Toni Rüttimann

Toni Rüttimann (born 21 August 1967 in Pontresina) is a Swiss bridge builder who works in Southeast Asia and Latin America, where he is known as "Toni el Suizo" (Toni the Swiss).

The bridges are for use of pedestrians, pack animals, motorcycles, two-wheel-tractors – but not for cars. Rüttimann works independently alongside communities in need, using recycled materials and charging no fees. Rüttimann has no home residence: he carries everything he needs in two bags. One for his personal belongings, the other for his laptop computer and a few tools for his trade. As of August 22, 2017, in collaboration with local communities, he has built 760 bridges which serve two million people.

Biography

Early life and beginnings in Ecuador Rüttimann was born in Pontresina, Switzerland.

From 1988 to 1990 he built six bridges. One of them, across the Aguarico river with a span of 264 meters, remains the longest of his bridges, as of 2000. Toni el Suizo, as the Ecuadorian peasants named him, invented the "puentes de chatarra" (bridges made of scrap).

In 2000, Rüttimann received pipes for 29 bridges in the state of Veracruz, Mexico from the steel pipe manufacturer Tamsa (Tubos de Acero de México SA, today TenarisTamsa).

Passage to Cambodia During his visits to Switzerland, Rüttimann gave presentations in schools and universities. On one such occasion, in 2000, he met a Cambodian refugee who asks him for help in the name of his people.

Rüttimann continued in neighbouring Laos, where he had previously built three bridges with his Cambodian team in 2006. With Laotian truck driver Lanh and three welders he built 42 bridges between 2008 and 2010.

Supply chain Since 2005, Tenaris, the world's largest producer of seamless steel pipe, has donated the pipes for the bridges Rüttimann builds across the world – scrap and surplus pipes, sometimes even new – from their mills in Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Indonesia, including the long distance ocean freight to final destination.

Also in 2005, Rüttimann began using wire rope from the mountain cable cars of his home country. In Switzerland, the cable cars are required to change these cables frequently, due to the tight safety regulations imposed by the government. This way, Rüttimann is able to receive cables of several kilometres in length, large diameter and good quality.

Rüttimann always works with local colleagues, so that interested communities can ask for their help for replacement of wire rope or other important repairs. At present there have been no accidents of any significance during the construction of these bridges.