It is the boss himself, Josef Fischer, who, with his sixth sense for technologies with a future, constantly pushes ahead the process of developing the company's product range further. It starts with wooden sandwich skis in the 1950s; soon after, the metal ski achieves its breakthrough when the steel edges are bonded with the aid of rubber in the 1960s. In the 1980s the Air Core and Vacuum technologies follow, as does aerostructure production with fibre-reinforced composites. All these innovations (and many more) lead to Fischer soon gaining a reputation as a high-tech hot spot – and not only in manufacturing skis, either.
What Fischer amazes the world of sport with, over and over again, are revolutionary new developments. In 1979 the Crown grind, which makes it unnecessary to wax cross-country skis and climbing systems, sets new standards. Just a few years later Fischer strengthens its position as market leader with the world's lightest cross-country ski – achieved with an Air Core, leading to a run on Fischer products. In 1976 Alpine skis with a hole in the tip create a furore. And in 1984 Fischer introduces Vacuum technology for Alpine skis – and there is no doubt about who the father of the Vacuum ski is: Josef Fischer himself.
However, what causes a stir and reveals this pioneering spirit are often comparatively minor tinkerings in Fischer's development department. To make Franz Klammer, later an Olympic gold medallist, into a better glider, the Fischer development team fit small lamps on top of the skis and sensors on the ski edges. If Klammer edges too fiercely, a lamp goes on. With the head of development, Adolf Staufer, in charge, unique telemetric tests are carried out on the Dachstein glacier in 1978 to make it possible to adapt cross-country skis to the individual skier; these tests are performed with equipment worth 1.5 million schillings. The results are incorporated in series production.
In the development department, then the nerve centre of Sport AG, Adolf Staufer is succeeded by Walter Stephan. In 1981 the latter takes advantage of spare capacity in the department to strike out in new directions. Fischer's know-how in the field of fibre-reinforced composites leads to cooperation agreements with the aerospace industry, the car industry and the medical sector. Not long after the focus is on aerospace, and the foundation stone is laid for "Fischer Advanced Composite Components". These constant ongoing technological developments are a recurrent theme in Fischer's 100 years of company history. The theme continues today.
