In a family-run business, the value of a handshake still applies in a figurative sense, and this is something everyone can count on – employees, suppliers and customers.
Adelbert Fritz bestowed not only his name on our company, but also the fundamental principles of its mission today: responsibility and social competence. Now, more than 150 years later, this still sets the standard and drives the company‘s entrepreneurial activities as it moves towards the future. The people involved and their needs and competencies are the focus.
In a family-run business, the value of a handshake still applies in a figurative sense, and this is something everyone can count on – employees, suppliers and customers. Our wide range of components, systems and services as well as the use of state-of-the-art production technology ensure market-orientated product policies and service quality. This, in addition to the motivation and competence of our staff, puts us in a position in which we can offer our market partners competitively priced series products as well as customised solutions and unconventional ideas.
The care and protection of the environment are always a top priority in the development and production of our new products. And this was the case long before terms such as „energy efficiency“ and „environmental protection“ became commonplace. All of the processes in the company are aligned with environmental compatibility, our products are manufactured in Germany and in Europe with the best possible ecological balance, and their application often actively supports environmental protection. Our motto „Technology for Environmental Protection“ has long been an inherent part of our product range. And will continue to serve as the basis of our activities in the future.
We fit the common conception of a family business to a T. Thinking and planning are for the long term.
Going against the general trend, we have an extraordinary degree of vertical integration. With attention paid to robust processes, this makes us fast, flexible and independent.
A comprehensive product range - manufactured in Germany and Europe - ensures our independence from economic fluctuations and makes us a strong partner for our customers.
We pride ourselves in developing innovative technology for environmental protection and constantly improving it as part of our quality management system. As a committed team, we want to inspire our customers - and ourselves - with the results of our work.
In 1869, Adelbert Fritz founded his company in Thuringia. When his son Franz Fritz entered the company, the company name changed to Adelbert Fritz & Sohn, in short AFRISO. AFRISO became an internationally renowned brand for temperature and pressure measurement.
AFRISO is still family-owned. The owners, Elmar and Jürgen Fritz, are the fourth generation to lead the company.
With initially two "glassblowers" and a "scribe", Adelbert Fritz produced glass thermometers, hydrometers, laboratory glass instruments and later also medical glass instruments for various industries in Europe and America.
In 1918, Franz Fritz took over the management. Even as early as that, the company increasingly participated in trade fairs to foster corporate success.
Due to food shortages in the post-war years of World War I, products were needed that help to increase food production. AFRISO provided a complete range of instruments for the operation and monitoring of incubators and warming cabinets: thermometers, temperature controllers, humidity meters, heating elements, fans, signalling devices and monitoring devices such as egg candlers which simplified incubation of eggs.
This small, thin-walled, circular and concentrically shaped metal sheet completely changed the AFRISO world. Two diaphragm half shells form a capsule element which expands or contracts depending on the pressure. The patent and this pioneering invention became the foundation for a host of innovative products: Precision pressure gauges, blood pressure measurement instruments and temperature controllers became the most important products for the time up to 1945 and the new beginning after that.
The capsule pressure gauge marked the beginning of AFRISO's commitment to pressure measurement. Today, AFRISO offers a complete range of mechanical and electronic pressure measuring instruments for virtually any industry.
The first patent for "membrane temperature controller with mercury tubes" served as the basis for the introduction of manometry.
Franz Fritz investierte in ein neues Werk zum Frontmotorenbau für Fahrräder. Die benzinbetriebenen Motoren konnten innerhalb weniger Minuten auf ein Fahrrad montiert werden und vergleichbare Geschwindigkeiten von Motorrädern erreichen. 1940 wurde der Betrieb enteignet.
Georg Fritz entered the company.
In the Germany-wide spirit of optimism of the 1950s, Franz and Georg Fritz began rebuilding the company in Kleingartach and Güglingen Württemberg.
The capsule element was also key in the development of pneumatic level indicators which marked the entry to the fuel oil market in 1955. This was followed by mechanical level indicators, overfill prevention systems and leak monitoring systems for the safe storage of oil products.
Products for electronic level measurement extended the range for industrial applications.
Founding of sales and production companies in Western Europe. AFRISO was renamed AFRISO-EURO-INDEX.
Back in the beginning of the 1960s, AFRISO developed overfill prevention systems and leak monitoring systems for the safe storage of mineral oil products, and technologies for environmental protection became the credo and mission for the future product portfolio. AFRISO secured the market leadership in this sector. Product development revolves around the motto "Technology for Environmental Protection" which is one of the key pillars of our corporate strategy.
For the filtration of particles from fuel oil and to avoid malfunctions of heating systems, AFRISO launched its first oil filter as early as 1968. The trick here was the design: The housing was completely made of plastic and you could put another passage on the single-line filter to use it in two-line operation.
The world's first flue gas tester RGT 01 revolutionized the inspection of heating systems. The device was able to simultaneously and continuously determine the temperature, the CO2/CO concentration and the smoke spot number in oil fired and gas fired systems. This allowed heating system engineers and chimney sweeps for the first time to effectively inspect and optimise oil burners and gas burners in a single go directly on site.
The oil crisis of 1973/1974 entailed a profound paradigm change in the world economy. For AFRISO, it triggered the development of a comprehensive range of products for the efficient and environmentally friendly operation of heating systems.
As a result of the oil crisis and of the German Federal Immission Act, many solid fuel systems became subject to inspections and had to be monitored for limit values with regard to the emission of particles. Within a very short period of time, AFRISO succeeded in launching a compact measuring unit for this type of measuring task.
The market launch of the first compact distributor also marked the beginning of the production of assemblies made of plastic and long-term OEM partnerships with important system providers.
Joined the management: 1992 Jürgen Fritz (left) and 1986 Elmar Fritz (right).
Opening of the plant in Amorbach: The new plant was optimised with the production requirements for pressure gauges and thermometer in mind. At this stage, AFRISO already is a provider of a complete range of pressure gauges for domestic technology. The investment served as the basis for a high-quality range of pressure measuring instruments for industrial applications. As early as 1998, the site was extended for the first time.
After the political change: Subsidiaries were founded in promising markets in Poland, the Czech Republic and in the rest of Eastern Europe as well as in Russia. A new production site was set up in Bucharest to offer the best and most cost-effective solutions in the market segments for standard applications.
SYSTRONIK, originally founded in 1987 by two engineering firms, became a member of the AFRISO group in 1996. Measuring instruments for the industry and the environment were combined in a new division.
Already at this stage, AFRISO was active in the area of "event messaging in building". The event reporting system AM 1, a precursor of a smart home system, was able to monitor systems for potential hazards and control them via the telephone network.
Recognizing trends early on and setting sustainable standards with market-driven products has always been the credo of AFRISO's more than 45-year history in the area of portable measuring instruments. In 1998, for example, the EUROLYZER flue gas analyser marked a quantum leap to today's weight and compact class of handheld measuring instrument. The extremely compact device weighed as little as 400 g and could be equipped with two measuring cells.
Expansion path: Branches were founded in South Africa, China, India and South America.
Presentation of the first brine manifold made of high-quality polymers in modular design.
Presentation of the first all-in-one flue gas analyser EUROLYZER ST. The new device had room for three measuring cells and, with a colour display, scroll wheel, Bluetooth® interface or SD memory card, offered many innovations that made the day-to-day routines of specialised companies a lot easier.
Market launch: Product portfolio for solar thermal systems.
With the market launch of the pressure transducer DMU 02 Vario with high-flexibility connection technology, the division INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY established a new industry focus on hygienic processes in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries.
Acquisition of Gampper Technik GmbH: Control units and fittings for radiators extended the product portfolio for DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGY; AFRISO launches a complete product range for hydraulic balancing.
The AFRISO Group gets a new look with a modern company logo.
Innovative products for the heat pump sector complete the OEM range.
The introduction of ireless building automation marks the beginning of a new digital era at AFRISO. Networked alarm units, interactive app solutions and automatically generated reports make everyday measurement tasks easier for professionals and increase safety and comfort in buildings.
AFRISO launches the AFRISO Smart Home system for building automation. The wireless system allows intelligent sensors to be networked and smart-enables proven products from the area of domestic technology.
Acquisition of the start-up CODEATELIER for further development of the smart home solutions.
Market launch of the CAPBs® sensor modules: The name stands for "capabilities" to denote the versatile, smart features of portable measuring instruments for a digitised HVAC and chimney sweep market.
Consistent values, trust, responsibility and social competence serve as the foundation for success. What is the recipe for success, to what extent do the roots shape the company even today? The managing directors Elmar and Jürgen Fritz, great-grandchildren of the company founder, answer questions on the occasion of the 150th anniversary.
Belparts N.V. becomes a member of the AFRISO group. The family-owned company from Rotselaar (Belgium) is a leader in the development and the production of HVAC components for building technology. Pressure-independent control fittings for heating and cooling now complete the GAMPPER GmbH product range.
AFRISO introduces a portfolio for professional equipment of heat pumps. Buffer tanks and components such as frost protection valves or air/sludge separators ensure efficient and reliable operation.
Flue gas analysis yet another step ahead. The new all-rounder EUROLYZER S1 features a flexible operating concept, state-of-the-art and standards-compliant documentation and is networked for all HVAC measurement tasks like no other measuring instrument before it.
A new approach to heat distribution. With the modular HSM zone manifold, AFRISO has created the technical basis for implementing a wide variety of heating concepts as plug & play hybrid applications, based on a standardised platform.
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