With the opening of seven new international subsidiaries in 2010, the internationalisation of Austrian inverter manufacturer Fronius is progressing rapidly.
Since last year, the quality leader has added offices in Australia, Great Britain, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland and Slovakia to its solar electronics family, with further strengthening of the global presence envisaged for 2011.
With its 13 subsidiaries, numerous sales partners and representatives, Fronius is now represented in more than 60 countries worldwide. "Having a subsidiary in the country concerned enables us to focus much more intensively on the local market. It also helps us to better address the specific requirements of that particular country," is how sales managers Franz Dietachmair and Hannes Wendeler explain the benefits of the increasing internationalisation of Fronius.
The Fronius Australia Pty Ltd subsidiary opened in Melbourne in October 2010. Twelve sales and service employees from the Solar Electronics division are working to develop and strengthen the Fronius brand and increase its market share. The main emphasis in the Australian market is on residential systems.
Fronius UK Ltd. has been in business since February last year and operates with 17 employees from Milton Keynes, north of London. Whether sales, technical support, service, assisting Fronius Service Partners, training, marketing or warehouse logistics, the Fronius team in England can turn its hand to anything. Monthly sales seminars and Fronius Service Partner courses are planned for 2011.
A national repair centre is to be opened that will enable national market leader Fronius to strengthen its leading position. The English solar electronics subsidiary can already boast more than 50 Fronius Service Partners. In addition, all Fronius devices are certified to country-specific standards.
Fronius Istanbul is the youngest of the subsidiaries founded in 2010. The PV market in Turkey is still in its infancy, but has tremendous potential. Since November last year, the team has been working hard to develop the market. A TechSupport centre is also scheduled to open in 2011.
The Solar Electronics subsidiary in Canada is located in Mississauga, Ontario, from where six employees look after sales and after-sales service activities. From March 2011, the Fronius Solar Electronics division will manufacture the Fronius IG Plus inverter.
Another Fronius Solar Electronics subsidiary began business in Mexico in 2010. With offices in Monterrey, Puebla and Valle de Mexico, the six-strong Fronius team looks after sales and after-sales service activities. The popular Fronius Service Partner programme is currently being developed. Fronius is also the only inverter manufacturer with a local presence and a complete support infrastructure for the Mexican marketplace.
Fronius Schweiz AG has been operating out of Rümlang in the canton of Zurich since 1992 and now employs 25 staff. The Solar Electronics division has also been active in Switzerland since November 2010. Consolidation and development of the brand is the overriding objective of the Fronius Switzerland team and the prospects look good, as the forecast for Switzerland in 2011 is around 35 MW. This market is concentrated primarily around small installations, which are also being supported in some cantons.
On January 1, 2010, a Solar Electronics subsidiary started work at Fronius Slovensko s.r.o. in Trnava, north-east of Bratislava. A team of four looks after sales and development activities in the turbulent Slovakian market.
