Stertil through the years
At Stertil, we have a rich history that we cherish with pride. We come from a success story born from the combination of entrepreneurial spirit and outstanding skill. We have been offering technical services to a wide array of sectors such as the shipbuilding, petrochemical and telecommunications industries since the 70s. Today, our focus lies in the development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of vehicle lifting systems and loading dock systems. All Stertil Group products are underpinned by an extensive service organisation.
Together, we stand for high quality products and safe and sustainable solutions that can last for generations. Our products have always been developed with passion and client-focused innovation. The key to Stertil’s success lies in our products and people. We have a dedicated and experienced team that works closely with our partners, thereby creating added value.
Stertil is set up as an operating company of the Nederlandse Dock en Scheepbouwmaatschappij (NDSM) in Amsterdam.The company name derives from the village of Kootstertille where our offices and 8,000 m2 production plant are located. 
The company premises were officially opened by the Frisian Governor to the Queen on 12th December 1963.
New contracts for Wayne Starsweep for the cleaning of factory floors and outside sweeping machines. Insley also approach Stertil to produce heavy excavators for ground moving. Stertil is one of the few manufacturers of these machines in Europe at the time. The start of our heavy career!
Satellite ground stations in Burum, Friesland, contribute to telecommunications in the Netherlands.
The link was opened by Queen Juliana in 1973 with a call to the Dutch Ambassador in Washington DC, USA.
Across the Netherlands, Stertil helps with the construction of bridges. Providing important transport networks for the Dutch waterways. State-of-the-art counter-weight bridges are constructed in the Kootsterille factory helping to build the way for the Dutch transport and infrastructure network.
Stertil carries out numerous projects for the petrochemical industry.These projects include drilling platforms, fractionating columns and 66 m ventilation pipes for Shell.
In cooperation with Kelley, Stertil begins manufacturing dock levellers and with Frommelt dock shelters for loading bays, further strengthening the company with the mass production of branded products.
Stertil Dock Products expand in 1972 into the UK.Stertil UK was the first international company for Stertil Dock Products.
Stertil supplies the first condenser for the new power plant operated by the Provincial Electricity Company on the north side of Bergumer lake, which also supplies electricity to the Stertil plant.
The largest bow components ever constructed by Stertil, each 1,500 tonne in weight, are loaded onto a barge for transport to Rotterdam.
Koni Service is established due to the increase in sales of Stertil-Koni vehicle lifts.
Moving up, Stertil-Koni enters the vehicle lift market. The merger with Koni-Vehicle Lifts in Oud Beijerland provides more continuity to Stertil and reduces dependence on the volatile steel construction market.
A milestone in 1992 for Stertil-Kelley Dock Products. The production of the 30,000th dock leveller. A good reason to have a party!
A truely new innovation in the workshop, Stertil-Koni introduces the first mobile column vehicle lift, providing ultimate freedom and flexibility in the workshop. The mobile column makes lifting heavy vehicles possible anywhere and with greater efficiency.
Stertil becomes a global company with the establishment of Stertil-Koni USA. Supporting the multinational truck and bus companies.
A new subsidiary is formed in the USA Stertil-Koni USA, with a complete marketing & sales team and a network of exclusive Stertil-Koni distributors covering the whole of the USA, Canada and part of S. America.
Supporting local markets with a German Sales subsdiary for Stertil-Koni and Stertil Dock Products.
In health, safety and environment, Stertil is a forerunner in innovation around the loading bay. Stertil Dock Products designed the patented COMBILOK® vehicle restraint system in order to keep personnel and prevent accidents happening caused by vehicles trying to leave the dock before loading or unloading is complete.
Due to increased international demand Stertil starts a sales office in France in 1999.
Stertil-Koni Polska is a fact! A growing demand for Stertil-Koni vehicle lift solutions leads to a Stertil-Koni local sales office in Poland.
In 2002 Stertil acquires Equip'VI in France in order to be able to provide a complete range of workshop equipment products for the French market.
Getting to the top means standing out from the crowd. Market demand leads to a focus on heavy-duty vehicle lifts and to differentiating our company in this market segment. Stertil-Koni at the start of becoming the worldwide market leader in heavy duty vehicle lifting.
The first wireless mobile column lift ST1082 is launched at Autopromotec in Bologna, Italy, one of the largest vehicle trade fairs in Europe. The 8.2 tons per column mobile column vehicle lift operates by means of Bluetooth, creating a safe wireless vehicle lift system.
SKYLIFT® platform vehicle lift another patented design and a completely new product development. The original sturdy box construction designed to minimise the structure but be super robust, and offer freedom of movement in and round the lift.
A multi-year plan is developed to modernise production to a flow process.The Stertil-Group invests in the European production faclility with state-of-the-art automated welding laser robots and a new CNC laser cutter in order to increase productivity and efficency. At the same time new building renovations ensure that production personeel work in modern and climate controlled working conditions.
Stertil in Kootstertille, the Netherlands is aqcuired by the Kroymans Group, Hilversum Handelshuis Hagemeyer, a group of companies from the automotive industry.
A good match with an investor who stands for innovation in the production industry.
The launch of a "green" mobile column vehicle lift the EARHLIFT. The EARTHLIFT uses less energy and it creates its own energy upon descent, meaning 55 lifiting cycles are possible without recharging.
Takeover of the French service company Sofregi which is specialised in maintenance and repair of heavy duty vehicle lifts and has national coverage in France. In the same year there is the takeover in the Netherlands of the service activities of Lasaulec that provides Stokvis Service with qualified Service Engineers.
Stertil takes over ALM Corporation (Streator, Illinois) and adopts the scissor vehicle lift, the ECOLIFT (Manheim, Massachusetts). In the same year, ECOLIFT production moves to ALM, making Streator our central production facility in the USA.
In 2008 Stertil acquires SOFREGI SERVICES, a French garage equipment service company, for the complete maintenance, service and installation of the Stertil-Koni vehicle lifts and other garage equipment.
Taking a risk. The economy in Europe suffers severe recession and Stertil decides to invest instead of cutting back on costs. The next phase in the development of the Stertil Koostertille production facility is realised. Official opening is done by Mr. F. Kroymans, Owner of Citadel Enterprises and Mr. E. Nijpels Frisian Provincial Governor, with CEO of the Stertil Group, Mr. U.G. Bijlsma.
Further investment to meet demand for Stertil-Koni lifts in North America. The Stertil ALM production plant in Streator in Illinois is expanded further. A major investment has been made by the Stertil Group in the state-of-the art robotised welding line enabling an increase in productivity. Alongside this the overall working environment has been upgraded and work is in progress for the new mobile column lift assemly line. Stertil ALM is one of the flagship production locations for Stertil-Koni vehicle lifts
The Stertil identity worldwide. A global company needs a strong brand identity that is recognisable worldwide. Our new company corporate identity places Stertil on the map around the world.
The further expansion of the Stertil ALM production facility of 1 acre in Streator in the state of Ilinois, USA. Due to the increased demand in a wide range of Stertil-Koni vehicle lifts, additional production space ,as well as test and training faclities have been built on the existing site.
Stertil Interyapi in Levent Istabul, Turkey is established as the local sales office for Stertil Dock Products in the region. The Turkish economy is growing and there is an increased demand for loading bay equipment. The Stertl Group takes the opportunity to early invest in this expanding market.
Stokivs Equipment the Dutch sales subsidiary for Stertil-Koni products was awarded the Varta innovation award during the Autovak Rai in Amsterdam 2011.The Stertil-Koni EARTHLIFT is an innovation and a major step forward in the vehicle maintenance and repair industry by generating its own energy with the unique Active Energy Retrival System; 55 lifting cycles before recharging.
Due to the increased demand for Stertil products in the Dutch market the Stovis Service division of Stertil is increased and there are now a record number of Service Engineers providing installation and maintenance of both the Stertil-Koni vehicle lifts and Stertil Dock Products.
Stertil becomes a multinational with a company structure comprising the Stertil Group BV and operating companies of Stertil-Koni, Stertil Dock Products and the Stertil sales subsidiaries located strategically worldwide.The CEO and President is Mr. U.G. Bijlsma with four other Management Team members.
The product range is enhanced with the launch of the in-Ground piston lift the SKYLIFT that is produced at Stertil ALM in the USA. Stertil-Koni now offers a complete range of lifting systems for any type of commercial vehicle.
Joining forces in order to offer products and services, Stertil Equip'VI and SOFREGI SERVICES merge in 2013. The new name for the French service company is
Stertil SO-SERVICES.
The new SPL Dock Levellers provide a durable solution for retro-fit dock situations as well as providing a safe and versatile leveller for a wide range of vehicles.
The circle is complete after a 7 year master investment for total modernisation of the Stertil production facility. The official opening was done by Mr. F. Kroymans owner and investor of Stertil and Citadel Enterprises, Mr. J. Joritsma, Commissioner to the King for the Frisian province in the presence of the the local mayor and council members and other guests and employees.
Mr. U. J.Bijlsma, President & CEO of the Stertil Group was proud to announce that due to the support and belief in the company that Stertil is an example to other manufacturing companies.
Stertil-Koni introduces the newest in workshop technology with the introduction of ebright SMART Control System. The EARTHLIFT column-lift is the first mobile column lift to include a full colour 7" touch screen. With the toch of the screen up to 32 mobile column lifts can be operated for the full control of the mobile column lifts.
Stertil Dock Products create ultimately secure EDGEDOCK mini dock leveller. This leveller ensures that accidents are prevented by not allowing personnel by lorries backing up onto the dock.
Stertil wins the FME International Business award for the company’s contribution to the metal electric industry and for the new ebright SMART control system.
President & CEO Mr. U.J. Bijlsma presented how Stertil is committed to developing and continued innovation in the heavy vehicle lift and dock equipment industry and how over the years the Stertil Group has stood by the compnay strategy by making clear choices; working with local managment globally and differenting through SMART techniques.
In 2015 Stertil begins a sales office and production facilitiy in China in the Shandong province to produce Stertil-Koni heavy duty vehicle lifts for the local Asian markets.
The first order was placed the same year for the Qingdao local bus company.
Stertil Dock Products shows they are to the challenge in the fast-moving courier & parcel service distribution centre market.
Many large courier services aswell as the on-line web companies approached Stertil Dock Products for a soft but robust weather resistant dock shelter for fast and safe loading and unloading.
All Stertil-Koni Mobile Column Lift models feature ebright Smart Control System, meaning that also our cabled models feature all the functions ebright Smart Control System has to offer.
Stertil Group B.V. takes over the French sales company Dock Products France from their distributor Schiltz n.v. in Belgium. Stertil Dock Products France supply a complete range of loading bay equipment to the French market including loading bay dock doors and other accessories.
Stertil Dock Products launches the Next Level in Safety: the COMBILOK® G2. This automatic universal vehicle restraint system is answering the challenges of the modern day distribution centre.
The Stertil Group acquires Nussbaum Custom Lifts GmbH and Nussbaum World Lifts GmbH, in Kehl, Germany. A high quality manufacturer of world-class automotive light duty lifts.
The Stertil Group has been expanded considerably with 7,500 m2 of production and office space. The opening was performed by the Commissioner to the King for the Frisian Province.
Acquisition of the business activities of Beissbarth GmbH. The company Beissbarth Automotive Testing Solutions GmbH - manufacturer of world-class modern testing and service equipment - now belongs to the Stertil Group.
