Prinoth History
Our milestones from 1923 to today.
Over the decades, Prinoth expanded its expertise beyond snow grooming to crawler carriers and vegetation management equipment, becoming a global leader in off-road technology.
1923
Born in the heart of the South Tyrolean Italian Alps in 1923, Ernst Prinoth developed a passion for engines and machines at an early age. He was fascinated by cars and opened a garage at his home at the age of 28 in 1951. His passion led him to motor racing, where he competed in Formula One races, entering the 1962 Italian Grand Prix.
At the beginning of the 1960s, winter sports boomed in the Alps but the snow conditions for skiing were very poor as there was no suitable preparation. The consequences were often fatal, with skiing accidents being an everyday occurrence. Those responsible were faced with a daunting task and never-ending problems, which young Ernst tackled with an ingenious solution.
He applied all his knowledge gained from high-performance cars to develop snow groomers that balanced power and performance perfectly - Prinoth was born.
1962
Ernst developed his first snow groomer. Drawing inspiration from race cars, he combined high performance with low weight, to create the Prinoth P60 groomer. With this machine, he changed skiing forever and laid the foundation for a company that operates globally while establishing Prinoth as the longest-standing snow groomer manufacturer in the world.
1964
Based on the P60, Ernst developed the P15, which was the first mass-produced snow groomer in the world and was used at the 1965 World Ski Championships in Austria to prepare the slopes.
1970s
The seventies saw a flurry of innovation from Prinoth, including the Prinoth BIG with snow blower technology, the Prinoth Junior famed for its maneuverability, the Prinoth P4, the first snow groomer developed for preparing cross-country trails, the Prinoth Multi, the prototype for future passenger transport cabins, and the Prinoth ALL, specifically designed for smaller ski resorts.
1980s
The innovation continued. In 1983 Prinoth developed its most powerful snow groomer so far, the T4. With a huge thrust power, wide body, high comfort and ability to handle steep slopes easily, the T4 became the most popular vehicle for larger resorts and glacier areas.
Additionally the T2, a small all-rounder for slopes, cross-country trails and passenger transport was released in 1985.
1990s
The nineties were all about power at Prinoth. Built on the most powerful groomer the T4, in 1993 the T4S was released that offered many attachments and higher performance. In 1997, the Everest was launched, to date Prinoth’s biggest and strongest groomer, adept at handling the toughest of terrains.
2000
At the turn of the millennium, Leitner, another Italian manufacturer of high-performance snow groomers, acquired Prinoth. The knowledge, expertise and skills of the two companies were combined into one and the name Prinoth was kept.
2001
The Husky made its debut. A real workhorse designed for cross-country and snowmobile trails, smaller slopes and parks, the Husky lived up to its name as Ruler of Trails. To this day the Husky is part of the Snow Groomers division’s portfolio and has helped contribute to the success of Prinoth.
2002
Prinoth’s flagship snow groomer, the Leitwolf was introduced. Power, performance, comfort and efficiency were combined to create this benchmark setting machine. To this day the legendary Leitwolf remains the most productive snow groomer on the market cementing its reputation as the Master of Slopes.
2005
Prinoth made an instrumental decision to take over the entire snow grooming division from Camoplast—formerly Bombardier. With a rich history dating back to the 1930s, Bombardier vehicles had proven themselves over decades. Through this, Prinoth was able to integrate the best of Bombardier technologies into its current lineup and continue the production of the BR 350 snow groomer in Granby, Canada.
2006
The Bison joins the snow grooming ranks, adding a powerful, fast, and highly maneuverable machine to the fleet. Combined with the X package, the Bison is particularly suited for terrain park building and became the vehicle of choice for park construction, truly earning its title as the King of Parks.
2009
The crawler carrier division of Camoplast was subsequently acquired by Prinoth. It was a perfect strategic fit and enabled Prinoth to expand its field of operations into more industries, including construction, power electric and environmental work.
2010
The most powerful snow groomer in the industry truly was a Beast. In 2010 the Beast was introduced to the market. With its exceptionally large operating width and massive 527 horsepower engine, it catered to larger ski resorts with demanding slopes.
2011
Just two years after the acquisition of Bombardier’s crawler carriers, the iconic Panther crawler carrier series was introduced. Characterized by cutting-edge technology and combining snow groomer expertise with Bombardier’s crawler carrier vehicles, the Panthers quickly became some of the most successful vehicles of their kind in the world.
2011
Another pivotal milestone in the history of Prinoth occurred in 2011 with the acquisition of AHWI. AHWI was founded in Germany in 1990 to produce machines for managing vegetation. Not only did it have tracked vehicles—a running theme in the Prinoth vehicle family—but its mulchers, rotovators and stump grinders, built to the highest standards, allowed Prinoth to expand yet again into new fields. With this acquisition, Prinoth’s third business unit, Vegetation Management, was formed.
2015
The commercialization of the Panther T8 and T12 went into full force. The versatility of these vehicles was greatly enhanced by offering both a dump box and flatbed option, allowing any implement with similar dimensions to be attached. As a result, the Panther crawler carriers quickly gained popularity in construction, power electric, and oil and gas industries.
2016
One of the most important milestones for Prinoth Crawler Carriers occurred in 2016. Prinoth introduced the Panther T14R Rotating Dumper. The 360-degree rotating dump truck, changed the market through its speed, reliability and high productivity levels. It was an instant success, leading to record sales and became the most sold model in the Panther line-up to date.
2019
Prinoth expanded its Raptor lineup of carrier vehicles with the launch of the Raptor 500. Designed for challenging forestry work in rough terrain, the Raptor 500 set new standards in the field of vegetation management with its superior technology, exceptional performance, and efficiency.
2020
The snow grooming world was rocked. Prinoth, at the forefront of innovation, brought world-first innovations to the market once again. In December 2020, Prinoth introduced the world’s first hydrogen-powered snow groomer the Leitwolf H2-Motion and the first series-ready electric snow groomer, the Husky E-Motion to the market. These zero-emission vehicles paved the way for more sustainable snow grooming and transformed the market.
2021
Continuing its path of strategic acquisitions, Prinoth made a landmark decision to acquire Jarraff Industries, an optimal match to its existing operations. Complimenting the Vegetation Management business unit, Jarraff by Prinoth is the market leader in tree trimmers. Specializing in right-of-way maintenance, together with Prinoth’s carrier vehicles and mulchers, the products offer a complete solution.
2022
The world’s first electric snow groomer ready for mass production was sold to countries in Europe and North America. The Husky E-Motion became a symbol of innovation and sustainability in the industry, helping ski resorts around the world meet their carbon reduction targets.
2022
Prinoth achieved another significant milestone in 2022 with the launch of its first remote-controlled vehicle. The vegetation management business unit introduced the Raptor 100, a robust carrier designed for hard-to-reach areas. The vehicle combines low ground pressure with compact size, making it easy to transport and ideal for challenging terrains.
2023
Prinoth Vegetation Management completed its factory expansion with the addition of two new production halls at its facility in Herdwangen, Germany. This investment doubled production capacity, helping Prinoth meet the rising demands for its products.
2023
At ConExpo 2023 in Las Vegas, Jarraff by Prinoth launched the T-Rex 300. With its new look and upgrades, the carrier vehicle, combined with a powerful Prinoth Grizzly mulcher drew the crowds. Additionally, the T-Rex 300mt - a multi-tool version of the machine designed to provide an even broader range of functionality - was introduced.
2024
A collaboration between the Crawler Carriers business unit and Jarraff by Prinoth led to the launch of a new rubber-track model—the Jarraff RT. By utilizing common parts from the Panther crawler carrier T8, the Jarraff team successfully created a new low-ground pressure mechanical tree trimmer specifically designed for swampy and wet areas. With its unique features and superior performance, the Jarraff RT represented a first in the market and established itself as a preferred choice in the industry.