Our history

MORE THAN 120 YEARS OF INNOVATION

In the year 1899, our company founder, Johann Stiegelmeyer, began manufacturing his first wire mesh mattresses in Rödinghausen. In 1900, the company moved to Herford, where it was officially entered in the trade register. In 1903, Stiegelmeyer sold the company to his partner Albert Dörnte. The name Stiegelmeyer had already become so well established by then that it is still used today. Albert Dörnte’s son-in-law Dietrich von Hollen, who was managing director from 1919 to 1970, shaped the company’s development in the 20th century. He was a great-grandfather of the present Kemmler shareholder family. The company's focus quickly shifted from mattresses to metal beds. Already in 1910, Stiegelmeyer produced the first hospital bed. In the 1950s, the company developed innovations such as the electrically adjustable hospital bed. At the end of the 1960s, Stiegelmeyer began manufacturing beds for nursing homes.

The acquisition of the Burmeier furniture factory in Lage in the 1990s made it possible to develop a successful range of home care products. In 1994, the group opened new plants in Herford and Nordhausen in Thuringia. Stolno (2001) and Kepno (2006) in Poland were added as further production locations. At the same time, a number of international sales companies were founded. In 2017, the company merged 4 subsidiaries to form the new operating company Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG.

2012 until today
Departure into the future
1995 - 2011
International expansion
1989 - 1995
Reorientation after the fall of the Wall
1960 - 1989
Pioneering innovations
1945 - 1960
Successful through the economic miracle
1914 - 1945
Development in difficult times
1900 - 1914
The early beginnings

Departure into the future

2023

Ultra-Niedrigbett Tereno

At its lowest setting, close to the floor, the ultra-low Tereno bed offers good protection for residents during resting and sleeping phases. At the same time, it offers all the usual advantages of a normal care bed.

Tereno product page

2023

Modulare Nachttisch-Familie Aparto

With its wide selection of individual options and flexible functions, the Aparto range has reinvented the bedside cabinet for nursing homes. The range was greeted with enthusiasm by visitors at the Altenpflege trade fair.

Aparto product page

2023

Jovie Babybett gewinnt IF Design Award 2023

The Jovie cot had only just been launched when it received an iF Design Award. This standard-compliant bed was highly praised by trade visitors at midwife conventions in Berlin and Salzburg.

Jovie product page

2022

The economical Evario one hospital bed meets the requirements of international markets with its customised equipment options.

2021

Foundation of the subsidiary Stiegelmeyer China Co., Ltd. in China. Today it is based in Foshan, Guangdong.

2020

Larger, faster, more digital - Burmeier's new logistics centre in Hiddenhausen works more precisely and more structured than ever before. Our customers benefit from this.

2019

Our system Vario Safe for adjustable care beds is presented with great success at the fair ALTENPFLEGE.

2016

Our exhibition in Herford is redesigned to present beds and furniture in a homelike ambience.

2015

The new Venta care bed scores with its ease of use, comfort and homelike feel.

2015

Our Polish subsidiary Stolter Sp. z o.o. is renamed Stiegelmeyer Sp. z o.o. to underline its close ties.

2014

The company Wiki-Met in the southern Polish town of Kepno is renamed Stiegelmeyer Kepno Sp. z o.o.

2014

Our new state-of-the-art service and logistics centre opens in Herford.

2012

Stiegelmeyer founds its own service company, which is immediately successful. Today it is an important part of Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG.

International expansion

2011

Stiegelmeyer founds a sales company in South Africa. From Cape Town, it serves many countries on the African continent.

2010

Expansion of production sites to meet growing demand.

2009

Opening of an over 900 square metre exhibition building in Herford with attractive contemporary architecture.

2006

Stiegelmeyer acquires the Wiki-Met company in Poland. Kepno mainly produces beds for home care.

2005

As part of a realignment of the sales structure, Stiegelmeyer Pflegemöbel GmbH & Co. KG is established to be better placed to meet customer inpatient care requirements.

2004

Renaming of the Famed company in Stolno to Stolter.

2002

Establishment of the Stiegelmeyer Oy subsidiary in Finland - the Scandinavian country is served from the city of Lahti.

2001

Takeover of the Famed company in Poland. A production and sales site is established in the northern Polish city of Stolno.

2000

Foundation of the Stiegelmeyer France subsidiary in France. Today it is based in Dardilly near Lyon.

Reorientation after the fall of the Wall

1995

With the introduction of long-term care insurance in Germany, the Homecare division is successfully adopted by the Burmeier subsidiary.

1994

Stiegelmeyer builds new plants in Herford and - for wood manufacturing - in the city of Nordhausen in Thuringia.

1989

Acquisition of the Burmeier company in Lage for the production of seating furniture. After German reunification, Burmeier supports the growing care bed sector.

Pioneering innovations

1989

With the launch of Stiegelmeyer BV in the Netherlands, the establishment of international subsidiaries begins.

1980

For the first time, beds are made with die-cast aluminium mattress bases.

1972

22,000 beds are made for the Olympic village in Munich.

1970

Development of the first height-adjustable lifting column bed. In the 1960s, Stiegelmeyer beds could already be cleaned in fully automated washing systems.

Successful through the economic miracle

1960

Stiegelmeyer’s cots are used successfully in many maternity wards during the baby boom years.

1955

Stiegelmeyer achieves a leading market position. The maternity bed is a bestseller in the hospital sector.

1949

At the end of the1940s, Stiegelmeyer puts schools on the agenda - with the first school furniture programme. Another product sector is space-saving furniture for private customers.

Development in difficult times

1936

Stiegelmeyer supplies more than 10,000 bunk beds for athletes at the Olympic Games in Berlin.

1924

In addition to producing metal beds and the new addition of wooden furniture, a 3.8 hp motorcycle is developed in 1924.

The early beginnings

1910

The first hospital bed marks the beginning of a long tradition in this field. A model from 1910 is still on show today in our exhibition in Herford.

1900

In 1899, the production of steel wire mattresses commences in Rödinghausen, Germany. Following a move to Herford, the company is entered in the trade register on 1 November 1900.

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