About FOBA

 

The FOBA success story in detail (source - www.foba.ch):

FOBA AG was founded in 1939 by Walter Friedrich, a skilled precision engineer. The adverse political and economic conditions of the time made it very difficult to import photography equipment, such as lights and dry presses, into Switzerland. So Friedrich and his wife began to manufacture the equipment in their cellar and deliver it to customers – initially in person. This simple family business increasingly surprised the experts with the practicality of its products, and it grew into a small company engaged in research, design and manufacture. The resulting equipment showed impressive functionality and modern design.

 
In 1958, the first one-column stand with horizontal and vertical adjustment was produced, a novelty in Europe at the time. An updated version is still highly regarded in photography and metrology today.
 
A year later the company started to develop and produce the COMBITUBE system – this ‘kit’ comprises various modules that can be combined and adapted to a variety of situations and requirements.
 
In 1966, FOBA AG presented a global first: a shooting table with a pre-formed acrylic plate. The translucent and double curved plate provided solutions for several issues in object photography. This table was widely copied and is seen in every modern studio today.
 
A further innovation was the ceiling rail system introduced in 1968, which allowed photographers to attach cameras, lights and other equipment to adjustable rails on the studio ceiling, leaving room for more flexibility and freedom on the floor.
 
In 1969, the company built its current headquarters in Wettswil, a small town at the foot of the Albis, a 10 km drive from Zurich. Ten years later, the site was modernised and extended to cover 2,500 m2.
 
In 1975, Walter Friedrich sold his now medium-sized company to Rolf Bührer, a well-established toolmaker.
 
Under Bührer’s leadership, in 1980 the company began to further modernise the column stand first built in 1958. This now used ball-bearing guides in a new hexagonal form, allowing easy positioning and alignment even of heavy components. After decades of refinement and optimisation, these studio stands continue to fulfil the highest standards of modern technology, particularly in the fields of digital photography and metrology.
 
A further milestone in FOBA AG’s production history is the precision tripod head SUPERBALL, launched in 1988. It has high functionality and versatility, and has been manufactured and sold in a wide range of sizes and models over the years.
 
In 2006, Philippe Ehrenberg took over FOBA AG as owner and managing director. Under his management, the company was consolidated and its tried-and-tested philosophy – the supply of high quality Swiss products – received a boost. The metrology started to become an increasingly important area for the company.
 
Since 2015, the company has been run by Thomas Schaber, a young and dynamic engineer. Following on from the success and values of almost 80 years, FOBA AG is looking to the future. In order to meet the latest standards, for example, development of the popular column stands will enter a new era of automation. The ongoing modernisation of existing structures will ensure that the company’s products and services continue to fulfil the very highest standards.
 
FOBA – built to last forever