13.07.2011
Ferruccio Moritsch 1935-2011
Ferruccio Moritsch the founder of Comedil, a pioneer and innovator in the tower crane industry, passed away at the age of 76 on Saturday 9th July, in Italy.
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Ferruccio Moritsch
Moritsch, who founded Gru Comedil in 1962 and Recom in 2004, was a consistent and persistent pioneer within the tower crane industry throughout his life. He was responsible for a number of significant developments and innovations marked notably by the launch of the first Hammerhead tower crane in 1965, the first telescopic self-erecting tower crane in 1968, the first luffing jib tower crane in 1988, and the first heavy duty 40-tonne capacity flat top tower crane in 2005.
Comedil was acquired by Terex in 1999 with Moritsch staying on within the crane business to share his experience and accomplishments with his daughter Martina, general manager of Terex Cranes tower crane business, son Simone, global tower crane sales director and the team at the company‘s tower crane facility in Fontanafredda, PN, Italy.
Recom, the business that Moritsch founded in 2004 to develop luffing jib tower cranes, has been part owned by Terex since 2010 and has been co-managed by his first son Mariano in recent years. Moritsch’s three children say that they will continue to develop their father’s legacy under and in collaboration with the Terex Cranes brand.
A statement from Terex Cranes says that the entire team pays tribute to the ingenuity and contributions made by Ferruccio Moritsch and shares this difficult moment with the entire Moritsch family.
I was sad to read this news of the passing of Ferruccio Moritsch. Not only was Ferruccio a great crane engineer but a very likeable man and one of the most passionate crane men I have ever known.
I particularly remember on one of my visits to Fontanafredda soon after Terex had invested in his Comedil business. A group of us including Fil Filipov were discussing tower crane technology including the question as to why some models were galvanized and others painted - with no apparent logic to the distinction.
Ferruccio got so exasperated that in the midst of the discussions he picked up the (land line) telephone set from his desk and fiercely flung it against the wall of his office! It was completely smashed and he certainly got our attention!
I have since seen many CEOs lose their tempers, shout and scream, but that was the first.
He never lost his passion for cranes or for life. He will be missed by all those that had the privilege to know him.
Stuart Anderson