Workers at one of Europe’s last remaining bell foundries are using modern technology alongside centuries-old techniques to keep the traditional craft alive.
Wearing protective gear against the intense heat of molten bronze, workers at the Grassmayr Bell Foundry in Innsbruck carefully pour the metal into specially shaped molds to cast bells weighing several tons. The foundry is currently producing 12 bells for churches in Italy, Germany and Romania.
Founded in 1599, the family-run foundry has survived wars, famines, epidemics and economic difficulties. Today, brothers Johannes and Peter Grassmayr run the business.
Hundreds of bell makers operated across Europe during the Renaissance, but only a few remain today.
The Grassmayrs say their survival has depended on persistence and innovation, including the use of 3D printing, scanning, lasers and computer simulation applications.
“Certain things are just like they were 400 years ago. But we innovated a lot. Especially within the last 20 years, we've changed a lot,” Johannes Grassmayr told The Associated Press.
Producing a bell takes three to four months. In the past, cleaning and polishing a newly cast bell accounted for about 30% of the production time. Modern equipment has reduced that process to roughly one-tenth of the time.
The company keeps some of its production methods secret, including a special chamber where bells are cleaned using high-pressure sandblasting. It also uses specially developed applications to calculate the sound of individual bells.
Despite the technological advances, designing and preparing molds for large bells can still take up to six months.
“The important thing is that you have calculate, form and then cast the bell as a musical instrument,” Johannes said.
One of the biggest challenges is ensuring the mold can withstand the pressure created by molten metal. When a bell weighing several tons is cast, liquid bronze can exert up to 125 metric tons (137 tons) of pressure inside the mold.
To protect the molds, the foundry uses only high-quality clay, which is reinforced with steel sleeves capable of handling the extreme pressure.
However, production challenges are not the only concern for the business. The traditional bell-making industry is under pressure as fewer churches are being built, changing demand for new bells.
Higher energy costs linked to the war in Ukraine have added to the difficulties, while labor costs have risen by about 30% since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
Still, materials remain the biggest expense. High-quality bells are made from bronze containing 80% copper and 20% tin. Johannes said bronze cost about 8 euros ($9.23) per kilogram a few years ago but now costs around 23 euros ($26.17).
“That’s why I can’t even say how much a bell is going to cost in a year. I just hope the metal price is going to come down again,” he said.
To sustain the business, the family has increasingly focused on restoring old bells, often using modern technology. According to the company, hundreds of damaged bells from 12 European countries have been restored at the Grassmayr foundry.
Grassmayr bells are installed in more than 100 countries, from Japan to the United States.
One of the largest bells produced by the brothers was made for Romania’s National Cathedral in Bucharest. Cast in 2016, it stands 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) tall and weighs more than 25 metric tons (27.5 tons).
Another bell weighing 15 metric tons (16.5 tons) hangs at a church on Mount Tabor in Israel.
Johannes recently showed AP several newly cast bells that were being left to cool for a week before being removed from their molds. The detailed imprint of the mold could still be seen in the clay.
“This bell is for the church in Zethau, in Germany,” he said. “I’m very happy with the casting. I’m especially happy that the innovations of the past decades helped a lot to make the bells ever more beautiful and better.”