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.
Departure into the future
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.
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.
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.
The economical Evario one hospital bed meets the requirements of international markets with its customised equipment options.
Foundation of the subsidiary Stiegelmeyer China Co., Ltd. in China. Today it is based in Foshan, Guangdong.
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.
Our system Vario Safe for adjustable care beds is presented with great success at the fair ALTENPFLEGE.
Our exhibition in Herford is redesigned to present beds and furniture in a homelike ambience.
The new Venta care bed scores with its ease of use, comfort and homelike feel.
Our Polish subsidiary Stolter Sp. z o.o. is renamed Stiegelmeyer Sp. z o.o. to underline its close ties.
The company Wiki-Met in the southern Polish town of Kepno is renamed Stiegelmeyer Kepno Sp. z o.o.
Our new state-of-the-art service and logistics centre opens in Herford.
Stiegelmeyer founds its own service company, which is immediately successful. Today it is an important part of Stiegelmeyer GmbH & Co. KG.
International expansion
Stiegelmeyer founds a sales company in South Africa. From Cape Town, it serves many countries on the African continent.
Expansion of production sites to meet growing demand.
Opening of an over 900 square metre exhibition building in Herford with attractive contemporary architecture.
Stiegelmeyer acquires the Wiki-Met company in Poland. Kepno mainly produces beds for home care.
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.
Renaming of the Famed company in Stolno to Stolter.
Establishment of the Stiegelmeyer Oy subsidiary in Finland - the Scandinavian country is served from the city of Lahti.
Takeover of the Famed company in Poland. A production and sales site is established in the northern Polish city of Stolno.
Foundation of the Stiegelmeyer France subsidiary in France. Today it is based in Dardilly near Lyon.
Reorientation after the fall of the Wall
With the introduction of long-term care insurance in Germany, the Homecare division is successfully adopted by the Burmeier subsidiary.
Stiegelmeyer builds new plants in Herford and - for wood manufacturing - in the city of Nordhausen in Thuringia.
Pioneering innovations
Acquisition of the Burmeier company in Lage for the production of seating furniture. After German reunification, Burmeier supports the growing care bed sector.
With the launch of Stiegelmeyer BV in the Netherlands, the establishment of international subsidiaries begins.
For the first time, beds are made with die-cast aluminium mattress bases.
22,000 beds are made for the Olympic village in Munich.
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
Stiegelmeyer’s cots are used successfully in many maternity wards during the baby boom years.
Stiegelmeyer achieves a leading market position. The maternity bed is a bestseller in the hospital sector.
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
Stiegelmeyer supplies more than 10,000 bunk beds for athletes at the Olympic Games in Berlin.
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
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.
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.