After five years of working together, Bartholet of Switzerland and MND Group of France have terminated their joint venture partnership effective December 13th. Under the agreement, MND Ropeways utilized Bartholet’s detachable lift technology in select markets such as France and the United States while continuing to offer its own surface lifts and fixed grip chairlifts. One final MND-Bartholet detachable project under construction in France will be completed as planned.
The end of MND’s deal with Bartholet comes as little surprise. HTI Group, the conglomerate behind Leitner Ropeways and Poma, purchased a majority stake in Bartholet in March of 2022. Bartholet and MND only completed one project jointly in the United States, the Tecumseh Express at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire in 2022. That project was contracted before HTI bought Bartholet and MND hasn’t sold a chairlift in the United States since. Bartholet continues to operate as a subsidiary of HTI in Europe with a product line distinct from Leitner and Poma.
Going forward, MND Ropeways will need to find another partner or utilize its own technology in order to continue offering detachable lifts. Prior to the Bartholet deal, MND built one detachable chairlift in La Plagne, France, which opened in March 2017 but has suffered periodic technical problems. It is rumored MND may outline its future detachable plans at the Mountain Planet trade show this spring.
Lift Blog 
is there still ways to create a detachable system without breaking any existing patents that Dopp and HTI have swallowed up? (no marshmallow springs please) It would sure be nice for resorts to have an alternative to the duopoly to keep their lifts, and therefore our tickets affordable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Technically patents last a fixed period (20 years for design patents 15 for utility patents) and patent cannot be renewed. Most of the designs out there are out of patent protection by now as the original Leitner, DT, DS, TB41, Wopfner, Agamatic, AK and Omega grips were patented in the 80s through late 90s. Doppelmayr’s new D line grip is likely the only current grip under patent protection. So yes there is a way.
LikeLike
The Wopfner grip used by Bartholet (at least so far) and the pre-Bartholet MND experiments not only doesn’t have patents but is readily available for licensing. It’s a bit dated but pretty solid. Then being said even licensing that MND didn’t manage to build properly working detachable list a few years ago, so we’ll see if that changes. Assuming they get their house in order to get so far anyway.
LikeLike
The way I see it, this is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, there will never be another MND-Bartholet detachable in North America. On the other hand, perhaps LST’s detachable system will be revived? We shall have to wait and see.
LikeLike
I found the Yan detachable in Iran after hours of digging!
LikeLike
Here is one of the terminals!
I don’t know if there is a better place on this website to post these so I figured that there would be more active people here to repost it elsewhere.
LikeLike
Here is a better video
LikeLike
I wonder how many Iranians know about the checkered American history of these lifts, and if it would affect their decision to ride it if they did know?
LikeLike
Yeah, there’s some cool footage out there. Here’s one in Spain
LikeLike
I know this one got replaced by a Leitner in 2019, does anyone know if the Iran one is still currently operating?
LikeLike
Yes, it is one of the former HSQ’s from Silver Star BC
LikeLike
@MISHERS, it is actually Friendly Giant from Lake Louise.
LikeLike
@LH, this one is safer because it has POL-X West grips, not YAN ones.
LikeLike
I’m assuming they have their own fixed grip lifts? I wonder if they will try and sell those? Waterville Valley does have in their plan a new quad to replace Sunnyside at some point.
LikeLike
I think being a fixed grip only manufacturer would be difficult… it is an ever shrinking part of the market. It is mainly replacements that would be built at smaller ski resorts, but the bright spot is there are a lot of Riblets, Yans, and other fixed chairlifts that are getting long in the tooth around the country.
LikeLike
Skytrac is only fixed grip and they are doing well today
LikeLike
Skytrac is owned by LPoA…
LikeLike
I am genuinely glad Bartholet did what they did because I was never the biggest fan of the “MND” detachable thing. After all, it’s basically MND using Bartholet detachable equipment (Although I still am not sure what the top terminal of the Tecumseh Express is) and then just slapping their name on it and calling it theirs. In my opinion, its not very creative, similar to what BM lifts (And to some extent Leitner) did with Poma’s alpha model terminal in the 1990’s.
LikeLike