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Our origins reach all the way back to 1962!
In 1962, Konrad Steffel initially got involved in cathodic protection as a sole proprietor, and later with Konrad Steffel GmbH from April 1, 1983 onwards. Steady growth and success soon proved that the company was certainly no April Fool’s hoax! Its founder, Konrad Steffel, is regarded as a pioneer in Germany in the field of cathodic protection. His one-man business has today become a company that, with the inclusion of its telecommunications division, has nearly 200 employees. This growth would not have been possible without the dedication of these employees and their unfailing desire to innovate.
1962
- Mr. Steffel starts out with cathodic protection.
- Construction of rectifiers for VEW, Ruhrgas and Saarferngas at the firm Specht in Wuppertal.
1968
- Cathodic protection of supertankers using regulated impressed current protection systems and platinum-plated anodes from the metals company, Ffm. Potential measurements taken during a journey from Cape Town to Rotterdam.
1977
- Changed to the firm, INKO-Industrie Corrosion Protection in Celle.
1978
- Internal cathodic protection of a drinking water treatment plant in Saudi Arabia.
1979
- First intensive measurements on bitumen-insulated oil transportation pipeline in Emsland.
- First “on” and “off” potential measurements in Hamburg’s municipal area.
- Fault location in Hamburg’s metropolitan area network using the 100Hz method.
- Complete planning and construction of CP systems for natural gas pipelines and metropolitan area networks.
1983
- Steffel firm founded as independent business. Steady growth since then into today’s modern company comprising almost 200 employees.
1984
- Takeover of the firm INKO
1988
- Collaboration begins with the firm Datalink Electronics Ltd in the development of measurement technology for CP.
1989
- Relocation from Höfer (Celle district) into own premises in Lachendorf (Celle district)
1991
- SAS Schutzanlagen Stahnsdorf GmbH founded.
1992
- Corrosion protection for sluice systems, marine construction works and drilling platforms for oil and gas.
- First use of remote data transmission devices at the Lower Saxony State Gas Supply Inc.
1994
- Development of remote data monitoring combined with data transfer along the pipeline.
- Synchronization of sensors using DCF 77 and thus the first real-time measurements of “on” and “off” potentials in a protective installation.
1995
- Corrosion protection of various water-supply systems in an ore transshipment harbor in Bandar Abbas, Iran.
1996
- Mr. Joachim Herter joins the company as an equal partner and Managing Director at Steffel Ltd. DATACON Electronics Ltd. founded, taking over all technologies developed by Datalink Electronics Ltd.
1998
- Refinement of remote data monitoring into a compact system (Cordata) and the development of a radio sensor with a GSM modem. Internal cathodic protection of biological purification towers at DOW in Stade.
2000
- Further office space with the construction of extensions to the existing premises.
2002
- Acquisition of all commercial shares in SAS Schutzanlagen Stahnsdorf GmbH.
2003
- Centralization in Lachendorf of an accounting department for the three businesses.
- Effective use of a longitudinal anode on an insufficiently coated pipeline.
- Expansion of production facilities.
2004
- Development of the ISM 2001/LAN integrated voltage measurement module for remote monitoring of local cathodic corrosion protection (up to 640 potential-free measuring channels).
2006
- Steffel’s southern branch office opened in Nürtingen.
- Steffel TK GmbH is founded.
2008
- Restructuring of the holding with the fields of activity clearly defined for each firm in the group:
• Cathodic corrosion protection (CP): Steffel KKS GmbH in Lachendorf near Celle
• Development of hardware and software for CP: Datacon electronic GmbH in Lengede
• Telecommunications technology: Steffel TK GmbH in Lachendorf near Celle
• Lightning protection systems: SAS Schutzanlagen Stahnsdorf GmbH - Extension of the company premises and relocation to new office buildings.
- Steffel celebrates its 25th anniversary.
2009
- Datacon electronic GmbH fuses with Steffel KKS GmbH.
2010
- The powerful ISM 2010 CP station module is introduced for CP applications. Its integrated flexibility (communication pathways, networking capabilities, number of channels etc.) made demand so high, especially for projects with direct IP connections, that production capacity was increased to meet it.
2011
- Mr. Daniel Steller is appointed Managing Director of Steffel KKS GmbH with the right of sole representation.
- Mr. Eckhardt Lausmohr is appointed General Manager of Steffel TK GmbH with the right of sole representation.
- Steffel CP (Cathodic Protection) GmbH founded for Steffel’s international activities.
- The ISM 2010 CP station sensor can now also remotely regulate protective current, even on existing variable transformer rectifiers.
2012
- Eastern office relocated from Stahnsdorf to Wildau.
- Western office opened in Herne.
- Office opened in Würzburg.
2013
- Steffel celebrates its 30th anniversary as an independent business.
- Milestone 1: The all-in-one iCorrLog CP mobile measuring unit successfully completes the first major trials in day-to-day CP conditions.
- Milestone 2: Prototypes of the new iTS CP sensors function reliably in various test posts.
- Office opened in Oldenburg.
2014
- Certification for iOS (Apple) successful.
- iCorrTool becomes available for free from App Store as first CP app worldwide.
2015
- First 200 iTS test post sensors delivered.
- Steffel now also gives its MS2010 CP management software customers the choice of M2M SIM cards including fixed IP addresses, private APN and VPN tunnel. Customers now have “a one-stop shop”.
2016
- Steffel uses FEM simulations to optimize CP engineering designs.
2017
- Steffel expands the department that handles high-voltage interference calculations.
2018
- Mr. Axel Fischer is appointed Managing Director of Steffel KKS GmbH with the right of sole representation.
- Development of PIAMO (Pipeline Attack Monitoring) for the reliable detection of external attacks. A joint project involving Steffel and Mannesmann Line Pipe.
- Steffel participates in the joint research project – CP Foundation – that looks into corrosion monitoring and the active cathodic protection of offshore foundation structures.
2019
- Offices opened in Schwelm and Kempen.
- Lisa Fischer receives certification as DVGW expert according to DVGW G 100
2021
- Inclusion of Lisa Fischer as a shareholder in the Steffel Group.
2022
- Steffel and Maurmann GmbH have been appearing together on the market for cathodic corrosion protection since 2022 as a new, strong capacity.
2023
- 2023 – 40 Years of Steffel: As a specialist in cathodic protection, we celebrate four decades at the forefront of the industry, marked by innovation, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to protecting your assets.
