Fredrik Hiorth

Fredrik Hiorth

Fredrik Wilhelm Louis Hiorth(February 4, 1851 – January 1, 1923) was aNorwegianengineer and industrialist.

Early life and family

Hiorth was born inAker.He was the son of the sheriff there, Hans Jensenius Hiorth (1808–1902), and his wife Lena Woxen.His father was the brother of the industrialistAdam Hiorth.Fredrik married Thekla Pauline Dahlstrøm (1850–1937), a captain's daughter from Gøteborg, in 1875. Both of them were very religious.Their sonAlbert Hiorth(1876–1949) was a well-known engineer and a lay preacher that founded several companies.

Career

After passing hisexamen artiumin 1869 and studying engineering at theChalmers University of TechnologyinGothenburg,Sweden,Hiorth worked for the railroad inEastern Norwayuntil 1880. He purchased the Rodeløkka Iron Foundry (Rodeløkken Jernstøberi) in 1878, when it had only fourteen employees.He headed the company until 1892, when it became part of theKværnercompany, where he was a part owner and director until the spring of 1900,when he founded the F. Hiorth Engineering Office together with his son Albert Hiorth.He also assisted his cousin Fredrik Wilhelm Hjorth Christensen (1851–?) in establishing theFreiachocolate factory in 1889.

After ordering a steam- and diesel-poweredDixiautomobile in 1900, in 1901 he established the company F. Hiorth’s Automobilforretning (F Hiort Automobile Company) in 1901, which was the first Norwegian company to import cars. He sold the company in 1906 to his assistant Adolf Kristian Kolberg (1874–1955),and the company was renamed Kolberg & Caspary.

Hiorth later operated as ahydropower speculatorand power-plant developer. Hiorth was also a main shareholder in the companyBjølvefossen A/S,which he started in 1905 with his son Albert as CEO or administrative director. He contributedto establishingNorsk Hydroin 1905. Hiorth received theOrder of St. Olavin 1902.He died in Oslo.

Legacy

The now-abandoned settlement ofHiorthhamnon the island ofSpitsbergenis named after Hiorth.