and logistics site of the company is located in Sattledt. Since 2007, all battery charging systems, welding systems and solar inverters have been produced here on a site more than 100,000 m² in size. One of the largest photovoltaic systems in Austria, with a module area of 3,600 m², can be found on the roof of the building. There is also a biomass power station that supplies the majority of the energy required.
Thalheim, near Wels, is the Research & Development site of the company and will be extended to cover 22,500 m² by 2011. Special features of the Thalheim site in the future will include photovoltaic electricity generation, geothermal probes (geothermal fields) and the systematic re-use of waste heat from the test laboratories.
Wels, with its historic brick building, is the sales hub of Fronius International. The site, which was opened in 1990, extends over 17,000 m² and is the starting point for the international activities of all three Fronius divisions. The active energy design, photovoltaics system and modern environmental technology ensure that as much energy as possible is collected to meet its own requirements.
The Repair Center International (RCI), which used to be in Sattledt, relocated to Steinhaus in 2010. Covering more than 4,000 m², the rented property offers the perfect conditions and facilities for the welding technology, solar electronics and battery charging systems repair departments, allowing RCI processes to be carried out efficiently.

International sites

In addition to the five sites in Austria, Fronius has over 19 international subsidiaries and sales partners/representatives in more than 60 countries (as of 2012). These are: Australia, Brasil, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, China, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA

Awards and prizes (extract)

Plus X Award (2013, products, brand)
European Change Communications Award (2012, brand)
Silver Dolphin in Cannes (2011, Imagefilm)
Austrian State Prize for Innovation (2009)
Upper Austrian Innovation Prize (2008)
Austrian National Award for Climate Protection (2008)
World Energy Globe (2008, HyLOG)
Energy Globe Austria(2008)
Upper Austrian Family Oscar (2008, company kindergarten)
Austrian National Environmental and Energy Technology Award (2008)
Energy Globe Award (2007)

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.