Garaventa AG acquires Frey AG Stans

Garaventa AG from Risch in the canton of Zug and Frey AG Stans are merging at the beginning of the new fiscal year on 1 April 2026. With the integration of Frey AG, an expert in ropeway control systems, the two companies say they can offer comprehensive ropeway solutions from a single source in future. There are also plans to develop the quality of after-sales service, according to a statement from the Doppelmayr Group, based in Wolfurt in Austria.

“The integration into Garaventa AG is a logical next step in our long-standing collaboration,” Benedikt Wittwer, CEO of Frey AG Stans, is quoted as saying in the statement. “With our expertise in the field of ropeway controls, we are making a targeted contribution to the company and jointly strengthening our market position.”

The two companies have collaborated in the past, including on the successful implementation of the world's steepest aerial tramway between Stechelberg and Mürren on the Schilthorn. For this Garaventa project, Frey AG Stans supplied the Connect control system and the ESFOR energy storage system for the aerial tramway.

The jobs at Frey AG Stans in Stans and Sion will be retained after the integration, according to the statement, and existing customer projects and services "will continue seamlessly". Proven products from Frey AG Stans will reportedly be offered in the Garaventa portfolio in future. The Frey Stans brand, however, is being discontinued.

Garaventa AG is a subsidiary of the Doppelmayr Group and is a global specialist in funicular and aerial tramways for both summer and winter tourist areas as well as urban environments. The company also develops material ropeways and sophisticated cable pulling systems. ce/ja