Built on 75 years of innovation, this third-generation family business boasts a passion for new renewable energy technologies, intensive research and revolutionary solutions.
Synonymous with solar power, Fronius is a phenomenal family business: a success story dating back to a humble one-man operation in 1945. Three-quarters of a century later, the business has gone from a regional specialist repair shop into a player on the global stage, cementing itself as an integral part of the industrial landscape. From electricity to heating, electric mobility and energy storage, Fronius is a formidable force within the solar sector. But let’s go back
to the beginning.
Founded by electrical engineer Günter Fronius, who made a living as a repair and maintenance man, Fronius was born in the Austrian town of Pettenbach after Günter had a lightning-bolt moment and created a device for recharging car batteries, allowing them to be used for longer. At the time, charging car batteries was practically unheard of. Undeterred, Günter developed simple battery chargers using the resources at his disposal. Building on this same technology, he expanded his product range in 1950 to include welding transformers. Over the following decades, Fronius grew steadily into a respected medium-sized company.
In 1980, Günter Fronius handed control of the company to his children, Brigitte Strauß and Klaus Fronius. The siblings pursued a strategy of growth, with numerous subsidiaries established around the world. At the beginning of the 1990s, the two CEOs start to place additional emphasis on the pioneering topic of solar energy. Written off by some at the time as nothing more than a pipe dream, this sector has since established itself as an important branch of the business. Indeed, the three pillars of the business are ‘Solar Energy’, ‘Perfect Welding’ and ‘Perfect Charging’.
In 2012, the baton was passed to the next generation: Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß. As the granddaughter of the company’s founder, she has continued to set a course for growth and remains true to the business’s commitment to innovation, quality and service. This means that Fronius is constantly researching cutting-edge technologies from which new ideas can be derived. Fronius’ mission, which unites more than 8000 professionals in more than 30 countries around the world, is clear: to research and control electricity as the fuel of the future. Fronius uses its products to convert solar energy into alternating current, supply battery-powered intralogistics vehicles with new energy, and use electricity from the outlet for revolutionary welding processes.
While the basic concept has remained the same, countless opportunities for change have presented themselves over the years. Fronius is no longer “just” a manufacturer, but has instead long been recognised as a high-tech enterprise. All Fronius products (such as the GEN24 inverter, Ohmpilot and Wattpilot) are based on highly complex software solutions, data management systems and apps for user-friendly solutions. “Sustainable action is at the heart of everything we do at Fronius. This has been the case since the very beginning of the company’s history,” says Elisabeth, CEO of Fronius International GmbH. “The impetus to extend the short service life of car batteries through more efficient use of available energy came about roughly 75 years ago. Today we are placing more focus than ever on environmentally friendly solutions.”
A passion for new technologies, intensive research and revolutionary solutions has shaped the Fronius brand since 1945. As a technology leader, Fronius develops and implements innovative methods to monitor and control energy for welding technology, photovoltaics and battery charging. Believing that “the power of the sun is for everyone”, Fronuis’ Solar Energy and Perfect\Charging products endeavour to provide a reliable and comprehensive supply of energy,
24 hours a day.
Fronius has 37 subsidiaries on five continents (including Australia), yet it is still the same owner-managed company it has always been, combining the values of a family business with the visions of a global company.
Whether charging your electric car with Fronius Wattpilot, heating your water with Fronius Ohmpilot or generating solar power from the PV system with high-tech inverters, Fronius offers Australians all the tools they need to achieve greater self-sufficiency and energy security.
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