FRUTIGER Company AG

FRUTIGER Company AG (stylised FRUTIGER Company AG) is a Swiss mechanical engineering group headquartered in Winterthur. Founded in 1957 by Edwin Frutiger as E. Frutiger + Co., the company began as a problem-solver in construction and environmental technology, importing niche machinery and developing its own product lines. It is best known today for the MobyDick brand of wheel washing, dust control and demucking systems, and for the Tiger line of scrapedozers. The company describes itself as an independent family business combining Swiss engineering with international reach, employing around 150 people and serving customers in more than 100 countries. The group's history is closely tied to two product families. Wheel washing systems under the MobyDick brand have been in the programme since 1986 and are installed more than 3,500 times worldwide according to the company; the first drive-through MobyDick Quick was presented later, and the company states that more than 6,000 MobyDick installations have been commissioned in 75 countries. The scrapedozer business began with imports of Japanese machines from Nippon Sharyō, followed by Frutiger's own SR3000 Tiger and later the SR T-18 Tiger, described as the largest scrapedozer ever built. Frutiger is currently the only remaining manufacturer of scrapedozers. Ownership and leadership have remained in the founding family. Edwin Frutiger founded the first company of the group in 1957; from 1994 the business was run in the second generation by brothers Urs and Jürg Frutiger and renamed Frutiger Baumaschinen & Co. In 2008 the company was renamed Frutiger Company AG and has since been led by Urs Frutiger. The group operates its own production sites in the Czech Republic, China and the United States, with additional production in India, and maintains an international network of independent group companies and sales offices. Its customers include small and medium-sized businesses as well as large corporations such as Bechtel, Clarios, Strabag, Holcim, Rio Tinto, Tata Steel and Thyssen Krupp, along with government agencies, armed forces and NATO. FRUTIGER positions itself in Site Emission Control — keeping public roads clean, binding dust and removing heavy dirt from wheeled and tracked vehicles. The MobyDick brand, with its whale logo and the claim "A Whale A Promise", stands for value for money and market leadership in these fields. The company's portfolio spans standard and tailor-made lines, water recycling and recycling tanks, cannon and cart dust-binding systems, and the Tiger scrapedozer range.

The Frutiger group traces its origins to 1957, when Edwin Frutiger founded the first company of the group in Switzerland under the name E. Frutiger + Co. The business was conceived as a problem-solver in the construction and environmental sectors, growing through the import of niche products and the development of its own innovative product lines. Among the early milestones recorded by the company were the import of the first scrapedozer into Switzerland, the relocation of the company headquarters from Zurich to Winterthur, Edwin Frutiger's first trip to Japan, the import of the first Japanese scrapedozer into Switzerland, and the sale of the first pile-driving excavator. The wheel washing business began in 1986, when the product area for tyre washing systems was started. The MobyDick brand, with its whale logo, would become the group's best-known identity. In 1994 the company entered its second generation: brothers Urs and Jürg Frutiger joined the group and took over its leadership, and the business was renamed Frutiger Baumaschinen & Co. The development, production and distribution of the MobyDick wheel washing systems and the Tiger scrapedozers are regarded as the foundations of the group's growth. In 1998 the company introduced the first drive-through wheel washing system, the MobyDick Quick, presented as the world's first such drive-through installation. International expansion followed through the establishment of independent group companies and sales offices. The company launched its first homepage, began selling wheel washing systems in the United States, and relocated production to the Czech Republic. A Frutiger subsidiary was founded in Poland, and a branch was opened in Changsha, China. Development work began on the SR 3000 TIGER, and the first 3000 TIGER scrapedozer was presented. Jürg Frutiger later left the group, leaving Urs Frutiger at the head of the Frutiger Group. In 2008 Frutiger Baumaschinen & Co was renamed Frutiger Company AG, and the entire Frutiger Group has since been led by Urs Frutiger. The group describes itself as an independent family business that combines Swiss engineering with international presence, with around 150 employees working along the entire value chain from product development and manufacturing to sales, service and after-sales. Own production and assembly sites are located in the Czech Republic, China and the United States, with additional production in India, and an international network of sales offices and partners serves customers in more than 100 countries. The MobyDick brand has been installed more than 6,000 times in 75 countries according to the company, with over 2,500 international customers including Bechtel, Clarios, Strabag, Holcim, Rio Tinto, Tata Steel and Thyssen Krupp, as well as government agencies, armed forces and NATO. In the scrapedozer field, Frutiger originally imported machines from Nippon Sharyō Seizō of Japan, which were manufactured there under a licence agreement with Menck & Hambrock. Frutiger's first own development was the SR3000 Tiger with a 15 m³ bucket and 480 hp. In 2007 the company launched the successor model SR T-18 Tiger, described as the largest scrapedozer ever built, with an 18 m³ bucket, 7.2 m length, 3.50 m width, 3.4 m height and around 38 t empty weight; its bucket has a cutting width of 1.92 m and output of 200–450 m³/h depending on the model at about 100 m haul distance. As of December 2019, Frutiger was the only remaining manufacturer of scrapedozers.

• 2019

  As of December 2019, Frutiger is the only remaining manufacturer of scrapedozers.

• 2008

  Frutiger Baumaschinen & Co renamed Frutiger Company AG; Urs Frutiger leads the entire Frutiger Group.

• 2007

  Launch of the SR T-18 Tiger, described as the largest scrapedozer ever built.

• 1998

  Presentation of the world's first drive-through wheel washing system, MobyDick Quick.

• 1994

  Urs and Jürg Frutiger join the group and take over its leadership; company renamed Frutiger Baumaschinen & Co.

• 1986

  Start of the wheel washing systems product area (MobyDick).

• 1957

  Edwin Frutiger founds the first company of the Frutiger group, E. Frutiger + Co., in Switzerland.

• Import of the first scrapedozer into Switzerland.

• Relocation of the company headquarters from Zurich to Winterthur.

• Edwin Frutiger's first trip to Japan.

• Import of the first Japanese scrapedozer into Switzerland.

• Sale of the first pile-driving excavator.

• Start of development for the SR 3000 TIGER scrapedozer.

• Start of wheel washing system sales in the USA.

• Relocation of production to the Czech Republic.

• Founding of a Frutiger subsidiary in Poland.

• Presentation of the first 3000 TIGER scrapedozer.

• Opening of a branch in Changsha, China.

Swiss-engineered, family-owned specialist in Site Emission Control; MobyDick brand positioned for value for money and market leadership in wheel washing, dust control and demucking.

• MobyDick wheel washing systems

  Systems that clean vehicle tyres and chassis to keep public roads clean; in the product programme since 1986 and installed more than 3,500 times worldwide according to the company.

• MobyDick demucking systems

  Heavy dirt washing systems that remove stubborn contamination from wheeled and tracked vehicles, which can hinder maintenance inspections or endanger drive systems through overheating.

• MobyDick dust control systems

  Systems that use a medium- or high-pressure pump (from 20 bar) and nozzles to create a constant water mist with a high number of tiny droplets; includes Cannon, Multi Cannon, Single Cannon and Cart.

• Tiger scrapedozers

  Versatile construction machines for cutting, transporting and depositing or re-installing soil; models include the SR3000 Tiger (15 m³ bucket, 480 hp) and the SR T-18 Tiger (18 m³ bucket, around 38 t).

1. 1MobyDick - Reifenwaschanlagen vom Schweizer Herstellermobydick.com
2. 2Frutiger Company AG - Geschichte der Frutiger Markemobydick.com
3. 3Firmenportrait | FRUTIGER Company AG – MobyDickmobydick.com
4. 4FRUTIGER Companywikidata.org
5. 5Frutiger Companyde.wikipedia.org