Festo

Corporate brand

A family-owned German supplier of pneumatic, electric and digital automation technology, industrial training systems and technical education.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Festo SE & Co. KG is the principal automation-technology company of the family-owned Festo Group, headquartered in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany. The company supplies components, systems, software and services used to automate manufacturing and process operations. Its portfolio spans pneumatic automation, electric drive and motion technology, control systems, sensors, handling equipment, robotics, vacuum technology, machine-vision-related applications, industrial communication and digital production tools. Festo also operates in technical education through Festo Didactic, which provides learning systems, laboratories, curricula, instructor training and consulting for schools, universities, vocational institutions and industrial employers. The business began in April 1925 as Fezer & Stoll, a manufacturer of woodworking machinery founded by Albert Fezer and Gottlieb Stoll. The Festo name derives from the founders' surnames. After Fezer departed, Gottlieb Stoll continued to lead the company, and the Stoll family remained central to its ownership and management. The company entered pneumatics after Kurt Stoll encountered the technology at a trade fair in Chicago in 1950. Festo introduced its first pneumatic products in 1955, establishing the direction that would eventually make automation its core business. Festo expanded internationally from the 1950s onward, opening an Italian subsidiary in 1956 and establishing Festo Australia in 1967 as its first subsidiary outside Europe. Production and administration were consolidated at the Esslingen-Berkheim site in 1962, while another important manufacturing facility was acquired in Rohrbach, Saarland, in 1968. During the 1970s, the company broadened its expertise into electronics, sensors and control engineering. Its first programmable logic controller, the FPC 606, was introduced in 1979. The valve terminal launched in 1989 and integrated pneumatic valves with electrical control functions, becoming an important example of Festo's systems-oriented approach. Festo serves industries including automotive and automotive supply, electrical and electronics manufacturing, packaging, food and beverage, life sciences, intralogistics, semiconductor production and emerging hydrogen applications. Typical customer applications include gripping, positioning, joining, rotating, holding, testing, inspection and material handling. Festo combines standard products with engineered systems, application support, software and training, positioning itself as a high-end industrial automation partner rather than merely a component vendor. Innovation is a prominent part of the brand. The Festo Bionic Learning Network works with universities, research organizations and other partners to translate biological principles into engineering concepts. Demonstrators such as SmartBird, BionicOpter, BionicSwift, BionicBee and AirJelly have been used to explore lightweight structures, distributed actuation, flying systems and new forms of movement. Festo also investigates superconducting transport and levitation through SupraMotion and develops digital tools for machine operation, maintenance, production monitoring and production-data analysis, including artificial-intelligence applications. The company states that it invests more than eight percent of annual revenue in research and development. Festo's education business has roots in the 1960s, when the company began producing training materials to help users understand pneumatic technology. Festo Didactic became the independent education company of the group in 1980. Festo has supported WorldSkills International since 1991 and became a Global Premium Partner in 2025. In that role it supports skills competitions and training in fields such as mechatronics, water technology, Industry 4.0 and renewable energy. Festo and Festool were separated through a corporate division in 2000 and have since operated as independent corporate groups. Festo remains an active, privately held international group. Its current strategic themes include connected automation, energy-efficient production, technical skills development, bionics, digitalization and sustainability. In 2025, the company marked its centenary with future-technology presentations at Hannover Messe, while its greenhouse-gas reduction targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative in February of that year.

History

Festo began in April 1925 in Esslingen am Neckar as Fezer & Stoll, a partnership founded by Albert Fezer and Gottlieb Stoll to manufacture woodworking machinery. The company’s early products included stationary and portable machines for carpentry and wood processing. In 1926, it filed a patent for a universal woodworking machine. Fezer left the company after several years, leaving Gottlieb Stoll responsible for its further development. The Festo name, derived from the founders’ surnames, became the principal brand identity during the 1930s. The company’s first major transformation came after World War II. In 1950, Kurt Stoll encountered pneumatic technology at a trade fair in Chicago and recognized that compressed-air systems could become important in industrial automation. Festo began manufacturing pneumatic products in 1955, creating a new business direction that ultimately displaced woodworking machinery as the center of the company. The early pneumatic portfolio included cylinders and other components for industrial applications. Festo also began internationalizing its operations, establishing its first foreign subsidiary in Italy in 1956 and expanding into additional European markets. Festo Australia, founded in 1967, became its first subsidiary outside Europe. Festo consolidated administration and production at its Esslingen-Berkheim pneumatics facility in 1962 and added a production location in Rohrbach, Saarland, in 1968. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company expanded beyond conventional pneumatics into electronics, sensor technology, control engineering and technical education. Festo’s educational work began with training programs and manuals intended to help employees, customers and apprentices understand pneumatic systems. The activity was named Festo Didactic in 1976 and became an independent company in 1980. Electronic control development began in the 1970s. Festo introduced the FPC 606 programmable controller around 1979–1980, marking a deeper move into electronic automation. The company continued to combine pneumatic components with electronic control, sensing and communication. In 1989, it introduced the valve terminal, integrating multiple pneumatic valves and their electrical control functions into a compact modular assembly. The valve terminal simplified installation and helped establish Festo as a systems-oriented automation supplier rather than merely a component manufacturer. In the following decades, Festo broadened its portfolio into electric drives, servo technology, handling systems, industrial robotics, software and digital engineering. It retained pneumatics as a core competence while building integrated solutions that combine pneumatic, electric and digital technologies. The company’s products became widely used in factory and process automation across automotive, electronics, food and beverage, packaging, logistics, life sciences, semiconductors and other industries. Research and demonstration projects became an important part of Festo’s public identity. The Bionic Learning Network brought together engineers, universities and research partners to investigate how biological principles could inform automation design. Projects such as SmartBird, BionicOpter, BionicSwift, BionicBee, AirJelly and the Bionic Handling Assistant presented alternative approaches to lightweight movement, distributed actuation, flexible structures and adaptive handling. Festo received the German Future Prize in 2010 for the Bionic Handling Assistant. Beginning in 2013, the company also pursued SupraMotion research into superconducting systems capable of contactless levitation and movement. Festo’s business history also includes the separation of its woodworking and power-tool activities. The woodworking-tools division was placed in a separate entity in 1992 and, following a corporate division in 2000, became the independent Festool group. Festo and Festool continued as separate family-owned corporate groups under Stoll-family ownership. Festo thereafter focused more clearly on industrial automation and technical education. The company expanded into digitalization, artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, laboratory automation and medical technology. LifeTech became a distinct business area in 2015, serving laboratory and medical applications with equipment for liquid handling, sample handling and related automation tasks. In 2018, Festo acquired Resolto Informatik, strengthening its capabilities in industrial artificial intelligence and data analysis. Digital twins, connected control systems, cloud-linked production data and AI-enabled applications subsequently became recurring elements of Festo’s product and strategy communications. During the 2020s, Festo emphasized energy-efficient automation, hydrogen applications, battery manufacturing, circularity, resource efficiency and climate targets. It celebrated its centenary in 2025 with a global anniversary program and future-technology demonstrations. The company reported that its science-based climate targets were validated in 2025, including a net-zero greenhouse-gas ambition across its value chain by 2050. As of 2026, Festo remains an independent, privately owned global supplier with approximately 20,600 employees, operations in about 60 countries, services available in 176 countries and a business model built around automation technology, innovation and technical learning.

2026
Tomas Smetana joins the Management Board
[6]New Member of the Management Board Research and Development at Technology Leader Festopress.festo.com
Tomas Smetana becomes responsible for Research and Development and assumes the Chief Technology Officer role.
2025
Festo celebrates 100 years
[11]Festo Celebrates its Centenary — 100 Years in Motion!press.festo.com
Festo marks its centenary with anniversary events, future-technology exhibits and customer and employee activities.
2025
Science-based climate targets are validated
[9]Festo Sustainability Report 2025festo.com
Festo reports validation of its greenhouse-gas reduction targets by the Science Based Targets initiative.
2018
Resolto Informatik is acquired
[15]Resolto Informatik is acquiredfr.wikipedia.org
Festo acquires Resolto Informatik to strengthen industrial artificial intelligence and data-analysis capabilities.
2015
LifeTech becomes a distinct business area
[14]LifeTech becomes a distinct business areafesto.com
Festo establishes LifeTech as a separate focus area for medical technology and laboratory automation.
2013
Industry 4.0 engagement expands
[13]Valve terminal introducedfesto.com
Festo becomes a founding and steering member of a German Industry 4.0 concept committee, according to company historical materials.
2010
Bionic Handling Assistant receives German Future Prize
[1]Festo — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The flexible robotic handling concept developed through Festo’s bionic research receives the German Future Prize.
2006
Bionic Learning Network is established
[13]Valve terminal introducedfesto.com
Festo creates a research network to translate biological principles into technical and automation applications.
2000
Festo and Festool become independent groups
[11]Festo Celebrates its Centenary — 100 Years in Motion!press.festo.com
The woodworking and power-tool activities are separated from Festo and continue independently under the Festool name.
1992
Woodworking-tools division separated
[1]Festo — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
Festo places its woodworking-tools activities into a separate entity, preparing the later corporate separation that produced Festool.
1991
WorldSkills partnership begins
[10]Festo Sustainability Report 2024festo.com
Festo begins its partnership with WorldSkills International to support international technical skills competitions.
1989
Valve terminal introduced
[13]Valve terminal introducedfesto.com
Festo launches a modular valve-terminal concept that combines pneumatic valves and electrical control in one integrated system.
1979
FPC 606 programmable controller
[12]The Festo name becomes establishedfesto.com
Festo introduces the FPC 606, an early freely programmable electronic controller that expands its automation capabilities.
1976
Festo Didactic name is introduced
[1]Festo — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The company’s education business is renamed Festo Didactic as its training activities expand.
1965
Technical education activities begin
[11]Festo Celebrates its Centenary — 100 Years in Motion!press.festo.com
Festo develops training materials, learning equipment and educational services for pneumatic technology.
1956
International expansion begins
[2]History of Festofesto.com
Festo establishes its first international subsidiary in Italy.
1955
Festo Pneumatic is launched
[12]The Festo name becomes establishedfesto.com
Festo introduces its first pneumatic products and starts the business transformation toward industrial automation.
1950
Pneumatics enters the company’s strategy
[2]History of Festofesto.com
Kurt Stoll encounters pneumatic technology in the United States and begins developing its industrial potential for Festo.
1933
The Festo name becomes established
[12]The Festo name becomes establishedfesto.com
The company adopts the shortened Festo name derived from the founders’ surnames.
1926
Universal woodworking-machine patent
[2]History of Festofesto.com
The young company files a patent application for a versatile universal woodworking machine.
1925
Fezer & Stoll is founded
[2]History of Festofesto.com
Albert Fezer and Gottlieb Stoll establish a woodworking-machinery company in Esslingen am Neckar.

Products and positioning

Festo positions itself as an innovation-led, quality-focused partner for industrial automation and technical education. Its differentiation rests on combining pneumatic, electric and digital technologies with application engineering, global service, customer-specific solutions and workforce qualification. The company emphasizes long-term family ownership, productivity, energy efficiency, human-machine collaboration and the integration of automation with learning.

Industrial automation · 1955
Pneumatic automation
Festo’s pneumatic portfolio includes cylinders, actuators, valves, valve terminals, compressed-air preparation units, vacuum generators, grippers and related accessories. These products are used to move, clamp, grip, position, test and handle parts in automated machinery. Pneumatics remains the company’s historical core and is often combined with sensors, controllers, fieldbus systems and digital monitoring tools.
Industrial automation · 2005
Electric automation
The electric-automation portfolio covers electric actuators, servo motors, servo drives, controllers, handling systems, linear motion products and industrial robots. It supports applications requiring programmable motion, positioning accuracy, synchronized axes, higher flexibility or integration with digital control architectures. Festo presents electric automation as complementary to, rather than a replacement for, its pneumatic technologies.
Pneumatic control · 1989
Valve terminals
Festo valve terminals combine multiple pneumatic valves with electrical control and communication functions in modular assemblies. The concept reduces wiring and installation complexity and allows pneumatic functions to be integrated more efficiently into automated production equipment. Later generations have added diagnostic, networking, remote-I/O and digitalization capabilities.
Technical education · 1965
Festo Didactic learning systems
Festo Didactic provides physical training rigs, digital learning software, curricula, laboratory systems and consulting for technical education. Its programs cover pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, mechatronics, robotics, process automation, industrial communications, renewable energy and Industry 4.0. Customers include schools, universities, vocational institutions and industrial employers.
Research and innovation · 2006
Bionic Learning Network projects
The Bionic Learning Network is a research and demonstration platform rather than a conventional product line. Festo collaborates with academic and research partners to study biological movement and translate it into robotic and automation concepts. Projects such as SmartBird, BionicOpter, BionicSwift, BionicBee, AirJelly and the Bionic Handling Assistant have helped communicate research themes including lightweight construction, distributed actuation and adaptive movement.
Laboratory and medical automation · 2015
LifeTech automation
Festo LifeTech supplies automation components and customized subsystems for laboratory and medical applications. Areas include liquid handling, sample handling, pipetting, tube processing, test-tube identification and compact motion systems. The portfolio combines electric and pneumatic drives with controllers, handling systems, sensors, grippers and camera technologies.
Industrial software and digitalization · 2018
Digital automation and AI solutions
Festo develops software and digital technologies for engineering, machine operation, maintenance, production monitoring and data analysis. Its digital direction includes digital twins, connected control systems, industrial AI applications and virtual assistance for engineers and technicians. These offerings are intended to connect physical automation products with data-driven production workflows.

Marketing campaigns

2025Festo 100 years
Global
Festo’s centenary program combined historical storytelling, customer and employee events, public communications and demonstrations of future automation technologies.
Outcome. The anniversary positioned the company’s first century as a bridge to future work in seamless automation, digitalization, AI, sustainability and technical education.
Source
2025100 projects corporate citizenship initiative
Global
As part of its centenary activities, Festo announced support for 100 projects around the world and introduced an annual volunteering day for employees.
Outcome. The initiative connected the anniversary with community engagement and employee volunteering.
Source
2006Bionic Learning Network
Global
Festo created an interdisciplinary research network using biological models to inspire new approaches to robotics, lightweight structures, movement and automation.
Outcome. The program generated widely publicized demonstrators and contributed to Festo’s innovation profile, including the Bionic Handling Assistant and flying-robot projects.
Source
1991WorldSkills partnership
Global
Festo began supporting WorldSkills International and has supplied equipment, expertise and training support for disciplines associated with mechatronics, water technology, Industry 4.0 and renewable energy.
Outcome. The partnership continued for decades, and Festo became a Global Premium Partner of WorldSkills in 2025.
Source

Brand decisions

2026
Promote Seamless AutomationStrategy
Background
Industrial customers increasingly expect automation components, controls, software, connectivity and support to work as one integrated architecture.
Action taken
Festo presented Seamless Automation as a strategic approach linking its portfolio, connectivity and digital customer experience.
Aftermath
The strategy reinforced Festo’s move from component supply toward connected, integrated automation solutions.
Source
2025
Adopt science-based climate targetsStrategy
Background
Festo’s sustainability strategy increasingly focused on reducing emissions from its own operations, value chain and customer applications.
Action taken
Festo submitted climate targets to the Science Based Targets initiative and reported their validation in 2025, including long-term value-chain reductions and a 2050 net-zero ambition.
Aftermath
The targets became a formal framework for climate, resource-efficiency and product-development activities.
Source
2018
Acquire Resolto InformatikM&A
Background
Industrial customers were increasingly seeking data analysis and artificial-intelligence capabilities alongside physical automation equipment.
Action taken
Festo acquired Resolto Informatik, adding industrial AI and data-analysis expertise to the group.
Aftermath
AI and digitalization became more prominent in Festo’s automation strategy and product communications.
Source
2015
Expand into LifeTechStrategy
Background
Automation demand in medical technology and laboratory processes was growing, particularly for liquid handling and sample-management tasks.
Action taken
Festo established LifeTech as a separate business focus for laboratory automation and medical technology.
Aftermath
The company developed specialized subsystems and customer-specific solutions for life-science applications.
Source
2006
Create the Bionic Learning NetworkStrategy
Background
Festo sought new sources of innovation for automation and robotics beyond conventional engineering approaches.
Action taken
The company established a research network involving universities, institutes and other partners to study biological principles and their technical applications.
Aftermath
The initiative produced research demonstrators and strengthened Festo’s association with advanced motion and bionic robotics.
Source
2000
Separate the woodworking-tools business into FestoolM&A
Background
Festo’s woodworking machinery and power-tool activities had developed into a distinct business with different customers and competitive requirements.
Action taken
The owners carried out a corporate division, separating the power-tool activities into the independent Festool group.
Aftermath
Festo concentrated on industrial automation and technical education, while Festool continued as a separate family-owned group.
Source
1989
Launch the valve-terminal conceptProduct launch
Background
Automated production systems increasingly required pneumatic valves and electrical controls to be installed and managed as an integrated unit.
Action taken
Festo introduced a modular valve terminal combining pneumatic valves with electrical control functions.
Aftermath
The concept simplified installation and became one of Festo’s best-known automation innovations.
Source
1955
Enter industrial pneumaticsStrategy
Background
Festo’s original business was woodworking machinery, but Kurt Stoll identified pneumatic technology as a promising route into industrial automation after seeing it in the United States.
Action taken
The company created the Festo Pneumatic business and began developing and manufacturing pneumatic products.
Aftermath
This decision became the foundation of Festo’s modern identity as an automation technology company.
Source

Recent events

2022.02.07
Reported2022.02.07
Festo introduces laboratory automation platforms[17]Festo推出实验室自动化平台prweb.com
Festo introduced the Modular Gantry Robot platform for automated liquid handling and a family of building blocks for automated dispensing and pipetting applications at SLAS 2022.
2021.11.23
Reported2021.11.23
Festo PGVA wins innovation and design awards[18]Festo PGVA 获创新与设计奖项prweb.com
Festo's PGVA pressure/vacuum generator won Gold in the IDEA! innovation awards competition and Silver in the Design World LEAP design engineering awards program.
2021.06.02
Reported2021.06.02
Festo appoints John Holmes as vice president of sales for North America[19]Festo 任命 John Holmes 为北美销售副总裁prweb.com
Festo appointed John Holmes as vice president of sales for North America.
2021.06.02
Festo appoints Kim Harper-Gage COO[20]Festo任命Kim Harper-Gage为首席运营官automation.com
Festo announced that Kim Harper-Gage, previously vice president of operations, was appointed chief operating officer for Festo North America.
2021.01.12
Reported2021.01.12
Festo introduces the VOVK miniature valve[21]Festo 推出 VOVK 微型阀prweb.com
Festo introduced the VOVK miniature valve for high-density, small-footprint manifolds or single-valve use. The release describes applications including in-vitro diagnostics and point-of-care devices.

Sources21 sources

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