It all began in 1921 with the first Schwenk time switch.
Since then, a lot has happened in the history of Theben. In this section you can find out more about 100 years of eventful company history, the products and of course the people behind them.
100 years of change - the corporate film
Times are changing. The challenges change. The solutions that have to be found are always different. And yet one thing remains the same: the courage to face new challenges again and again.
Theben has been demonstrating this courage for 100 years. Time and again, the family-owned company has taken on the challenges of the time and developed solutions for a better future with heart and soul, commitment and passion.
Immerse yourself in "100 years of change" - and even that is only the beginning...
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The first one turns off the light
At some point in 1921, the light went out automatically for the first time in the stairwell of an apartment building in Stuttgart. The trigger was the swivel switch, the time switch with which Paul Schwenk had just started his own apparatus manufacture. Nobody yet knows the name, but building automation is born. It is the hour of birth of Theben.
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A postcard from the past
In the midst of preparing for the anniversary year, Paul Sebastian Schwenk stumbled upon a postcard written by his great-grandfather, in which he described starting the company to his parents. One hundred years later, this postcard was a nice surprise for those reading it.
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From those who were there ...
Former employees still remember their defining experiences from their time at Theben.
Take a look at some extracts from the video interviews.
Worth reading and seeing “100 years of building automation” – the anniversary book
To celebrate Theben’s 100th birthday, we have written an enthralling book documenting the history of the company and the story of the people behind it, which also records milestones in product development and includes many touching and funny stories.
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Virtual exhibition
For all those who did not have the opportunity to visit our exhibition at Haigerloch Castle in the anniversary year 2021, we offer a virtual option to discover more about the history of Theben and the people behind the history with our 3D tour.
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