Leitner Ropeways

{{Short description|Aerial ropeway manufacturing company based in South Tyrol, Italy}} {{notability|1=Companies|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox company | name = Leitner AG / SpA | logo = Leitner logo.svg | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | logo_padding = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | trading_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | romanized_name = | former_name = | type = | traded_as = | ISIN = | industry = Ropeways, Cable Cars | genre = | fate = | predecessor =  | successor =  | founded = {{Start date and age|1888}}  | founder = Gabriel Leitner | defunct =  | hq_location = | hq_location_city = [[Sterzing]] | hq_location_country = [[Italy]] | num_locations = | num_locations_year =  | area_served =  | key_people = | products = | brands = | production = | production_year =  | services = | revenue = | revenue_year =  | operating_income = | income_year =  | net_income =  | net_income_year =  | aum =  | assets = | assets_year =  | equity = | equity_year =  | owner = | members = | members_year =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year = 3849 | parent = HTI Group | divisions = | subsid = | module =  | ratio =  | rating =  | website = {{URL|leitner.com/en}} | footnotes = | intl =  }} '''Leitner Ropeways''' is an Italian company that manufactures and distributes products and equipment for [[Aerial lift|ropeway systems]], snow groomers, urban transportation systems, and wind energy in Italy and internationally. The company was founded in 1888 and was recognized in 2003 to be owned by the Leitner Group, later the HTI Group. The company also provides spare parts, repairs and testing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=5632660|title=Leitner AG: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-01-14}}</ref>

Together with [[Doppelmayr Garaventa Group|Doppelmayr]], it is one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide.<ref>[http://www.funivie.org/pagine/come_funziona/tipi_impianti/index.htm Le varie tipologie di impianti di risalita] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706215712/http://win.funivie.org/pagine/come_funziona/tipi_impianti/index.htm |date=6 July 2010}} among the different types of ropeway installations, Doppelmayr and Leitner are cited as examples.</ref> As of 2018 it had 11 production plants in [[Italy]], [[France]], [[Austria]], [[Slovenia]] and [[North America]], 65 subsidiaries and 132 service centres worldwide.<ref name="fun">{{cite news |url=https://www.corriere.it/economia/aziende/19_aprile_19/dalle-alpi-caraibi-funivie-leitner-oltre-quota-1-miliardo-fatturato-f0aec310-62ad-11e9-a7fc-361228882fb7.shtml |title=Dalle Alpi ai Caraibi, le funivie Leitner oltre quota 1 miliardo |trans-title=From the Alps to the Caribbean, Leitner cableways surpass the one-billion mark |work=Corriere della Sera |date=2019-04-19 |access-date=2019-04-20 |language=it }}</ref>

==Products== [[File:Kabienenbahn_Typ_GD10_in_Berlin_Berlin_Messe_Süd.jpg|350x350px|alt=|thumb|A Leitner ropeways gondola on display at InnoTrans 2016.]] Leitner Ropeways manufactures various types of ropeways, such as [[chairlift|fixed-grip]] and [[detachable chairlift]]s; [[gondola lift|monocable]], [[bicable gondola lift|bicable]], and [[tricable gondola lift]]s; [[telemix]]; [[surface lift]]s; [[aerial tramway]]s; [[funicular]]s; and inclined elevators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leitner-ropeways.com/en/products/|title=Products - LEITNER ropeways|website=www.leitner-ropeways.com|language=de|access-date=2018-01-16}}</ref>

==History== [[File:Mmperugia leitner.jpg|thumb|left|One of the cars of the [[Minimetrò]] in [[Perugia]] with the Leitner logo]]

In 1888, Gabriel Leitner established the business, specializing in farm machinery, ropeways for material transportation, waterwheels and sawmills. In 1925, the company grew from a workshop employing 10 employees to a factory to produce agricultural machinery. In 1947, the company build its first chairlift in Corvara, Italy. In 1970, agricultural machinery production ceased and was replaced by snow groomer engineering. In 1980 a production plant was built. In 1983, the company developed a detachable grip for [[detachable chairlift|chairlifts]] and [[gondola lift]]s. In 1985, the first detachable gondola lifts were made in Brunico and [[Valtournenche]], Italy. The first 4-seater chair was made in [[Obereggen]], Italy.

In the [[1990s]], after a period of difficulty that led Michael Seeber to acquire the stake of the two Leitner brothers, nephews of the founder,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediocredito.it/Comunicazione/News/Cosi-ho-portato-al-successo-la-Leitner-parla-il-numero-uno-dell-azienda-di-Vipiteno-Michael-Seeber-invitato-da-Mediocredito|title="Così ho portato al successo la Leitner". Parla il numero uno dell'azienda di Vipiteno, Michael Seeber|date=9 April 2014|access-date=20 April 2019|language=it}}</ref> and to relaunch the company,<ref name="fun"/> the first foreign subsidiaries were created.

In 1999, the company acquired the ropeway division of [[Waagner-Biro]].

In 2000 the company took control of the French group Poma (Pomagalski). The technical evolution of cableway systems, with the introduction of [[detachable grip]] systems in 1983, opened new possibilities for the development of innovative urban transport systems, such as the [[Minimetrò]] of [[Perugia]], an urban [[hectometric system|hectometric]] cable railway transport system. Also in 2000 its division for [[snow groomer]] vehicles merged with the historic Gardena-based company [[Prinoth (company)|Prinoth]], founded by [[Ernesto Prinoth]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://it.prinoth.com|title=Prinoth|language=it}}</ref>

In 2003, a company-wide reorganization resulted in the Leitner Group being formed. In the same year, the Leitwind wind turbine was released. In 2008 the MiniMetro was first built in Perugia, Italy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leitner-ropeways.com/en/company/history/|title=History - Company - LEITNER ropeways|website=www.leitner-ropeways.com|language=de|access-date=2018-01-16}}</ref> In 2009, Leitner produced the company's first [[tricable gondola lift]].

On 23 May 2009, the company completed the restoration of, and inaugurated, the [[Renon cable car]].<ref>[http://www.funivie.org/pagine/cantieri/2008/3s_bolzano_renon/ La nuova funivia del Renon] on Funivie.org.</ref>

Since 2011, together with affiliated companies Prinoth<ref name=":0" /> and Demaclenko<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.demaclenko.com/it|title=Demaclenko|language=it}}</ref>, the Leitner Group has presented itself as the only supplier in the world capable of offering a complete range of winter technologies. In November 2012 Leitner, together with [[BMW]], designed a luxury cabin for the cable car of the ''[[Hochzillertal]]'' ski area in [[Austria]]. Inside there are leather interiors, cup holders and touch-screen displays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.funivie.org/web/la-prima-limousine-in-grado-di-librarsi-nellaria-esclusiva-leitner-nell-hochzillertal-2/|title=La prima limousine in grado di librarsi nell’aria – esclusiva LEITNER nell'Hochzillertal|website=funivie.org|language=it}}</ref>

In 2015 Leitner completed the [[corporate merger]] with [[Agudio (company)|Agudio S.p.A.]], a historic Italian cableway company founded by [[Tommaso Agudio]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.neveitalia.it/turismo/news/gruppo-leitner-fusione-tra-leitner-ropeways-e-agudio|title=Gruppo Leitner: fusione tra Leitner Ropeways e Agudio|access-date=1 November 2021|language=it}}</ref> In 2016 leadership passed from Michael to his son Anton, who studied at [[Bocconi University]] and had experience in the United States in [[private equity]].<ref name="fun" />

In 2018 the company built around one hundred cableway installations, including the urban cable car in [[Santo Domingo]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lavocedelnordest.eu/vipiteno-gruppo-leitner-nuova-vita-alle-funivie-santo-domingo-funivia-urbana-dei-caraibi/|title=Leitner dà nuova vita alle funivie: a Santo Domingo la prima funivia dei Caraibi|date=8 May 2018|access-date=20 April 2019|language=it}}</ref> and the one on the [[Matterhorn Glacier Paradise|Klein Matterhorn]], whose upper station at 4,000 metres is the highest in Europe.<ref name="fun" />

===Agudio=== Originally founded in 1861, Agudio was later acquired by Leitner Ropeways. In 2015, Agudio was integrated into Leitner Ropeways, however, the brand was retained.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}

==Sites== The company has five sites. The Sterzing site located in Sterzing/Vipiteno, Italy, serves as the [[headquarters]] of Leitner AG / SpA. The Sterzing-Unterackern site is also located in Sterzing/Vipiteno, Italy. Leitner GmbH is located at the site in [[Telfs]], [[Austria]]. Leitner France SAS is located at the site in [[Montmélian]], [[France]]. Leitech s.r.o. is located at the Stará Ľubovňa site in [[Poprad]], [[Slovakia]].<ref name=":0000">{{Cite web|url=https://www.leitner-ropeways.com/en/company/company-sites/|title=Company Sites|website=Leitner Ropeways|language=de|access-date=2018-01-16}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Companies of Italy]] [[Category:Aerial lift manufacturers]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1888]] [[Category:Italian brands]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies based in South Tyrol]] [[Category:1888 establishments in Austria-Hungary]] [[Category:Wind turbine manufacturers]] [[Category:Renewable energy technology companies]] [[Category:Wind power in Italy]]