8 replies to this topic

[passengerpigeon]

Dear all,
While browsing the internet, I came across this rather out-of-place "Borvig" chairlift at Passo Giau in Cortina, Italy. Skilifts.org said that it was installed by an Italian company called Graffer in 1973. Graffer installed a few other chairlifts at the same mountain; the earlier ones have Borvig-style towers but unique carriers, and the later ones are completely unique and do not resemble any other companies' designs.
The striking Borvig resemblance in the first chairlift begs the question: did Borvig ever sell lift parts or designs to European contractors?

Also, while not technically a ski lift, the carriers on this chairlift installed in 2006 at Pakistan's Karachi Safari Park bear a striking similarity to Partek carriers. I couldn't find the name of the manufacturer, but I am hoping that someone here knows whether or not Partek collaborated with foreign contractors.

[snoloco]

I believe that Borvig was originally an offshoot from Leitner. A now removed double chair from Hidden Valley, NJ had Leitner stamped sheaves on it. I also found some pictures of some early Leitner chairlifts that look similar to Borvig chairlifts. It is primarily the sheave designs that are similar, but in this one picture I found, towers looked similar too. Don't remember where I found it though.

[Lift Dinosaur]

In the 70's and 80's Borvig bought various lift components from Leitner - sheave assemblies, grips, some complete chairs, some gearboxes. In the mid 80's they started making their own chairs using the European designs.
The chair and sheave assemblies you see in the photo (Graffer) were pretty typical of the design used in the early 70's and were derived from those designed for surface lifts. The gimbal type assemblies were made by Leitner, Graffer, Stadeli and others. So the answer is No- Borvig did not sell components to European contractors.
As for the chair in Pakistan, it looks like an early 80's Leitner design, but the hanger to bail connector is not the same. I did ready in some information about the lift that the owner said it was "coming from Italy".
Dino

[passengerpigeon]

Interesting. So I guess Borvig and Partek didn't invent their respective lift designs.

[Lift Dinosaur]

passengerpigeon, on 30 July 2015 - 04:34 PM, said:

Interesting. So I guess Borvig and Partek didn't invent their respective lift designs.

Borvig and Partek designed and built their own terminals. The sheave assemblies and grips currently used are an "evolution" of the original Leitner designs.
Dino

[Petz]

The double chairlift at Pso. Giau is a "real" Leitner built in 1973.

http://www.lift-worl.../5460/datas.htm

https://www.youtube....h?v=zHmlq1jkTfA

[julestheshiba]

snoloco, on 30 July 2015 - 04:23 AM, said:

I believe that Borvig was originally an offshoot from Leitner. A now removed double chair from Hidden Valley, NJ had Leitner stamped sheaves on it. I also found some pictures of some early Leitner chairlifts that look similar to Borvig chairlifts. It is primarily the sheave designs that are similar, but in this one picture I found, towers looked similar too. Don't remember where I found it though.

Have you noticed Letiner lifts in Canada that have a resemblance to Borvig lifts?

[liftmech]

See Lift Dino's post above.

[julestheshiba]

passengerpigeon, on 30 July 2015 - 03:36 AM, said:

Dear all,
While browsing the internet, I came across this rather out-of-place "Borvig" chairlift at Passo Giau in Cortina, Italy. Skilifts.org said that it was installed by an Italian company called Graffer in 1973. Graffer installed a few other chairlifts at the same mountain; the earlier ones have Borvig-style towers but unique carriers, and the later ones are completely unique and do not resemble any other companies' designs.
The striking Borvig resemblance in the first chairlift begs the question: did Borvig ever sell lift parts or designs to European contractors?

Also, while not technically a ski lift, the carriers on this chairlift installed in 2006 at Pakistan's Karachi Safari Park bear a striking similarity to Partek carriers. I couldn't find the name of the manufacturer, but I am hoping that someone here knows whether or not Partek collaborated with foreign contractors.

this lift is a Letiner according to remontees-mecaniques.net
http://www.remontees...itner-3519.html