History
As a manufacturer with production facilities in various regions of the world, Franz Joseph Schütte GmbH supplies trade customers throughout Europe with fittings for the kitchen and bathroom as well as shower products. Discover our company history and the milestones of a group of companies that has been growing steadily for decades..
Our origin
1976 Franz Joseph Schütte GmbH is founded in Wallenhorst near Osnabrück.
1985 specialisation in SCHÜTTE brand sanitary ware takes place in close cooperation with Italian partners.
1997 Björn Schütte, the second generation of the family, joins the management.
The foundation stone
2000 the establishment of an international network of production sites is begun, thus laying the foundation for further growth.
2008 the company has grown to over 25 employees, making it necessary to build a new administration building on Ringstraße in Wallenhorst.
2011 The pipe and fitting manufacturer KIRCHHOFF is taken over and incorporated into the company as W. Kirchhoff GmbH.
First enlargement
2014 ehe continuing growth once again requires a larger company building. In October, the topping-out ceremony takes place at Hullerweg 1.
2015 SEE Holding GmbH is founded and merged with Eisl Sanitär GmbH from Austria. The operational business of W. Kirchhoff GmbH is moved to the new location in Wallenhorst.
Second enlargement
2016 Franz Joseph Schütte GmbH celebrates its 40th anniversary.
2017 SEE Holding takes over the sanitary ware dealer MB Bad & Kitchen GmbH.
2019 the administration and logistics centre on Hullerweg is expanded by a second building to a total area of over 60,000 sqm.
The present
2020 WASSERWERK is founded as a brand for particularly high-quality fittings made in Germany. Production takes place at the Wallenhorst site.
In 2022, the entire group of companies at its location in Germany was confirmed as a climate-neutral company through CO2 compensation (certified by Fokus Zukunft).
2023 the company enters the US market with the newly founded company W. Kirchhoff Inc.