Schleicher Electronic GmbH und Co. KG is a medium-sized technology company based in Berlin.
The company develops and produces control systems (CNC) for automation engineering. In addition, Schleicher Electronic also has experience in the field of functional safety engineering.
Schleicher Electronic collaborates with internationally known research facilities, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes and the Technische Universität Berlin. The company is additionally a member of SERCOS International e.V. – an open, real-time interface for drives.
The company was founded by Otto Schleicher as “Schleicher Relais Werke” in Berlin in 1937. In 1958, the “Schleicher Relais Werke” presented the MZ 54 time-delay relay at the very first industrial trade fair in Hannover. At that time, it was the first multifunctional time-delay relay in the world, and due to its purely electromechanical basis is still used in many ways. Electromechanical and, later, electronic time-delay relays were and are sold in large numbers around the world and made “Schleicher Relais Werke” internationally known.
In 1976, one of the first programmable controllers (PLC) was developed at Schleicher and introduced to the market. In collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute, an NC kernel was developed in 1983, which Schleicher Electronic took over completely. The company is one of the few CNC manufacturers with their own software kernel.
In 1986, the company received the Berlin-Brandenburg Innovation Prize for an “Online Curve Interpolator” for generating free-form curves (in NC machines). In 1988, the Promodul-U CNC-RC-PLC system was introduced and safety control devices were introduced to the market in 1989. In 1995, production was changed from assembly-belt production to group-workstations; at the time a very new concept. Starting 2003, Schleicher Electronic became part of the Wieland Group. In this phase, Wieland incorporated Schleicher into the parent company in significant product areas and discontinued a series of product developments. At that time, Schleicher was essentially a production and development company and dependent on the sales department of the parent company, until the latter sold the company to Aurelius AG in 2007. After reorganisation, the expansion of the sales department and establishment in the Asian market, Aurelius AG sold the company in the summer of 2013 to entrepreneur Sven Dübbers.
1937: Company founded by Otto Schleicher in Berlin as ‘Schleicher Relais Werke’ in Berlin.
1958: Development of the first multifunctional time-delay relay – a.k.a. time relay - in the world. Renamed as ‘Schleicher Relaisbau KG’.
1959: Market share of 33 percent was achieved in West Germany in special relays and special productions.
1971: Development of integrated plastic mechanisms for relays - from 260 individual parts to 80 precision parts. Moved to the current site in the Berlin district of Spandau.
1974: Change of name to ‘Schleicher GmbH & Co. Relais-Werke KG’.
1976: Development and market introduction of the first programmable controller.
1983: Acquisition of the NC kernel from the Fraunhofer institute.
1984: Gesellschaft für technische Datenverarbeitungssysteme mbH (GEDAS) was founded together with Volkswagen.
1985: Development of production robots, amongst other things, for the automotive industry
1986: The company received the Berlin-Brandenburg Innovation Prize for an ‘Online Curve Interpolator’, a software development for complex curve programming.
1988: Schleicher linked PLC and CNC functionalities in a common data structure: the Promudul-U control system.
1989: Portfolio expanded to include safety relay devices.
1995: Converted from assembly-belt production to group-workstations; at the time a very new concept.
1997: RIO I/O system using microLine field bus SPS.
2000: PC-based control technology - ProNumeric linked sensor technology and the Internet.
2002: Start of XCx control line using Ethernet interface.
2003: Schleicher became part of the Wieland Electric Group and was given its current name ‘Schleicher Electronic GmbH & Co. KG’. Market introduction of safety control devices.
2004: Expansion of the XCx line.
2005: Supplied the environmental-technology market segment.
2007: The Aurelius AG group of companies took over Schleicher Electronic, restructured the company and started to access new markets, mainly in Asia.
2009: Schleicher presented "mocap": intuitive robot teaching that does not require programming knowledge.
2010: High-speed laser control using the newly developed XSL module.
2013: Entrepreneur Sven Dübbers (Hamburg) bought Schleicher Electronic from Aurelius AG. Expansion of the product portfolio to include EES (Electronic Engineering Services) and EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services).
Industrial control and automation technology
Programmable controllers (PLC), including integrated ones
Computerised numerical control (CNC) controllers
Human machine interface (HMI) (operating devices, visualisation)
Software (programming tools, implementation and diagnostic tools, simulation)
Decentralised input/output systems (I/O systems)
Electronic actuator technology
Customised controls/control systems for a wide range of industries
Implementation of product ideas
Drafting of specifications/functional requirements
Development/construction of hardware and software
Certification and licences
Production of prototypes and preproduction series
Logistics and material management
Production of SMDs (surface-mounted devices) and THT (through-hole technology)
Testing using modern test systems
Documentation of all production stages
Assembly of devices and components
Packing and shipping
Repair services and after-sales service
Life-cycle management
Safety relays
Measuring relays and monitoring relays
Time-delay relays and all-or-nothing relays
Implementation of product ideas
Drafting specifications and functional requirements
Development/construction of hardware and software
Certification and licences
Production of prototypes and pre-production series
Electronic products for automation, communication, harsh environmental conditions, etc.
Production of prototypes
Logistics and material management
Production of SMD and THT
Testing using modern test systems
Documentation of all production stages
Assembly of devices and modules
Packaging and shipping
Repair services and after-sales services
Life-cycle management
