About Us

1951  As a young engineer, Ernst Steiner had the vision that plastic film could be used for electrical capacitors, if it was possible to put a conductive material on a perfect base film. Up until this time, paper with metallized layers of zinc was known and used. The capacitors were very large. Mr. Steiner rented the Town Hall in the village of Schameder. He used the thinnest available film at the time - 12 micron thick polyester - and metalized it with aluminum. The metallized film capacitors were much smaller.
 

1953  Else and Ernst Steiner were married. During that year Steiner, KG was formed. Mr. Steiner also worked on prototype machines and equipment to metalize plastic foil and polyester for capacitors. To fund this early development, he sharpened the blades for the grass-cutting machines that farmers used, built vacuum gauges and laboratory machines for metallizing all kinds of materials. He became an expert in metallation.
 

1960  Mr. Steiner moved to Erndtebrück and rented a large barn. Now he was able to have a machine shop and a handful of machinists. He started selling metalizing machines and equipment for capacitor film in several countries. The first machines were used to metalize polyester from Kalle (Treofan) and polycarbonate from Bayer in Leverkusen (Covestro).
 

1966  Started construction on our first factory in Schameder - now our current location.
 

1967  We decided that Steiner KG would focus exclusively on producing products from our own metalizing equipment and stop making machines for general sale. This remains the core competence of the company today.
 

1968  "Steinerfilm" was registered worldwide as a trade name.
 

1969  Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film for capacitors was developed in conjunction with Mr. Theo Großekreuel from Kalle (Hoechst).  They were a great help in making BOPP a capacitor dielectric. The department eventually became Treophan GmbH & Co.
 

1972  Steinerfilm, Inc. was launched as a sales and distribution operation in Williamstown, MA. Steinerfilm, Inc. Sales grew quickly thanks to its premium quality. 
 

1978  The Williamstown operation began to metalize dielectric film in the US with equipment built by Steiner KG, our sister company.
 

1981  Steiner purchased and modified a polypropylene film line to ensure that there would be enough base film supply to meet the demand and located it in Williamstown.
 

1988   Ernst Steiner passed away. Mrs. Else Steiner carries forward the oversight of the companies that she along with her husband worked tirelessly to build. Their grandson, Marc Steiner is the CEO of Steiner KG.
 

1990  The company made additional investments in facilities to expand the metalizing operation and warehouse space in Williamstown, MA.
 

2000   All our factories are ISO Certified.
 

2013  Steinerfilm, Inc. celebrates 40 years of operation.
 

2018  Steiner KG celebrates their 65 year anniversary with Mrs. Steiner providing unwavering support of our companies.