TransPocket and TransCut for reconstruction in Chile

With exports valued at € 71 million (2009), Chile is one of Austria's most important trading partners in South America - and a market that offers Fronius a great deal of potential. On February 27th, the country's infrastructure was destroyed by an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale. Fronius was quick to join in the relief effort, donating a TransPocket 2500 and a TransCut 300 to help reconstruction work in Santiago de Chile.

On May 13th, the Santiago-based Fronius representative Sande donated a Fronius power source and plasma cutting device to the "Bomba Republica de Austria", a voluntary fire service under Austrian patronage. These valuable resources will be used to rebuild completely flattened parts of the nation's capital.

The earthquake of February 27th was one of the most powerful ever recorded anywhere in the world. Only the massive earthquakes of 1960, which measured 9.5 on the Richter scale and also struck in Chile, were more devastating. The problem is that Chile lies on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a horseshoe-shaped chain of volcanoes encompassing the entire Pacific basin. Roughly 90% of all earthquakes occur within this area.