steute: a chronology

1961 Founding of "STEUTE-Schaltgerätebau Rose & Sölken KG" in Bad Oeynhausen. The name "steute" is taken from the German word for control technology, Steuerungstechnik.
1969 Turnover doubles from one year to the next, exceeding DM 1 m.
1970 Friedhelm Rose leaves the company, and Gerhard Sölken takes sole charge.
1981 First multiple foot switch is developed for medical equipment.
1985 steute moves into new premises with 1,600 m².
1987 Explosion-protected switching devices for hazardous environments enter serial production.
1988 Turnover reaches DM 10 m.
1995 The Schmersal Group, located in Wuppertal, takes over what is now steute Schaltgeräte GmbH & Co. KG from 1st January 1995.
1997 Medical control technology is declared an independent steute business unit.
2001 Company premises expand to 7,000 m².
2002 First medical foot control with wireless transmission. Founding of steute Meditech Inc. in USA as first foreign subsidiary.
2003 steute leaves the Schmersal Group. Stefan Schmersal takes charge as sole Acting Partner.
2004 Market launch of self-sufficient wireless switchgear for industrial applications.
2005 Founding of steute do Brasil Ltd. as distribution and production company for South America.
2006 Founding of distribution companies in Europe (steute Italia, steute France, steute Polska, steute UK), as well as Nihon steute in Japan.
2010 Reorganisation of business into four units: Wireless, Automation, Extreme and Meditec.
2011 steute celebrates 50 years. Founding of WFOE steute Electrical Components (Shanghai) as distribution and production company for the Asian market.
2012 Opening of new Research & Development centre.
2015 Participation in research project "The integrated operating theatre of the future – OR.NET" with especially developed multifunctional user interface. First "sWave" wireless switching devices marketed for industrial automation.
2017 Launching of software-based "sWave.NET" intelligent wireless sensor network for intralogistics and industry.
2019 Launching of new brand "nexy" – the wireless sensor network solution for material flow management in industry and intralogistics.
2019 Turnover exceeds € 50 m.
Opening of new Sales & Marketing building.
2021 steute marks its 60th anniversary.