Steimel

What Steimel does

Steimel GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of custom seating and table furniture for the hospitality industry, founded in 1893 and headquartered in Achern in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg. Operating as a Handwerksbetrieb with the brand line 'HANDARBEIT & QUALITÄT #madeimschwarzwald', the company produces chairs (Stühle), armchairs (Sessel), bar stools (Barhocker), sofas, bench systems (Bankanlagen), and tables (Tische), plus a small outdoor category. Core production combines solid beech and oak woodworking with traditional upholstery techniques (Chesterfield button tufting, Pfeiffensteppung, welt seams, piping) and bentwood (Bugholz) elements, with named product designs by Steffi-Maier Männle. The Steimel ID Individualisierung system allows buyers to configure pieces across dimension, form, materials, wood species, and finishes.

Commercially, Steimel operates a consultative B2B direct-sales motion: prospects are routed through the website to schedule Beratungstermine (consultation appointments) and receive bespoke quotations; no public price list is maintained. Customers are predominantly German hotels, restaurants, bistros, bars, bakeries, golf clubs, and traditional inns, with the French river cruise operator CroisiEurope as a named maritime account. The firm also offers a reupholstery (Auf- und Umpolsterung) service for its installed base and has expanded into adjacent sub-categories such as acoustic furniture (Beatrice, Bea, Lissi, Lisa) and tech-integrated seating (Heidi T stool with tablet). Marketing runs through the steimel.de product catalog (PDF and Yumpu flipbook), a project reference gallery, and an Instagram presence (@steimelgmbh); the company sells direct to end customers without distribution intermediaries. Ownership is independent, with no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, funding rounds, or M&A activity; operating geographies are concentrated in Germany.

Name

Steimel

Legal name

Steimel GmbH

Website

https://steimel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Steimel GmbH is a German Black Forest-based manufacturer, founded in 1893, producing handcrafted custom seating and table furniture for hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and cruise operators, selling direct via a consultative B2B project model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Hospitality Furniture

NAICS

Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (337127), Reupholstery and Furniture Repair (81142), Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing (3379)

SIC

Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590), Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)

akta.pro primary industry

Casino Furniture, Fixtures & Signage (Seating, Lighting, Wayfinding, Digital Signage) (MPAEANAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial hospitality furniture
• Custom seating manufacturing
• Hotel lobby furnishings
• Restaurant seating solutions
• Upholstered furniture manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Achern

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Seating Furniture Manufacturing: Bespoke manufacturing of chairs, armchairs, bar stools, sofas, and bench systems for hospitality establishments. Each piece is individually designed and crafted to customer specifications.
2. Custom Table Manufacturing: Production of customized tables including Kreuzwangentisch (cross-base tables), high tables, bistro tables, and lounge tables.
3. Reupholstery Services: Furniture restoration and reupholstery services for existing Steimel furniture to extend product lifecycle.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Steimel manufactures and sells custom-made, handcrafted seating furniture and tables for the gastronomy, hotel, shipping, and bakery-café industries. Each piece (chairs, armchairs, bar stools, sofas, bench systems, tables) is individually designed and built to customer specifications under the Steimel ID customization framework, with products produced in series at the company's Achern (Black Forest) facility.

Product overview

Steimel is a German furniture manufacturer (Sitzmöbelfabrik) specializing in handcrafted furniture for the hospitality industry, including restaurants, hotels, cafés, bistros, and bakeries. Founded in 1893 in Achern, Black Forest, the company produces a comprehensive portfolio of customizable seating furniture and tables. The product range includes Stühle (chairs), Sessel (armchairs/lounge chairs), Barhocker (bar stools), Sofas, Bankanlagen (bench systems), and Tische (tables), as well as Neuheiten (new products) and Outdoormöbel (outdoor furniture). All products are fully customizable in dimension, form, haptic qualities, color, wood type, and materials. The company emphasizes exceptional seating comfort, traditional craftsmanship, and 'made in Germany' quality with over 130 years of heritage. Key product series include the classic bentwood coffee house chairs (Arno, Pierre), modern wood chairs (Sorbonne, Carlos), lounge chairs and sofas (Orlando, UNO, Cube/Cubo/CubIx, Beatrice/Bea), classic bench systems with premium upholstery (Elisa, Elisabeth with Chesterfield-style button tufting), and various table models. Many products are available in multiple variants (with/without armrests, stackable, as bar stools, etc.) and feature customization options including wood stains, fabrics, leather, and various cushioning styles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arno – 3630 (Classic bentwood coffee house chair) Classic coffee house chair combining traditional bentwood (Bugholz) elements with modern aesthetics, available with padded or solid wood seat and in multiple stain colors and cover fabrics (leather or artificial leather). Sold to hotels, restaurants, cafés, bistros, and bakeries.
• Pierre series – 3330 (chair) / 1880 (bar stool) Classic coffee house chair and matching bar stool with bentwood (Bugholz) elements, available with padded or solid wood seat and various cover fabrics. Provides café charm for restaurants, bistros, and hospitality venues.
• Calypso – 5980/5986 (high-back chair) High-back chair offered in solid (5980), partially padded (5980TPR), and fully upholstered (5986) versions, with stackable variants and optional armrests. For restaurant and bistro interiors.
• Casino – 5930 (high-back chair) High-back chair, also available as a stackable variant. Aimed at restaurants and hospitality settings.
• Sorbonne – 3440/1840 (modern wood chair and bar stool) Modern wood chair with clean lines for restaurants, cafés, and bistros. Built from solid wood with seat cushion, optional armrest, and a matching bar stool (1840).
• Carlos series – 3460 (chair) / 1860 (bar stool) Comfortable solid beech wood chair (and matching bar stool) with soft forms, premium padding, and ergonomic backrest. Available in 14 stain colors including Wenge with high-quality foam padding.
• Orlando series – 6400/6420/6430 (lounge chair and sofa) Lounge seating range designed by Steffi-Maier Männle. Orlando 1 (6400) is a high-back (140cm) lounge chair with footrest; Orlando 2 (6420) is an alternative lounge chair; Orlando Sofa (6430) measures 140cm wide × 76cm deep with 41cm seat height.
• UNO – 6450 (lounge chair) Lounge chair with a 120cm high backrest and 85cm deep seat, designed for exceptional comfort in hotel lobby and lounge settings.
• Cubo/Cube/CubIx series – 84650/84670/84680 (lounge chair and sofa system) Modular lounge seating system available in beech or oak with individually configurable width. Cubo 84650 chair (42cm seat height, 77cm wide, 78cm deep), Cube 84670 sofa, CubIx 84680 sofa (46cm seat height) plus chair variants 84670S and 84680S. Companion chair CubIIx 84690S offers multiple back cushion variants.
• Beatrice – 84260 (acoustic sofa/bench system) Versatile corner sofa that also functions as a bench, room divider, and acoustic furniture. High side panels and backrest reduce ambient noise and provide privacy. Available as two-seater, three-seater, or bench system with a solid beech frame.
• Bea – 84290 (corner sofa) Corner sofa with high side panels for privacy and comfort, built on a solid beech frame.
• Coccodrillo – 84740/84570 (lounge chair by Steffi-Maier Männle) Lounge chair designed by Steffi-Maier Männle, also offered as a fully upholstered stool and with or without a backrest.
• ColombA – 84410/84400 (lounge chair) Lounge chair available with a four-legged base or swivel base, backrest height 78cm.
• Stella – 84570 (lounge chair) Lounge chair with armrests, seat height 45cm, width 62cm, depth 60cm.
• Heidi – 1940 (fully upholstered stool/lounge chair) Fully upholstered stool/lounge chair with single-button upholstery on the seat surface.
• Zorro – 84600/1160 (upholstered bench and bar stool) Fully upholstered bench system (84600) and matching bar stool (1160) with seat height 80cm.
• Fred – 6116 (bar stool) Bar stool with 106cm backrest height.
• Luis – 1157 (bar stool) Bar stool with 100cm backrest height and 36cm width.
• Lamelles – 81300 (bench system) Bench system with back lamellas in veneer finish (back height 95cm, depth 64cm), available with full upholstered seat and as a high bench variant.
• Otto – 80322 (bench system) Bench system with seat height 47cm, back height 82cm, depth 56cm. Available with inlay seat cushion + full back upholstery, or back-only upholstery.
• Katherina – 80500 (bench system) Bench system with beech cheeks, back height 85cm. Available with full upholstery on seat and back.
• Massivo – 80120 (oak bench system) Bench system in oak with 47cm back height, available with a solid wood seat.
• Foresta – 81100 (bench system) Bench system with 90cm back height and 57cm depth. Seat available in solid wood, multiplex, or padded version.
• Roots – 81200 (bench system) Bench system available with solid wood seat and back.
• Journal – 81700 (bench system) Bench system available with full upholstered seat or plywood back, with back open or closed (81750).
• Centrale – 81800 (bench system) Bench system with padded seat and back plate.
• Elisabeth – 81520 (premium-upholstery bench system) Bench system featuring classic premium upholstery craftsmanship with options including piping quilting, Chesterfield or Chesterfield-style button tufting, welt seams, or piping trim. Depth 72cm.
• Elisa – 81515/81510 (fully upholstered high and standard bench) High fully upholstered bench system (81515) and standard bench (81510) featuring classic premium upholstery craftsmanship with options including piping quilting, Chesterfield or Chesterfield-style button tufting, welt seams, or piping trim.
• Isabella – 80110 (solid beech bench system) Bench system in solid beech with an optional fully upholstered seat.
• 7740S (cross-base table) Table with a cross-base frame, available as single or double column, including high tables, bistro tables, and lounge tables for restaurants, hotels, and bars.
• Therese – 84270 (sofa/bench for lounge settings) Sofa/bench combination suitable for lounge, hospitality, lobby, and waiting-area settings.
• Lissi – 81505 (sofa) Sofa model in the Steimel seating range for hospitality interiors.
• Lisa – 81500 (bench system) Bench system model in the Steimel seating range for restaurants and hospitality venues.
• Ritz – 83500 (fully upholstered bench/brewery bench) Fully upholstered bench system intended as brewery-style banquet seating (Brauereibank) for restaurants, inns, and bars.
• CubIx – 84680S (chair version of CubIx sofa) Chair version of the CubIx sofa (84680S), 68cm wide, for hotel, restaurant, bar, lobby, bistro, and bakery interiors.
• Cube – 84670S (chair version of Cube sofa) Chair variant of the Cube 84670 sofa, for hospitality and lobby use.
• CubIIx – 84690S (armchair with multiple back cushion variants) Armchair with multiple back cushion variants available, part of the Cube modular seating family.
• Heidi T – 1940T (stool with integrated tablet) Hocker mit Tablet — stool with integrated tablet, part of the Neuheiten (new products) range.
• Hari – 1950 (new portfolio product) New product in the Steimel Neuheiten (new products) range.
• Julia – 86225 (new sofa/armchair) New sofa/armchair product in the Steimel Neuheiten (new products) range.
• Reupholstery and refurbishment service (Auf-/Umpolsterung) Restoration and reupholstery service for existing Steimel furniture to extend product lifecycle. Targeted at hospitality operators with existing Steimel installations.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arper: Italian family-owned contract furniture manufacturer producing chairs, tables, and lounge seating for hospitality and office. Direct peer on hospitality seating and custom contract projects, with comparable customization capabilities and a similar European premium positioning.
• Brunner: German manufacturer of contract furniture (chairs, tables, lounge seating) targeting hotels, restaurants, and conference venues. Direct competitor in the German-speaking hospitality furniture market with overlapping product breadth and customization approach.
• Pedrali: Italian contract furniture maker specializing in chairs, tables, and lounge seating for hospitality, restaurant, and corporate environments. Direct competitor to Steimel in the European contract hospitality furniture segment, with broader scale and international distribution.
• Huppé: Canadian furniture maker producing dining chairs, tables, and lounge seating for residential and hospitality markets. Comparable to Steimel on solid-wood bentwood craftsmanship and customized hospitality seating, though operating regionally in North America.
• TON (Ton Bohemia): Czech bentwood seating manufacturer with deep heritage in the bentwood café/hospitality chair category (No. 14 chair). Highly direct peer to Steimel on bentwood chairs, bar stools, and hospitality seating, though operating from a lower-cost Czech production base.
• Gebrüder Thonet Vienna: Modern bentwood furniture producer continuing the Thonet bentwood tradition with café, lounge, and contract seating. Direct overlap with Steimel's bentwood (Bugholz) heritage and hospitality café/gastronomy target market across Central Europe.
• KOINOR: German upholstered furniture maker (Michael Koinor) specializing in sofas, lounge chairs, and bench systems with deep upholstery craftsmanship. Highly comparable to Steimel on bespoke upholstered seating for the German hospitality market, with overlapping craftsmanship and tradition positioning.
• Thonet: German bentwood and contract furniture manufacturer founded in 1819, also based in a traditional German furniture region. Thonet is the closest direct peer — same hospitality/gastronomy target market, same bentwood (Bugholz) heritage, similar customization and craftsmanship positioning. Steimel and Thonet compete head-to-head in German café and hotel seating.

Broad incumbents

• Moroso: Italian high-end upholstered seating manufacturer serving hospitality, residential, and contract markets. Comparable to Steimel on upholstered lounge chairs, sofas, and bespoke craftsmanship for hospitality projects, but at a larger, more international scale.
• Vitra: Swiss design furniture company with a broad portfolio spanning residential, office, and hospitality seating. Operates as a broad incumbent with strong brand, much larger scale, and global distribution — overlapping with Steimel in hospitality and lounge seating but serving a much wider customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/steimelgmbh/?hl=de
• Facebookfacebook.com/steimelgmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steimel-gmbh-sitzmoebelfarik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steimel