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150 years AFRISO

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Adelbert Fritz founded the company in Schmiedefeld/Thuringia in 1869. When his son Franz Fritz entered the company, the company name changed to Adelbert Fritz & Sohn, in short AFRISO. AFRISO became a globally 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.

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1869

Foundation of company by Adelbert Fritz in Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig (Thuringia).

1869-1945

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.

1869

1918

In 1918, Franz Fritz took over the management. Even as early as that, the company increasingly participated in trade fairs to foster corporate success.

1918

1923-1945

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.

1923

1924-1981

The first patent for "membrane temperature controller with mercury tubes" served as the basis for the introduction of manometry.

1924

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.

1924

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.

1924

1935-1940

Franz Fritz invested in a new plant for the production of front motors for bicycles. The petrol-powered engines could be mounted on a bicycle within minutes and reach speeds comparable to those of motorcycles. In 1940, the company was expropriated.

1935

1945

Georg Fritz entered the company

1945

Reconstruction

1950

In the Germany-wide spirit of optimism of the 1950s, Franz and Georg Fritz began rebuilding the company in Kleingartach and Güglingen Württemberg.

1950

1955

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.

1957

When trying to find a suitable housing for the first mechanical level indicator for storage tanks, the developers around Georg Fritz used an easily available mass product: the bicycle lamp.

1955

1958

Products for electronic level measurement extended the range for industrial applications.

1958

1960

Founding of sales and production companies in Western Europe. AFRISO was renamed AFRISO-EURO-INDEX.

1960

1962

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.

1962

1968

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.

1968

1972

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.

1972

Oil crisis & reorientation

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.

1974

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.

1974

Reorientation

1981

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.

1981

1986

Elmar Fritz enters the company as Managing Director

1992

Jürgen Fritz enters the company as Managing Director

1986

Internationalisation

1992

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.

1992-1998

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.

1992

1996

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.

1996

AFRISO specialised in the new area of stationary gas analysis: The new division engineers and implements turnkey system solutions for emission data acquisition.

1996

1997

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.

1997

1998

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.

1998

Expansion

2006

Expansion path: Branches were founded in South Africa, China, India and South America. Today, the AFRISO group comprises 19 members with a staff or more than 1,100; it is represented in more than 65 countries.

2006

2008

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.

2008

2009

Market launch: Product portfolio for solar thermal systems.

2009

2011

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.

2011

Digitisation

2012

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.

2012

The AFRISO Group gets a new look with a modern company logo.

2012

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.

2012

2015

In 2015, AFRISO acquired the start-up CODEATELIER. Today, a team of 15 app specialists takes care of the sustainable development of the AFRISO smart home solution.

2015

2016

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.

2016

2017

AFRISO emission monitoring systems monitor and document the limit values of exhaust gas cleaning systems on maritime vessels.

2017

2019

2020

Acquisition of the majority of shares in Belparts N.V.; Roselaar (Belgium)

2020




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Interview with the managing directors

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.

To the interview
afr-img-150jahreafriso-interview-gruender

Interview with Franz Fritz

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.

To the interview in German
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A success story for more than 150 years

Tradition and innovation at their best. Technology for environmental protection. This is what AFRISO has been standing for for many decades. We are still a family-run company with all the corresponding advantages - now in the fourth generation.

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AFRISO-EURO-INDEX GmbH
Lindenstr. 20
D-74363 Güglingen

Phone:+49 7135 102-0
Fax:+49 7135 102-147
Mail: info@afriso.de

Technology for Environmental Protection Measuring. Controlling. Monitoring.
© 2025 AFRISO-EURO-INDEX GmbH

© 2025 AFRISO-EURO-INDEX GmbH