After
starting in a small workshop in 1892, Stäubli has developed into a leading
industrial partner for high-quality mechatronic solutions and technologies, with three dedicated activities – Connectors, Robotics and Textile.
Two
family threads came together at the end of the 19th century – the heyday of the
Swiss textile industry – and were woven into a new corporate fabric: Rudolph
Schelling and Hermann Stäubli, displaying both commercial acumen and technical
skill, founded the company “Schelling & Stäubli” in the Swiss village of
Horgen in 1892.
At that
time, this village on the shores of Lake Zurich – and on the silk road as well
– was the site of many mills operating a total of some 1,000 weaving machines.
Hermann Stäubli had acquired his initial know-how by repairing these machines.
After a
short time, he set out to produce superior machinery. He sought no less than to
make the world’s best dobbies – with which weaving mills could achieve optimal
results. Even in those early days, Stäubli set very high targets for efficient
production; specifically, to weave more fabrics at lower cost, higher quality,
and with a greater variety of patterns.
Already
in 1893, Schelling & Stäubli introduced their first dobby, designed and
constructed in house. In 1900 they introduced the world’s first paper-card
dobby, equipped with a warp-leasing system that is still widely used today.
Following the death of Rudolph Schelling in 1909, the company was renamed
Stäubli.
Geographical
spread and portfolio expansion
The
Stäubli Group has grown exuberantly since 1892, in both technical and
geographic terms. Already in 1909 Stäubli built its first factory in France,
followed by additional production sites in other European countries as well as
in the Americas and China.
The
Group’s Textile activities have grown in line with its corporate targets, and
Stäubli has become a leading supplier to the global weaving industry. In 1969
Stäubli acquired the German company Trumpelt, which specialised in heavy
dobbies. As a shedding solution specialist in frame weaving, the company then
decided to expand its range to include Jacquard weaving. This led to the
acquisition of Verdol in Lyon, a manufacturer of mechanical Jacquard machines.
And to
expand its product range to cover the complete weaving process, the companies
Zellweger (weaving preparation solutions) and Schönherr (carpet weaving
systems) were purchased in 1994 and 1998. Finally, the DEIMO company was
acquired, a long-time industry partner providing drive and control systems for
a wide range of applications.
This
expansion strategy has been constantly augmented by intensive R&D
activities, and today the result can be seen in a comprehensive range of
high-performance products integrating state-of-the-art technologies. This
machinery is renowned for exceptional reliability, unsurpassed production
speeds, and very long service life.
SAFIR
automatic drawing-in machines, the latest generation of S3000/S3200 dobbies,
the LX/LXL electronic Jacquard machines, ALPHA carpet weaving systems, the TF
technical weaving systems, and DEIMO knitting solutions all attest to
continuity and a passion for innovation, which is embedded in the DNA of the
company.
Constant improvement and development in all areas
“The spirit of innovation has
defined our company from the beginning – it’s rooted deeply in the nature of
Stäubli”, says Rolf Strebel, Stäubli CEO. “It’s the reason we constantly
develop new solutions which add value for our customers. Other decisive factors
for our long-term success are the spirit of cohesion amongst our staff around
the globe, our inquisitiveness, and our philosophy of continuous improvement.
Our aspiration is to constantly improve – on a human, professional, and
technical level – and to remain just as successful during the next 125 years.”
Stäubli
– 125 years of passion for innovation
Technological
advancements and visionary ideas have formed a company that is poised to
operate as successfully in the new millennium as it did at the end of the 19th
century.
Founded
in 1892, today Stäubli is an international group headquartered in Pfäffikon,
Switzerland. With a global workforce of over 4,500, the company generates an annual
turnover of 1.1 billion Swiss francs.