FRAUENTHAL INSULATOR WORKS (AUSTRIA) JOINS IFÖ (SWEDEN)

In August, 1986, right after the NIA Convention in Saratoga Springs, NY, John and Carol McDougald and their two sons, David and Bob, took a month long trip to Europe. I made sure they took with them the most recent books on foreign insulators, since Carol had promised to be on the look out for anything new.

It wasn't long before Carol sent a post card from Innsbruck, Austria. She wrote:

"Success!! Our AFS (American Field Service) contact here in Innsbruck was able to get us in to talk with the City Electric Company engineer. The mystery of insulators marked has been solved. All of Innsbruck has nothing but the Frauenthal insulators. This is an Austrian company whose manufacture takes place in the town of the same name. They have been the sole supplier for Innsbruck for the 33 years our man has been with the Electric Company. We are returning with 6 examples -- 4 pintypes -- each of which will need a new U#--based on your latest book."

Carol signed off by asking me to compose a letter to Frauenthal Insulator Works, requesting information, such as the styles of insulators they manufacture and the history of the company. This she would have translated into German and mail it to them when she returned home. Needless to say, I was absolutely delighted!

In my letter, after introducing myself and explaining how my interest in foreign insulators had culminated in the publication of 2 books on the subject, I told about our popular hobby and the NIA as well as our CROWN JEWELS magazine with its wide circulation and just how its editor, Carol McDougald, had stumbled onto the information about Frauenthal Insulators. I asked for any material they could send me about their company, assuring them I could have it translated if necessary and promised to repay any expenses incurred on their part. Before I closed, I squeezed in a question about the meaning of the mystery letters - VEGLA - embossed on some glass insulators found in Austria. This letter was sent on October 24th.

In November I received a large brown envelope from Frauenthal, containing everything I had asked for and more! Enclosed was a personal reply from the president of IFÖ Electric, Mr. Arne Strindemark. And just how did IFÖ Electric become involved? Let's read his letter:

Large Image (398 Kb)

Previously, the IFÖ marking was attributed only to Sweden because we didn't know the manufacturer. Now we know that IFÖ is for AKTIEBOLAGET IFÖVERKEN, or IFÖ Electric. The insulator factory is in Bomölla, Sweden.

The "F" marking was completely unknown to us as to country or manufacturer. With all this good information sent by Mr. Strindemark, we see it is the trademark of PORZELLANFABRIK FRAUENTHAL, or Frauenthal Insulator Works in Frauenthal, Austria, which is now a part of IFÖ Electric. These two markings are shown below:

The history of Frauenthal goes back to 1907, with the foundation of the factory "Ing. Ludwig Neumann" in Vienna, Schottenring, Austria. At that time, only small electrical motors, fuses, circuit breakers, etc., were made. From 1914-1918, production was cut down because of World War I. In 1918, Dr. Wilhelm von Gutmann joined the company and, within a year, production surpassed pre-war levels.

In 1921, the first Austrian porcelain factory was founded in Frauenthal and was known for its press-porcelain. 1922 saw the addition of tableware to the line of products. The start of high voltage insulator production began in 1924 and this caused the company's business to double what it had been in 1921.

Ing. Ludwig Neumann died in 1931, but the firm continued to grow. From 1939-1945, production was again lowered this time due to World War II. But at the war's end, reconstruction of the Austrian electricity supply kept all German factories busy making insulators, including Frauenthal, which by now had begun the manufacture of low voltage insulators. Business was going very well.

In 1951, the factory discontinued its line of tableware, devoting itself exclusively to making high and low voltage insulators and press-porcelain. Frauenthal was continually upgrading its standards and increasing the efficiency of its methods of production.

It is interesting to see how the company trademark has changed through the years. Mr. Strindemark sent me Xerox copies of covers from old Frauenthal catalogs which show these trademarks in various stages.

1926

1940

1973

present day

In 1974, IFÖ Electric of Sweden bought the Frauenthal Insulator Works. IFÖ Electric is a division of INDUSTRI AB EUROC. The head office is in Vienna and the Divisional Manager is our Mr. Arne Strindemark!

Since the 1920's IFÖ has been one of the world's leading makers of high voltage insulators. Today, the company operates two technically advanced insulator factories -- one at Bromolla, Sweden, and the other one (as we already know) at Frauenthal, Austria. The current catalog, which shows their full line of high and low voltage insulators, is common to both factories. Among their specialties they mention large-size-solid-core post insulators up to 2100 mm in height. In addition, IFÖ offers a wide range of related products, including high quality fuses, of which they are extremely proud! For the markets in southern Europe, IFÖ operates a fuse factory in Barcelona, Spain. It is called FABRICACION ESPANOLA de FUSIBLES ELECTRICOS, S.A., or simply FEFE SA.

If space permitted, I'd show you catalog drawings of all the different styles of insulators IFÖ manufactures. But let's look at these photos. All the insulators you see below were made at the Frauenthal factory and they bear the company trademark. The 6 brown ones were brought back by the McDougalds, and the 3 white insulators were already in my collection. Drawings are included for the pin types only. These were done by our expert, Jack Tod.

I wasn't in the right place at the right time, I guess, because the only insulator specimen I have seen with the IFÖ trademark is shown below.

If anyone among our readers has others, please send me photos for the record! Coming up in August -- real live photos of specimens from the Dalian Porcelain Insulator Works in China. These are the very first Dalian insulators we have held in our hands, even though we've been hearing about them for a long time! I'll have to hide this next one from Mac's "Believe It or Not," but I will actually show you a beautiful glass insulator from Italy in an honest to goodness SCA!! It's on loan for the summer, or at least until I have a chance to show it around at the NIA Convention in Fresno! See you in Pearland and Fresno!