Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon

File:Maschinenfabr Oerlikon 1930.jpg

The Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon factory in Zürich (1930)

Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon was a engineering company based in the Zürich district of Oerlikon known for the early development of electric locomotives. It was founded in 1876 by the industrialist de, and occupied a large site immediately to the west of Oerlikon railway station.

In 1906 the armaments business was demerged to form Schweizerische Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon, which evolved into the technology company OC Oerlikon and the armaments company Rheinmetall Air Defence (formerly Oerlikon Contraves).

In 1976 Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon was taken over by Brown, Boveri & Cie, which in 1988 merged with ASEA to form ABB Group.

File:Gleis 9 MFO Zurich-Oerlikon 2010.jpg

Gleis 9, the former offices of Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon

The site of the company's works has been redeveloped, including the innovative public MFO-Park. In the second decade of the 20th century, a project was initiated to expand Oerlikon railway station, with the provision of two additional platform tracks on north-western side of the station. This affected the site of the former office building of Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon, dating from the late 19th century and now a restaurant complex known as Gleis 9. Because of its cultural importance to the region, plans to demolish the building were rejected, and instead the 6,200-tonne (6,800-ton) building was moved 60 metres (200 ft) to the west on specially laid tracks. The move took place in May 2012, and took 19 hours.