Von Roll Holding

History

Von Roll has its roots in the Eisenwerke der Handelsgesellschaft der Gebrüder Dürholz & Co. (Ironworks of the commercial firm of the Brothers Durholz & Co.) which was established in 1803. This firm was then taken over in 1810 by Von Roll & Cie, newly formed by Ludwig Freiherr von Roll (1771–1839) and Jakob von Glutz. In May 1823, Ludwig von Roll founded the Gesellschaft der Ludwig von Roll'schen Eisenwerke which benefited from industrialization and railroad construction that demanded much iron.

Following this, the business developed into one of the most important industrial groups in Switzerland and reached its high point in the 1970s with more than 10,000 employees. But, like other Swiss companies, Von Roll suffered during the oil crisis of 1973 and the economic crisis it triggered. The company underwent financial restructuring after financial restructuring, seemingly without end. As recently as 2003, Von Roll had to fight for its survival. At the end of 2002, following the accumulated losses of previous years, Von Roll’s equity capital had shrunk to 10.3 million. But in 2004 the company initiated a new strategy to focus on the insulation business, beginning its turnaround.

Business divisions/company structure

Von Roll Holding AG is a Swiss industrial company that is active worldwide and today focuses on products and systems for power generation, transmission and distribution. The company’s operating activities are split into the segments Von Roll Insulation, Von Roll Composites and Von Roll Transformers. The company has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 1987, under the symbol ROL. Historically, Von Roll was principally known for its ironworks and foundries. Von Roll Holding AG is represented by approximately 3,100 employees at 30 locations in 19 countries, and achieved sales of CHF 710 million in 2008.

Von Roll is a global market leader in the areas of insulation products and systems for the electrical machinery industry as well as in the production of composite materials and components for industrial applications. In addition, Von Roll provides thermal and fire-resistant insulation products, which are used in cable manufacturing and in the electronics industry. Von Roll therefore covers the entire value creation chain, from engineering and production to application.

The operating activities of Von Roll Holding AG are split into three segments: Von Roll Insulation (formerly Electrical), Von Roll Composites (formerly Industrial) and Von Roll Elco Transformers, which was created in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Von Roll Insulation produces and markets electrical insulation materials for large-scale generators, high-voltage rotating machines, wind turbines, traction and machine motors for low-voltage rotating machines, and transformers. Products in this segment include enamelled wires and coils, resins and varnishes, mica tapes, and rigid and flexible laminates. Von Roll supplies both individual products and complete insulation systems.

Von Roll Composites provides products and services that focus on the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of insulating materials. The segment is divided into the product lines composite materials, moulded parts and cables (mainly fire-resistant).

The latest segment Von Roll Transformers creates and supplies solutions for power transmission and distribution. This includes the installation, maintenance and repair of high-voltage transformers (up to 850 MVA) in particular, and of mid-size and small transformers. The product range also includes distribution transformers, mobile substations for temporary use (for example in disaster situations) and special transformers developed for the specific requirements of the electrochemical industry for instance. Furthermore, Von Roll offers various services in the areas of consulting and testing. These include consulting on the special design of workplaces, the optimisation of manufacturing processes, the reorganisation of production flows, the layout of plants, turnkey projects, the reengineering of electrical insulation systems, the introduction of complete electrical insulation systems, and the training of operators and engineers.

Von Roll has laboratories where it tests systems and materials in the field of electrical insulating materials and electrical insulation systems. The high-voltage laboratory in Breitenbach, Switzerland, is specialised in the mechanical and electrical testing of high-voltage materials and systems. The UL laboratory in Schenectady, USA, focuses on all types of UL testing for low and medium voltages, mostly UL 1446 testing.

Von Roll Seilbahnen AG

Von Roll Seilbahnen AG was the aerial tramway and cableway division that was sold to Austrian manufacturer Doppelmayr in 1996.

Products

Perhaps Von Roll's best-known product was the type 101 sky ride that operated in many amusement parks. A total of over 100 were installed; as of 2008 only ten remained operational. On December 30, 1954, Felseneggbahn was opened. It was built by Von Roll in seven months for one million Swiss francs. It still runs, and on March 31, 2010, it carried its 10 millionth passenger. The Disneyland Skyway was Von Roll's first aerial ropeway in the United States. It opened on June 23, 1956, and closed on November 9, 1994.

Monorail

The Mk II and Mk III monorail automated people mover (APM) systems were installed in a variety of locations before the technology was sold to Adtranz (later Bombardier), which continues to supply the parts for the monorail systems.

The monorail cars at Alton Towers theme park in England were built for Expo 86 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Von Roll also manufactured the old Sentosa Monorail in Sentosa Island, Singapore in 1982, which closed down in March 2005.

The Jurong Bird Park Panorail in Jurong Bird Park, Singapore is a four-car straddle-beam monorail that began operation in 1991 and ceased operations in 2012.

Australia has had a total of four Von Roll Monorail systems, currently one is still in operation. A Von Roll MkII system is in operation at Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast (first monorail in Australia which opened in 1986). A MkIII Monorail system operates in nearby Broadbeach linking a shopping centre to a casino (opened 1989), but closed on January 29, 2017 due to life-expired equipment and declining patronage. Another MkIII Monorail system, the Metro Monorail, operated in Sydney, Australia linking the City Centre to Darling Harbour, however monorail services ceased on 30 June 2013 (it began operation on 21 July 1988). A MkII Monorail system was also in operation during World Expo 88 held in Brisbane, Australia, with a loop around the expo site at Southbank. There is no trace of the monorail system at the site.

Space Towers

Cedar Point's Space Spiral, AstroWorld's Astroneedle and Coney's Space Tower were built by Willy Bühler Space Towers Company of Berne, Switzerland with cabins by Von Roll. In 1971 Intamin started marketing these towers and contracted these same companies to build them. Willy Bühler Space Towers was eventually acquired by Von Roll.