Milestones in the development of business and product

1880 - The import company Schuchardt & Schütte is founded in Berlin. 

Company activities concentrate initially on the import of quality steels and later move on to the import of high-quality machine tools.

1905 - Alfred Heinrich Schütte ends the business relationship with his partner and founds a trading company in Cologne. Not only superior machine tools are now marketed from the new head office in Cologne. The guiding concept for the new company is consultation and problem solutions for customers.

1910 - The continuously expanding in-house production program means that Schütte has to build its own plant. The foundation stone is laid for the new works on the meadows along the river Rhine at Köln-Poll.

1915 - The first Schütte four-spindle automatic is built. The V48 series of the 1920s stands for precision in the mass production of turned parts.

1919 - The first universal tool and cutter grinder is built. In accordance with the company philosophy, the objective was to act as a full-line provider that not only supplies the actual lathes but also the machines on which the cutting tools they use are made.

1934 -  Schütte introduces the universal tool grinding machine series WU2, WU3 and WU4.

1936 - After the death of Alfred Heinrich Schütte, all company shares are passed on to his heirs who continue the company business in its previous form. Alfred Hugo Schütte, the son of Alfred Heinrich Schütte, becomes the new managing director. The Schütte family holds 100% of the company share up to the present day.

From 1937 onwards, four- and six-spindle automatic lathes in the "B" series are produced.

In 1940, the first multi-spindle automatic with an independently controlled longitudinal slide is built – a principle that will later become known as the "SCHÜTTE DESIGN". Due to the turbulent war years, this "D" series not introduced to the market until the war has ended. The Schütte Block with the convex longitudinal slides – basis of the further company success – is patented in 1940.

1945 – the end of the war. The Schütte plant was almost completely destroyed in the 2nd World War. After rebuilding of the factory, the multi-spindle automatics in the "B" series developed before the war become the success model.

1953 - Schütte introduces the body diagonal grinding head, which uses a gimble for simple and fast setting of helix and clearance angles without tables for producing and sharpening cylindrical cutter and registers the patent.

In 1955, the Schütte plant celebrates its 75th anniversary. Rebuilding is almost complete and it was possible to restore most of the old trade relationships.

In 1958, the multi-spindle automatic "E" series is developed according to the same principle for workpieces with smaller diameters. Vertical camshafts in the drive housing characterise the "E" series.

Emil Braun becomes interim managing director because, after the death of Alfred Hugo Schütte, no family-internal managing director was available.

1965 - Dr. Claus Welcker, the grandson of the company founder, takes over management of the Schütte plants.

The multi-spindle automatics in the "F" series developed in 1970 are particularly successful. A transmission system free of deflexion provides powerful longitudinal slide drives. The sales figures for all frame sizes in the series were high. In many respects, the F series still represents the standard for cam-operated automatics today. 

1969 - Schütte introduces the tool grinding machine series WU32, WU50, WU63.

1978 sees the arrival of a closed series of six- and eight-rod and chuck automatics in the new "F" series. For the first time, customers can select a single machine tuned to their tasks.

In 1980, the company celebrates it 100th year of business since company foundation.

In the same year, Schütte introduces the world's first 4-axis path-controlled tool and universal grinding machine WU50CNC4. The following years see further developments in the area of 2-axis and 3-axis path-controlled grinding machines. The design size WU50CNC is replaced by the sizes WU32CNC and WU63 CNC.

1988 - Schütte introduces the tool and universal grinding machine series WU500/750 CNC 4 with path control and the first 6-axis path-controlled tool and universal grinding machine WU500/750CNC6.

1990 - Schütte produces the first tool and universal grinding machine in the series WU400 as 4- and 5-axis machines with path control.

1993 - The great-grandson of the company founder, Carl Martin Welcker, takes over management of the company.

1993 - Participation in Gosho

1993 - New construction of the production hall on the eastern side for large part machining

1995 - Schütte presents two innovations:

The CNC six-spindle automatic S 32 PC is the first CNC controlled multi-spindle automatic based on the SCHÜTTE DESIGN. Its development goes back to the year 1992. The main characteristics are the modularly upgradable compound slides, longitudinal and/or cross, compact longitudinal slide units. They represent the latest stage of development with regard to precision and make delicate precision-setting possible.

This is followed by the fastest Schütte six-spindle automatic, the SG 18, a completely new development with a maximum working spindle speed of n = 10,000 rpm. The identifying feature of the "G" series is the Hirth coupling. It further increases the precision of the spindle drum positioning in the housing. Greater accuracy and a special work spindle mounting permit faster work.