Ever wondered how a company born in Freiburg became a global leader in induction heating? Here at ENRX GmbH you will discover a remarkable story. ENRX GmbH, formerly known as EFD Induction GmbH, has deep roots in this city.
Founded in 1950 by engineer Fritz Düsseldorf, the company originally operated under the name Fritz Düsseldorf GmbH. Its logo featured the initials FDF. The company’s initial success came from fulfilling hardening orders for local industries within the Black Forest region. In the same year of its founding, the company achieved a milestone by producing and selling its first universal induction hardening machine.
In the 1970s, Manfred Düsseldorf, Fritz’s son, took over. He developed FDF into a leading manufacturer of induction heating systems in Europe. A significant turning point occurred in 1996. FDF merged with the Norwegian company ELVA Induksjon a.s. ELVA Induksjon a.s. had gained recognition in the 1980s for its transistorized and mobile induction heating systems. Following the merger, the company was renamed Elva-Fritz Düsseldorf GmbH.
Today, the Norwegian EFD Induction A.S., under the umbrella of the EFD Group, spearheads the development and production of frequency converters. These converters can reach up to 2000 kW and 400 kHz. Production of converters also takes place in Grenoble, France and Bangalore, India.
In 1997, the contract hardening division was spun off into an independent entity. It was named Lohnhärterei Fritz Düsseldorf GmbH and later became EFD Härterei F. Düsseldorf GmbH in 2007. This hardening shop was located in Freiburg-Hochdorf from 1998. However, the contract hardening business was sold at the end of 2011. On January 1, 2012, it was renamed VTN Fritz Düsseldorf GmbH. The Freiburg-Hochdorf site closed after a relocation to Bielefeld on May 31, 2022.
Most recently, in 2022, EFD Induction and IPT Technology joined forces. On March 27, 2023, the company officially changed its name to ENRX GmbH. ENRX Group has its headquarters in Skien, Norway. The group employs approximately 1000 people in over 25 locations across 20 countries. Around 60 employees work at ENRX GmbH here in Freiburg. Other manufacturing sites are located in Grenoble, Bangalore, Shanghai, Madison Heights and Bucharest.
ENRX GmbH serves major customers in the automotive, electrical and mechanical engineering industries. The company develops and supplies systems and frequency converters for inductive heat treatment. These are used for hardening, soldering, pipe welding, straightening and other industrial applications.
ENRX GmbH has significantly advanced induction heating and laser hardening technologies. They have pioneered techniques such as hardening under protective gas. This innovation has led to numerous national and global patents. Their technology allows for partial hardening of workpieces through inductive and conductive edge layer heating. This enables direct integration of the hardening system into a production line.
From an environmental perspective, induction heating offers substantial energy savings. Compared to conventional heating methods like furnaces, it is a more efficient alternative. From its humble beginnings in 1950 to its current status as a global innovator, ENRX GmbH remains at the forefront of induction technology. It continues to shape industries worldwide with its expertise and dedication to sustainable practices.