History of the STZ-RIM
All about the history of STZ-RIM
In order to survive and succeed in an increasingly complex and dynamic world, it is not only necessary to react agilely to changing environmental conditions, but at the same time to be aware of one's Roots to be aware of them in order to be able to build strong structures on them. The STZ-RIM are our roots. The Steinbeis Transfer Center for Computer Applications in Mechanical Engineering (STZ-RIM) is one of the most successful companies in the globally operating Steinbeis Network.
Founded in 1985 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Hoheisel and constantly growing, we have successfully applied and developed our knowledge and methods in companies over the years. The Steinbeis brand has stood for successful knowledge and technology transfer for decades.
How it all began
At the beginning of the 1980s, visionaries and founders met regularly in Karlsruhe to exchange ideas. Among them were Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Eigner and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Hoheisel.
In 1985, Martin Eigner decided to establish Eigner & Partner GmbH. As managing partner, he steered the fortunes of the company, which later made its way across the pond to Massachusetts, USA, where he continued to pursue his visions as CTO of Eigner Inc.
One of the partners immediately after the company was founded was Wolfgang Hoheisel, so it can be said that he was involved in the development of the concept from the very beginning. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) in the process.
In the same year, IBM knocked on Wolfgang Hoheisel's door, as it had a new CAD system called CATIA® from Dassault Systèmes and experts were sought who could train them.
Wolfgang Hoheisel then embarked on his own journey and founded STZ-RIM in 1985 as the 61st affiliated company within the Steinbeis Group. This was followed by an exclusive contract for CATIA® training courses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The winds of success carried STZ-RIM forward, and they became pioneers in Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) training and consulting.
In 1987, the Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH and STZ-RIM entered into a fruitful partnership, developed products together and conquered the market. Another milestone was reached.
At the same time, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Hoheisel took a further step and Transcat PLM GmbH was founded in 1987. This later became a 1001TP3 subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes and was a specialist and provider of PLM solutions. In 2015, the company was sold to the Addnode Group AB and merged with Technia to form TechniaTranscat.
STZ-RIM remained the beacon for training and consulting, while Transcat PLM GmbH set sail for the software landscape. 1988 marked another high point when STZ-RIM took over the CAD project at Heinrich Gillet GmbH & Co. KG (today Tenneco Automotive GmbH) was realized.
The years passed, and shortly before the turn of the millennium, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Hoheisel retired from active business at Transcat PLM GmbH. From then on, his attention turned to his role as Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and the further development of the STZ-RIM.
In 2013, a new person entered the story: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg W. Fischer was appointed Professor of Production Management, PLM and Digitalization at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. At the request of Wolfgang Hoheisel, Jörg W. Fischer also joined STZ-RIM as a partner in the same year.
2020 took over Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg W. Fischer the sole management of STZ-RIM. This handover from one generation to the next is an inspiring example of the success of seamless change. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Hoheisel is still available as a consultant and advisor if required and is always welcome to join the team. And so the fascinating story of the STZ-RIM continues, while the city of Karlsruhe remains a place for visionaries.
