STORIES

Fill & Fischer

Fill Machine Engineering and Fischer | © Fill

The beginning of skiing history

Why the whole world is wild about Fill.

In 1966, Josef Fill, a native South Tyrolean, opened a small metalworking shop in the Innviertel region. Curiosity, ingenuity, and the ability to develop technical solutions for abstract challenges have turned Fill into a globally successful technology company. The story of the company can be explained perfectly with one single episode: the day when Josef Fill and Josef Fischer revolutionized the skiing industry.

As the owner of a small metalworking shop, Josef Fill was not at all choosy to begin with and was happy to accept all orders from regional companies. The word quickly spread about the company’s special ability to solve problems, and one day he received a phone call from Josef Fischer, the ski manufacturer:

“Mr Fill, we need a ski machine which is far ahead of the techniques and technology of our time.”
//Kommerzialrat Josef “Pepi” Fischer († August 26, 2020),
Son of the founder and proprietor of Fischer Sports GmbH

Making skis by hand was an arduous task and there just had to be a quicker, easier way. But Josef Fill knew for sure: “We’ll do it!” And that’s how, in 1970, he developed an automatic ski production machine for Fischer at his business: a grinding machine for the ski bases and surfaces. This marked the beginning of a long friendship – today, Josef Fill is still on the Supervisory Board of Fischer Sports GmbH – and the start of a revolution.

The technology was improved continuously, increasing the efficiency and precision, with the result that its popularity in the ski industry, and hence the customer base, grew consistently. Now all major ski manufacturers, e.g., Fischer, Head, Völkl, Atomic, Blizzard, Stöckli, Kästle, K2, Madshus, Rossignol, Elan & Co., use Fill machines to produce 3.5 million pairs of alpine skis, 1.5 million pairs of cross-country skis, and 0.9 million snowboards per year. Every skier in the world, from amateurs to professional racers, skis on skis made on Fill machines, from the first turn to the last. Machines whose origin lies in a conversation between two Innviertel entrepreneurs. A conversation which ultimately turned Fill into the global market leader in this field, writing the first chapter of the company’s story of innovation.

Josef Fill, an entrepreneur with a vision, a politician, and the role model for more than 950 employees, knew even then that it is important to be open to new ideas and special customer requests. He showed us that there is an ideal solution for every requirement and task.

 Our mission (Those looking for the best solution, plan their future together with Fill) was established back then and has applied to the present day. 

“I always trusted in our own people. Reliable employees,
my wife and my family, have contributed to the success and the development of Fill.
I am very grateful to them, and I wish the next generation every success."

Member of the Landesrat (retired) Kommerzialrat Josef Fill,
Founder of Fill Gesellschaft m.b.H.

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