Alfred H. Schütte GmbH & Co. KG

Alfred H. Schütte GmbH & Co. KG is a German machine-tool manufacturer headquartered in Cologne (Köln). The company traces its origins to 1880, when Alfred Heinrich Schütte and Bernhard Schuchardt founded the import firm Schuchardt & Schütte in Berlin, initially importing quality steels and later high-grade machine tools. In 1905 Schütte separated from his partner and established the family company Alfred H. Schütte in Cologne, built around the idea of advising customers and solving their production problems rather than merely trading machines. The company began building its own machine tools in 1915 and has since become a specialist in two core product families: multi-spindle automatic lathes and precision grinding machines. Schütte's multi-spindle automatic lathes allow several machining steps to run in parallel, with multiple work spindles indexed through different stations so that a workpiece is completed step by step. Product lines include the cam-controlled G series (6 and 8 spindles, up to 20 mm bar capacity), the PC series with CNC and servo-hydraulic linear drives (6 and 8 spindles, up to 51 mm bar capacity), and the SCX series of CNC multi-spindle machines with up to 62 axes (6 to 9 spindles, up to 46 mm bar capacity). Its 5-axis CNC grinding machines are used both to manufacture and re-sharpen cutting tools and for the grinding pre-finishing and finishing of workpieces, with applications ranging from medical technology — such as grinding artificial knees or hip joints — to general precision manufacturing. The company is a family business now in its fourth generation of owner-management. Carl Martin Welcker, managing partner and great-grandson of the founder, took over the management of the company in 1993. Schütte operates through subsidiaries and sales and trading partners on several continents, with entities including Schütte-Mehrtech s.a.r.l. (France), Alfred H. Schütte S.A. (Spain), Schütte ITALIA S.r.l. (Italy), Schütte MSA, L.L.C. and Schütte TGM, L.L.C. (North America), Schütte Shanghai Office (China), Gosho Co. Ltd. (Japan), and Schütte Brasil (São Paulo). The Cologne group includes Alfred H. Schütte GmbH & Co. KG, Schütte Schleiftechnik GmbH, and Schütte Service Center GmbH. Schütte holds numerous patents and has repeatedly introduced industry firsts, including the first 4-axis contour-controlled tool and universal grinding machine (WU50CNC4, 1980) and the first fully CNC-controlled six-spindle automatic lathe with digital motor spindles (2003). The company markets its machines under the "Made in Germany" label and emphasizes precision, flexibility, and long-term value retention. Its Schütte Lifecycle-Service supports customers throughout the entire life of a machine, from initial acceptance to possible relocation. In 2012 the management thinker Hermann Simon counted Schütte among Germany's "Hidden Champions."

The company was founded in 1880 in Berlin by Alfred Heinrich Schütte (1854–1936) and Bernhard Schuchardt (1855–1913) under the name Schuchardt & Schütte, initially as an import agency for a British steel and tool dealer. From 1893 the firm also imported American turning, milling, grinding, and gear-cutting machines into Germany and across Europe. In 1902 it began manufacturing fixtures and tools in Cologne-Ehrenfeld and selling machines from well-known German manufacturers, and established branches in Stockholm, St. Petersburg, and New York. In 1905 Schütte separated from Schuchardt and founded the family company Alfred H. Schütte in Cologne, guided by the idea of advising customers and providing problem solutions. In 1910 he began building a dedicated plant on the Rhine meadows in Cologne-Poll, and in 1912 production of grinding and drilling machines started. In Berlin-Treptow the company built single- and multi-spindle high-speed drilling machines, universal milling machines, turret lathes, and profile automatic lathes. In 1915 Schütte introduced the four-spindle automatic lathe, and in 1919 it built its first tool and universal grinding machine. In 1934 the WU2, WU3, and WU4 tool grinding machine series was presented. After the death of Alfred Heinrich Schütte in 1936, all shares passed to his son Alfred Hugo Schütte. From 1937, four- and six-spindle automatic lathes of the "B" series were produced. After the First World War, machine imports were rebuilt. The Great Depression forced the sale of subsidiaries. In 1940 the multi-spindle automatic lathe with independently controlled longitudinal slides was developed, a principle known among specialists worldwide as the "Schütte design" or "Schütte block." After 1945 the plant, almost completely destroyed in the war, had to be rebuilt; reconstruction was largely completed by 1955 with the celebration of the company's 75th anniversary. In 1953 Schütte filed a patent for the spatial-diagonal grinding head. In 1958 the "E" series was developed on the same principle for workpieces with smaller diameters. Claus Welcker, grandson of the founder, took over management of the Schütte works in 1965. The "F" series developed in 1970 was particularly successful, achieving high sales in all sizes and still regarded in many respects as the standard machine in the multi-spindle market. In 1969 Schütte presented the WU32, WU50, and WU63 tool grinding machine series. In 1980 Schütte presented the first 4-axis contour-controlled tool and universal grinding machine WU50CNC4 as a world first. In the following years there were further developments of 2-axis and 3-axis contour-controlled grinding machines, and the WU50CNC size was supplemented by WU32CNC and WU63 CNC. In 1988 Schütte presented the WU500/750 CNC 4 tool and universal grinding machine series with contour control and the first 6-axis contour-controlled tool and universal grinding machine WU500/750CNC6. Carl Martin Welcker, great-grandson of the founder, took over management of the company in 1993. The EMO 1999 in Paris was the birth of the new 305 grinding machine series, characterized by a particularly stable yet compact design. In 2003 the first fully CNC-controlled six-spindle automatic lathe with digital motor spindles was presented to the public. A further development of the SCX series was first shown at AMB 2010, and the successful 305 series was expanded. At GrindTec 2012 Schütte showed the first grinding machine of the new 325 series. The company is currently owner-managed in the fourth generation. Hermann Simon counted Schütte among the Hidden Champions in 2012.

• 2010

  Presented a further development of the SCX series at AMB.

• 2003

  Presented the first fully CNC-controlled six-spindle automatic lathe with digital motor spindles.

• 1999

  EMO Paris marked the birth of the new 305 grinding machine series.

• 1993

  Carl Martin Welcker, great-grandson of the founder, took over management.

• 1988

  Presented the WU500/750 CNC 4 series and the first 6-axis contour-controlled grinding machine WU500/750CNC6.

• 1980

  Presented the world's first 4-axis contour-controlled tool and universal grinding machine WU50CNC4.

• 1970

  Developed the highly successful "F" series of multi-spindle automatic lathes.

• 1969

  Presented the WU32, WU50, and WU63 tool grinding machine series.

• 1965

  Claus Welcker, grandson of the founder, took over management.

• 1958

  Developed the "E" series for smaller workpiece diameters.

• 1955

  Celebrated the company's 75th anniversary, marking the near-completion of post-war reconstruction.

• 1953

  Filed a patent for the spatial-diagonal grinding head.

• 1940

  Developed the multi-spindle automatic lathe with independently controlled longitudinal slides ("Schütte design").

• 1937

  Began producing four- and six-spindle automatic lathes of the "B" series.

• 1936

  After the death of Alfred Heinrich Schütte, all shares passed to his son Alfred Hugo Schütte.

• 1934

  Presented the WU2, WU3, and WU4 tool grinding machine series.

• 1919

  Built its first tool and universal grinding machine.

• 1915

  Built its first four-spindle automatic lathe.

• 1912

  Started production of grinding and drilling machines.

• 1910

  Began building its own plant on the Rhine meadows in Cologne-Poll.

• 1905

  Alfred Heinrich Schütte separated from Schuchardt and founded Alfred H. Schütte in Cologne.

• 1902

  Started manufacturing fixtures and tools in Cologne-Ehrenfeld; branches in Stockholm, St. Petersburg, and New York.

• 1893

  Began importing American turning, milling, grinding, and gear-cutting machines into Germany and Europe.

• 1880

  Founded in Berlin as Schuchardt & Schütte, an import firm for quality steels and later machine tools.

Premium German machine-tool builder specializing in highly productive multi-spindle automatic lathes and precision grinding machines, marketed under "Made in Germany" with a focus on efficiency, accuracy, and long-term value retention.

• G series multi-spindle automatic lathes

  Cam-controlled machines, optionally with CNC functions; 6 and 8 spindles, up to 20 mm bar capacity.

• PC series multi-spindle automatic lathes

  CNC machines with servo-hydraulic linear drives; 6 and 8 spindles, up to 51 mm bar capacity.

• SCX series CNC multi-spindle lathes

  CNC multi-spindle machines with up to 62 axes; 6 to 9 spindles, up to 46 mm bar capacity.

• 305 series grinding machines

  Grinding machine series introduced at EMO 1999, characterized by a stable and compact design.

• 325 series grinding machines

  New grinding machine series first shown at GrindTec 2012.

• WU series tool and universal grinding machines

  Tool and universal grinding machines, including the WU50CNC4 (first 4-axis contour-controlled) and WU500/750CNC6 (first 6-axis contour-controlled).

1. 1Schütte official websiteschuette.de
2. 2Geschichte (History)schuette.de
3. 3Wikidata: Alfred H. Schütte GmbH & Co. KGwikidata.org
4. 4Wikipedia (German): Alfred H. Schütte (Unternehmen)de.wikipedia.org