Tibor Fei

He founded Rugged Industries in 2011 to manufacture innovative commercial products. His career began in 1969 as a sheetmetal apprentice at Beasley Industries in South Australia. He earned a 3-year Sheetmetal Certificate, a 5-year apprenticeship indenture, and a 3-year Mechanical Technicians Certificate. He was promoted to R&D technician and later Design Engineer, focusing on new product development.

In 1980, he joined Rheem Australia as a Mechanical Engineer in R&D for electric and solar water heaters. In 1984, he moved to Australia Defence Industries, working in thermal testing and guided weapon calibration.

In 1990, he became Head of R&D at SC Johnsons, designing cleaning equipment and verifying Dyson cyclonic vacuum designs. After a company takeover in 1996, he established manufacturing facilities and new product designs at Hako Australia.

At Rugged Industries, he developed the first patented commercial cyclonic backpack vacuum cleaner, winning the Inclean Innovation Award in 2017. In 2024, he launched the most efficient commercial battery-operated backpack vacuum cleaner, continuing his commitment to innovation and excellence.