FAUN From O & K to The Kirchhoff Group     Construction equipment manufacturer Orenstein & Koppel AG (O & K) bought FAUN in 1986, but was forced to turn over its acquisition the following year due to a Cartel Office decision. Ownership returned once again to the Schmidt family. Soon after, FAUN bought a 50-precent share of Meiller, a builder of skip/lugger bodies, and in 1989 they further increased their grip on the refuse truck market with the takeover the Europress (Gar Wood) line from Edelhoff. The following year, Swiss refuse truck pioneer J. Ochsner & Cie AG was taken over. Partnerships were formed with SITA, SMV and Grange Freres in France. Shares of Italian manufacturer Brivio Pierino were acquired, which saw products under the FAUN Eurotec banner, although the relationship with Brivio would be short-lived. As a result of this consolidation, some interesting new products joined the family, such as the dual-stream Selectopress rear loader, the Sidepress side-loader and the Edelhoff MSTS detachable-body front loader.     The undisputed titan of the European market, FAUN changed hands again in 1994, with the takeover by the Kirchhoff Group. In 1996, the UK company Laird was taken over, a longtime producer of license-built FAUN products. The Anglesy, Wales company was re-named FAUN Municipal Vehicles Ltd., and served the UK countries. FAUN-Eurotec rear loader (Brivio Pierino, Ochsner patent) FAUN Europress LP-901; the top-mounted, horizontal ejector cylinder unique to European models, and was never sold by Gar Wood Europress received an updated body within a few years after FAUN had taken over production Europress was re-named 'Powerpress' in the 1990s. Detail of the swing-link system The updated FAUN Powerpress body retains slanted pillars evoking the original Gar Wood LP-900 on which it is based Powerpess tailgate and packer still follow the original 1972 Gar Wood patterns Rotopress became a FAUN product with the acquisition of KUKA in 1983 Variations of the Rotopress system have been in continuous production since the 1920s Variopress was originally a KUKA model and is still in production by FAUN Selectapress split-stream packer. Note sliding plate (3) which closes right-hand compartment during unloading Top-loading Ecopress is a Variopress body adapted to service underground refuse containers 8/23/15 © 2015 All Rights Reserved Logos shown are the trademarks of respective manufacturers Photos from factory brochures/trade advertisements except as noted