Family Day: 100 years of Emil Frey group celebrated in Zagreb

The Swiss-based Emil Frey Group, which we joined in 2017, is celebrating 100 years in business! To mark this big jubilee on June 8 at the Zagreb Fair with around 800 employees and their families from all seven Croatian companies operating under Emil Frey Group. Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Director of Emil Frey Group and Heinz Schneiter, Director of Central Europe and member of the Emil Frey Group executive board, joined the celebration.

A family company with a hundred-year tradition

Emil Frey Group, Europe's leading car distributor, laid its foundations in 1924. It was in that year that Emil Frey, a mechanic and motorcycle racer, opened his first workshop for bicycles and motorcycles. Two years later, he opened his first motorcycle shop. Over the years, the company grew into a network of companies in the automotive businesses. Despite going international, it has kept its family business values, and the founder's principles are still a key part of its culture.

Walter Frey, son of Emil Frey and president of the Emil Frey Group, in a video message to employees gathered at the celebration in Zagreb, emphasized the hundred-year-old tradition and values ​​that his father set at the very beginning. Emil Frey understood early on that a company is only as good as its employees and that company's success depends on their satisfaction. Walter said that even today, the people who make up the group are its greatest value.

Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Emil Frey's grandson and executive board member, joined the celebration of the milestone anniversary. Speaking on behalf of the group's management and the Frey family, he greeted everyone, mentioning how the group and its companies have grown and expanded into new countries. He emphasized that people are the heart of every project.

Emil Frey has been operating in Croatia since 2013, when its first company Star Import was founded. This company took over the general distribution of Mercedes-Benz and Smart vehicles in Croatia, led by Heinz Schneiter as Director Central Europe and member of the Emil Frey Group executive board. Like Walter and Lorenz, Heinz thanked the employees for their dedicated work. He presented plaques to company directors in Croatia. Our Nikola Novaković took the plaque on behalf of Emil Frey Digital.

Our all-day gathering unfolded in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. We enjoyed good company, delicious food, and great music from bands Prava stvar, Scifidelity Orchestra, and the one and only Gibonni.

Kids had a blast with activities like STEM workshops, racing, gaming, a fun park, and kids’ shows. When it was time for a break,  they enjoyed food and drins favorites like potatoes, hot dogs, ice cream, and pancakes.

At the pavilion entrance, there was an exhibition showcasing interesting facts about Emil Frey’s life and museum examples of vehicles. Among the most interesting exhibits were certainly the three racing vehicles of the Frey family: the motorcycle raced by Emil Frey, the Toyota driven by Walter Frey in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and the GT3 race car driven by Lorenz Frey Hilti.

The celebration of the company's 100th anniversary was a unique opportunity to come together as a company, but also as a family, and celebrate the community we have built. Thank you to the organizers for making it happen and to everyone who joined us, making it a day to remember.

The centenary of the group is celebrated throughout the year, in all 18 countries where the group operates. Celebrations like ours in Zagreb have already been held in some countries, while in others they will follow in the coming months. Each will bring together employees and their families from all member companies in a particular country. Every celebration is attended by someone from the Frey family.