The success story of our Austrian subsidiary Frigopol Kälteanlagen GmbH
Since 1945, Frigopol has been developing high‑performance refrigeration systems for industry and food production. In the interview, Felix Heidschuster talks about his new role, flexible solutions and the company’s future direction.
Since its founding in 1945 as R. Clulk Metallwarenfabrik Graz, Frigopol Kälteanlagen GmbH has developed into a leading manufacturer of high-performance systems for food production and industry. Frigopol brings extensive expertise in the production of customized solutions and is a specialist in the field of CO₂ refrigeration technology. In 2019, the Austrian company was acquired by TEKO to explore new manufacturing opportunities and strengthen its market presence in the food industry as well as in Europe. Felix Heidschuster, authorized signatory at Frigopol, spoke with TEKO about his new role and the future direction of the company.
From the very beginning, I was warmly welcomed at Frigopol. That continues to motivate me to give my full energy and, together with TEKO, further develop flexible, customer‑focused solutions.
TEKO: Felix, since Januar 1, 2024, you have joined Frigopol's operational management as an authorized signatory. With 8 years of experience at TEKO, how did you come to switch to Frigopol, and how would you describe your start at the company?
Felix: Since TEKO embarked on a "natural" future together with Frigopol in 2019, I have been accompanying the company. I was involved from the beginning in merging the companies and jointly handling the first projects and orders, as well as standardizing the structures and processes. Therefore, my start at Frigopol was much earlier.
From the outset, I was warmly welcomed into the Frigopol team and always felt very welcome, which continues to inspire and motivate me to dedicate all my energy to the company.
TEKO: What are your goals for your new role and the future course of Frigopol?
Felix: It is important to show existing customers opportunities and solutions that we can implement together with TEKO. Frigopol has a high degree of flexibility and can quickly adapt to market requirements and customer demands. I will continue to leverage and expand these strengths to acquire new customers in the industrial and project business. Some projects have already been successfully implemented, and we will continue to report on them on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
TEKO: Exciting development potentials are opening up. What do you see as the biggest challenges for both companies?
A significant challenge will be to establish ourselves in the industrial and project business while building long-term customer bonds and relationships. Therefore, it is important for me to work closely with customers and TEKO while also leveraging and expanding the synergies between the companies more effectively. Over the past few years, we have exchanged a lot of experiences regarding technology and solutions for specific customer needs, but there is still much to learn from each other!
TEKO: How does Frigopol utilize its experience in electrical switchgear construction to develop customized switchgear for refrigeration and environmental systems, building services engineering, and pharmaceuticals?
Felix: Close customer contact is necessary here and of great importance. We develop switch cabinets for specific requirements together with the customer, incorporating our know-how and experiences into projects. We also have extensive knowledge of various standards and country-specific requirements.
TEKO: How does Frigopol plan to strengthen the production of special refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants to operate successfully in the international market?
Felix: At the beginning of this year, we organized a joint sales meeting with TEKO to demonstrate TEKO's sales team the possibilities and flexibility of Frigopol. This allows us to offer opportunities for expanding TEKO's product lines and customizing them according to specific customer requests. In the first month, this approach has already proven successful, showing that TEKO can oper-ate much more flexibly in the market.
TEKO: What personal goals have you set for yourself as a member of Frigopol in the coming years?
Felix: It is very important for me to further promote and strengthen cohesion and collaboration at Frigopol since this is an essential foundation for a functioning company in my view.
Additionally, I will focus on familiarizing myself with processes and procedures to further optimize them for smooth operations. Of course, it is also my goal to increase company figures while convincing customers of our performance capability and quality.
TEKO: Please complete the following sentence: When I think about Frigopol in 10 years, I see …
Felix: … a healthy and grown company with a stable order intake as well as satisfied customers.
Frigopol’s success story
