Short story - 1978 to 2022

In 1978, the preliminary company „ZIEGLER & MAIR“ was founded, in 1980 the actual company ZIMO Elektronik (Ltd only after a few years), first as part-time job by Peter W. Ziegler, since 1987 as main job.

Since its foundation, the company is located in Vienna, Schönbrunnerstraße 188; in the first year in a small flat (35 m2) and without employees.

"ZIEGLER & MAIR" or ZIMO was engaged in the development and production of digital control systems for model railways from the very beginning.

In 1979, the first systems were sold, consisting of the “Basisgerät BGT1” (command station BGT1), “Fahrpult FP1” (controller FP1) and “Fahrzeugempfänger” (decoders). The names command station and controller were (and are going to be) used for many years.

Already in the 80s and 90s, the signal-controlled speed influence was one of ZIMO’s prominent features, at that time sold as combination of a train driver’s and dispatcher’s function. This was later standardized as HLU and even adopted by some competitors.

In the 1980s ZIMO grew slowly but steadily, especially in terms of space (150 m2) in 1990 when three people were employed.

During this time, important and long relevant products were developed and manu­factured: the digital system “M1000” and “M2000” and the decoders “M4000”, “M4001”, etc., as well as interlocking systems (made from original ÖBB panels) and the central command station “M5000”.

For a few years (around 1990) ZIMO also produced programming devices for industrial usage (PICPROG), test-controllers for measuring radiation and controlling PCBs for air conditioners.

In 1990, the first automatic SMT assembly machine was bought, which was replaced by a newer system in 1999.

Until 1996, all products were based on the ZIMO data format (as it was called later) then this was changed to the DCC format standardized by the NMRA (North American Model Railroaders Association).

In 2009, additional room on the ground floor was adapted (including parts of the house next door), where a completely new assembly line (with stencil printing, assembly machine, reflow soldering oven) was installed for manufacturing and testing, as well as for material storage. A little later, an AOI-system (automatic optic inspection) was installed to create a more secure and rational process against failures of the delivered products.

Since 2011, ZIMO established itself more and more as supplied for model railroad manufacturers and retailers. The most important characteristics were (and are) the flexibility dealing with short-term orders, which is made possible by the production line within the same house.

In the year 2016 and later, the focus shifted a little towards system products, with the high-performance command stations MX10, MX32 and lately the “StEin”.

2019 is mainly characterized by the new MS-decoders, a new class of sound decoders, which set new standards in technology.

In 2019, the focus was on the introduction of the first types of "MS decoders", a new class of sound decoders (later also non-sound decoders) that set new technological standards. In addition to the DCC data format, these decoders were also made mfx-capable (mfx - the Märklin data format).

In 2020, the production machines were largely replaced (new stencil printing and placement machines, vapour phase soldering machine instead of reflow oven, new AOI device for 3D optical inspection), The production capacity was thus gradually increased by a factor of about 2.5. 

The years 2021 and 2022 were mainly dedicated to important future developments: the expansion of the MS decoder class (especially for large-scale railways), also in software-technical terms, the MX33 cab (following the MX32), ZIMO apps for smartphone and tablet and ZIMO light boards and smoke generators. However, the Corona pandemic and general material shortages have drained capacities to remain able to deliver despite the lack of certain components.

The ZIMO Building in Meidling, Vienna
(12th district)

Schönbrunner Straße 188, 1120 Vienna

3rd floor: ZIMO Development, Management
2nd floor: Sales, Administration
2nd floor: Appartements CHE
1st floor: tax consultancy firm Writzmann
ground floor left: Ordination Dr. May-Van CHE
ground floor right and neighbouring house: ZIMO Production
basement: ZIMO Storeroom and Mechanical Workshop

Click to enlarge images

   
    Production Workshop - Assembly Machine                 Production Workshop - Decoder Testing                         ZIMO exhibition stand (photo: Dortmund 2010)

   
         Exhibition demonstration layout 20               ZIMO exhibition stand (photo: Cologne 2012)                              Production workshop 2015 - optikal inspection

                                              Production workshop 2021 - Stencil machine (centre), two assembly machine                                                       AOI device (new optical inspection)

   
       ZIMO exhibition stand 2021 (with video wall)                                  H0-demo layout                                     large scale railway and gauge 0 - exhibition wall layout