One hundred years on from its humble beginnings in Germany, creating added value for customers through innovation has been the driving force behind the family-owned company from the very beginning and remains the key to industrial automation specialist Festo’s success today.
With its constant determination to make people’s work easier and thus increase efficiency, Festo has shaped an entire era of industrial production.
Today, the company is a global player and a front runner in automation technology, as well as a world leader in technical education and training. Festo’s anniversary is being celebrated with employees, customers, and partners worldwide throughout the year.
From the very beginning, Festo has focused on innovation, responsibility, and the future. And it is the people who still make all the difference.
“Festo is the work of many hands” – this saying of the company’s founder Gottlieb Stoll is still the guiding principle for management and staff worldwide.
In 1925, he and Albert Fezer founded the company Fezer & Stoll for woodworking machines in Esslingen am Neckar. Albert Fezer left the company shortly afterwards, and Gottlieb Stoll continued to run the company on his own.
The second generation of owners laid the foundation for the company as it is now. Dr H. C. Kurt Stoll brought the idea of pneumatics from the USA to Germany in 1950 and, as a pioneer in his father’s company, developed it further. This marked the start of pneumatics at Festo and paved the way for its use in factory automation.
Internationalisation played a vital role in the ongoing development of Festo. Dr Wilfried Stoll concentrated on developing the international markets and establishing national companies.
In 2000, the owners separated the power tools division from the rest of the company and established it as an independent company under the name Festool GmbH.
Education a key theme
Lifelong learning is firmly rooted in the corporate culture at Festo. This is because successful companies need people who understand, develop, and can apply technologies.
Training and developing competencies are thus fundamental success factors for a flourishing workforce. That is why Festo Didactic was established as a worldwide, independent division as early as 1965.
The inventive spirit of Dr Wilfried Stoll and Dr Stoll, their holistic thinking and approach, and their positive customer-oriented perspective have had a lasting impact on the company.
Today, Festo is one of the leading automation companies worldwide and, with Festo Didactic, the world market leader in technical education and training.
Uncle Festo says ‘Thank you’
Thomas Böck, member of the management board, Festo: “In 2025, we want to say thank you to our customers, partners, and employees and celebrate this unforgettable anniversary with them.”
Anniversary activities will take place throughout the year, both in Germany and in the more than 60 Festo companies worldwide – with “thank you” parties for employees, school days for the young talents of tomorrow, customer events, and press events.
For representatives of the press and visitors who are enthusiastic about technology, the world’s leading industrial fair, the Hannover Messe, will have a special highlight in store.
Böck says: “The project is still top secret. What we can say is that it showcases our wide range of skills, our broad expertise, our passion for innovation, and our aspiration to make the impossible possible.”
Definitive boost
The Hannover Messe will be a strong start, and that momentum will continue throughout the year. There will be, for example, worldwide “Innovation Days”, where Festo will use a new format to share future trends, technologies, and innovations with customers and partners.
Thomas Böck says: “In our anniversary year, we are very much looking to the future since we see it as our responsibility to use our innovations in automation and technical education to help solve the most pressing challenges facing industry and society, and to play a key role in driving industrial transformation as a solution provider.”
In the future, topics such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, biologisation, and the circular economy will give automation a new boost and, in addition, inspire future generations. Festo will be making a considerable contribution to moving these developments forward.
Guiding principle
The anniversary will also be the kick-off for an ongoing company-wide initiative to strengthen Festo’s guiding principle of social responsibility for sustainable development.
Böck says: “Our Corporate Citizenship Program underscores our belief that companies should not only pursue economic goals, but also play a significant part in society.”
As part of the program, all 20,000 employees worldwide can spend one day working on a charitable initiative.
Böck says: “This anniversary is not only a cause for celebration, but also a reminder of what is possible with solidarity, trust, passion, quality, and innovation. Together, we look ahead with confidence to a promising future.”
- Main image: The Management Board of Festo SE in its anniversary year (from left to right)
Dr. Sebastian Beck, Member of the Management Board Finance and Human Resources
Dr. Ansgar Kriwet, Member of the Management Board Research and Development
Dr. Jaroslav Patka, Member of the Management Board Operations
Thomas Böck, Chairman of the Management Board
Frank Notz, Member of the Management Board Sales
Grhard Borho, Member of the Management Board Information Technology and Digitalisation
