MAGAZINE. THE ANNIVERSARY EDITION. YOUR STORIES OUR HISTORY.

Inspired by craftspeople – for 100 years. We want to say thank you!

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition 04 Focus 100 YEARS OF FESTOOL Our family and company history, from the beginning to the present day. 46 Favourites FESTOOL SPOTLIGHTS Experts present their favourites and a few new products. 14 Look inside FROM THE PRESENT TO THE FUTURE We are dedicated to helping you achieve more. That is our path. 50 100 years LIVING LEGENDS The success stories of the first orbital sander and the revolutionary ROTEX. 20 Tools THE MOST INGENUOUS BOX IN THE WORLD The Systainer has truly revolutionised the world of craftsmanship. 56 Tools BATTERY IN – LIGHTS ON The new...

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition Focus 100 years of Festool Our history is the story of both a family and a company, full of drive and inventiveness. It is a story of success, and would never have been possible without our deep passion for craftsmanship. Making your everyday work easier, more productive and safer with our tools has always been our promise, right from our foundation in 1925. And we’ll continue to keep it as we move into the future. Text: Ralf Christofori | Photography: Festool → The Esslingen-based company is already extremely successful in its early years and grows steadily....

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition Focus 100 years of Festool 1925 –1950 Courageous founders with a pioneering spirit. he 1920s weren’t exactly the ideal time to start up a company. Politically, the 1920s were unstable; economically, they were a roller coaster. But Albert Fezer and Gottlieb Stoll took the plunge anyway. 1925, in the German town of Esslingen am Neckar. This marks the birth of Fezer & Stoll, which would go on to become Festo and later Festool. From the outset, these pioneers wanted to make work easier for craftspeople. With extraordinary power tools that are versatile in...

↘ The development of the world’s first orbital sander with dust extraction in the 1960s was a milestone. For customers, and for the company. SOUNDS SWABIAN, BUT IT WAS ON EVERYONE’S LIPS: THE „RUTSCHER“ ORBITAL SANDER The „Rutscher“ orbital sander became well established in both the workshop and craftsmanship jargon. The original, with a protected name, is only available from Festool, then known as Festo, and has been around since 1951. The first RTE Rutscher replaced time-consuming work using hand-sanding blocks among painters, joiners and automotive body painters, paving the way towards fine...

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition „Festo is one of the leading companies in its sector. Some products are stars among the European competition, trendsetters.“ Focus 100 years of Festool → It’s a boss’s business: Gottlieb Stoll tests the first guide rail in the early 1960s. The West German economy and its leading men, 1963 WHEN TRADESPEOPLE BELIEVE IN „SAW-CERY“. When it comes to sawing, Festool, or Festo as it was back then, was ahead of the game for decades. The machines were becoming more compact and convenient. The legendary AAU 50 „Sägehexe“ (literally, „sawing sorceress“) from the...

MORE THAN JUST A TOOLBOX. The Systainer came into the world in 1993 and became an immediate hit. Why? Because it protects machines, makes transporting them easier and creates order. The Systainer has become the ultimate benchmark at Festool. Today, anything portable has a Systainer format, the entire transport system and even saws and extractors. ↗ The product family is being expanded and the entire system is becoming increasingly sophisticated. To make work even easier. 1975–2000 More modern and mobile. Craftsmanship in flux. ↑ Advertising from the 1980s: Sanders with dust extraction are entering...

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition Focus 100 years of Festool Our added value for you. We have always been dedicated to helping you achieve more. Work more quickly, efficiently and safely. Some of our innovative tools and system accessories, such as the dust extraction system, the guide rail or the Systainer, were the first of their kind and have become indispensable in the everyday work of professional tradespeople. Because they don’t just work, but also make work easier, faster and safer in many areas. Innovative and award-winning products. Being innovative and coming up with clever ideas...

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition 2000–2025 Festool reinvents itself. But remains true to its values. estool GmbH was spun off in 2000 and found a new home in Wendlingen – almost exactly halfway between Esslingen and Neidlingen. The essence of Festool is and will continue to be what our products have always demonstrated. Legacy: Pragmatism and absolute quality awareness, with the „made in Germany“ label. Drive: The development of innovative tools and systems – with and for customers. Products: Innovative and user-oriented, robust and extremely long-lasting. FOR CUSTOMERS, WITH CUSTOMERS....

Focus 100 years of Festool „With the ExoActive active exoskeleton and the PLANEX long-reach sander, work is twice as easy.“ ↘ Trade work is becoming more digital, as are our tools. The Festool app makes it possible to look up key tool functions and expert tips while working. Jan Müller, Owner of Malermeister Müller & Sohn, Oberlungwitz, Germany FOR IMPROVED SAFETY AND HEALTH Festool was an early advocate of greater product safety and health protection with its dust extraction system and is still regarded as a pioneer in the industry today. The vibration protection on the eccentric sanders or...

FESTOOL MAGAZINE The anniversary edition Focus 100 years of Festool „Seeing tradition as the strong roots from which something new can grow time and time again, that has always been our strength. And that is why we are using our anniversary as an opportunity to look towards the future.“ ↑ Main shareholder Gerda Maier-Stoll and her daughter Barbara Austel, chair of Festool’s Supervisory Board. Barbara Austel EVERYTHING CORDLESS Festool is launching into the future in its anniversary year with limited editions of „living legends“ and a new product campaign. And it’s all about battery power. As...