Doppelmayr vs Leitner
There have been numerous cable car builders in the history of the cable car. Only a few of them remain. The real pioneers in the cable car field have often missed a trick somewhere and dropped out. In addition to bankruptcies, there are also those that have been taken over or that have stopped voluntarily. We have made an overview of the most important cable car builders in history.
Doppelmayr
Doppelmayr - Wolfurt, Vorarlberg, Austria
The market leader in the field of building cable cars. Doppelmayr was founded in 1893 by Konrad Doppelmayr in Wolfurt (Vorarlberg), Austria. Initially, no cable cars were produced at all, but agricultural implements and wine presses, among other things. After son Emil took over the company from his father in 1928, he developed the first tow lift in 1937. This tow lift was built in Zürs am Arlberg. This was the beginning of Doppelmayr's cable car history.
During the Second World War the factory was used for purposes other than drag lifts, but immediately after the Second World War, in 1946, the construction of drag lifts was restarted. Until the 1960s, Doppelmayr exclusively developed drag lifts. During this period people also started experimenting with lifts with fixed grips. The first single and double chair lifts were built.
In the 70s, Doppelmayr purchased a license from Roll's company for the development of connectable grips. In addition, the technology for 4-person cabins from the CWA company was used. These latest techniques and the characteristic Doppelmayr supporting pillars (green, rectangular supports) meant Doppelmayr's breakthrough.
In the 80s and 90s, Doppelmayr introduced many new techniques to the market. In 1986, the first 8-person gondola in America was built. For example, the first Funitel cable car was built in 1995. In 2002, the Italian companies Hölzl and Agamatic were taken over. These companies were renamed Doppelmayr Italia and have since served the Italian market for Doppelmayr.
In addition to the acquisition of these two companies, Doppelmayr merged with the Swiss company Garaventa in 2002. The new name for the company from then on became Doppelmayr/Garaventa Gruppe.
The company has implemented numerous new developments and introduced techniques into the market. Important innovative cable cars were, for example, the Funitel Galzigbahn in St. Anton, developed in 2006, the 3S Bahn peak to peak in Canada, developed in 2008, which connected 2 mountains and the Cabriobahn on the Stanserhorn, which opened in 2012.
Website: www.doppelmayr.com
Garaventa
Garaventa - Rotkreuz, Zug, Switzerland
Garaventa, founded in 1928 by Karl Garaventa, primarily focused on building transport cable cars and small passenger cable cars. In 1928, the first transport cable car was built on the Rigi in Switzerland.
In the 1960s, the company focused on the development of drag lifts. The Doppelmayr license is used for the construction of these drag lifts. In addition to the construction of drag lifts, Garaventa developed its first pendulum cable car in Kronberg, Switzerland in 1964.
An important moment in Garaventa's history is the opening of the first major pendulum cable car in Squaw Valley, California. This pendulum cable car has a capacity for 125 people and gives Garaventa a foothold in America.
In 1992, the Titlis-Rotair cable car opened in Engelberg. A pendulum cable car where the cabin can rotate 360 degrees. This gives visitors a great view of the snow-capped mountains.
In 2002, Garavent merged with Doppelmayr, becoming the largest cable car manufacturer in the world.
Website: garaventa.com
Leitner
Leitner - Sterzing, South Tyrol, Italy
The Leitner company, currently number 2 in the field of cable car construction, was founded in 1888 by Gabriel Leitner in Sterzing (Vipitino) Italy. Leitner helped to build the very first cable car for passenger transport in 1908 in Bolzano Italy, the so-called Kohlernbahn.
Initially the company focused on the development of agricultural machines, but in 1947 it started building Italy's first chairlift in Corvara. Leitner was one of the first to often use standardized cable cars. This made it possible to build chairlifts quickly and easily. In the 80s, Leitner developed its own version of the connectable grip and used it in the chairlifts to be developed during these years.
Thanks to a number of acquisitions and mergers in the 1990s, Leitner developed into one of the major players in the market. At the beginning of 2000, they entered into a collaboration with the number 3 in the world, the French Poma. Thanks to this collaboration, the company has access to new techniques and new cable car constructions can be built. An example of this is the Ritten-Renon Funitel cable car in Bolzano Italy, built in 2009. Leitner is also the inventor of the MiniMetro such as the MiniMetro pisaMover developed in Pisa in 2017.
Website: www.leitner-ropeways.com
Poma
Poma - Voreppe, Isère, France
The Poma company, short for Pomagalski, was founded in 1947 by Jean Pomagalski in Fontaine (near Grenoble), France. Pomagalski initially developed drag lifts because he wanted to give skiers the opportunity to get up a mountain easily and quickly. The first drag lift was opened in 1936. Pomagalski was not satisfied with the system he was using and started optimizing it. It took until 1944 before he finally found the perfect system. He then founded the Poma company in 1947.
The drag lift he developed, the Pomalift, was in great demand in all parts of the world in the 1950s. The first chairlifts were developed by Poma in the late 50s. In 1958 Poma developed its first 2-person chairlift and in 1973 the first 3-person chairlift. In 1973, the first 6-person circular cable car was also developed by Poma in Villard-de-Lans. Ten years later the first 10-person cable car was built.
Poma is also the inventor of the so-called Alpha station type. This station type could be used for both cable cars and chair lifts with fixed and connectable grips. It was even possible to convert a track that used fixed grips into a track with connectable grips at a later stage.
In 2000, Poma continued together with the Leitner company to become a larger player on the market.
Website: www.poma.net
