From a basement in Amsterdam to a modern logistics and design centre in Apeldoorn — this is the story of more than ninety years of craftsmanship, perseverance and an unconditional love for light.
The first generation — a basement, a dream and a birthday
It begins on 21 October 1933 — the birthday of his son Paul. On that day, Hendrik-Jan Steinhauer founds his lighting company from the basement of his home in Amsterdam. No showroom, no warehouse, no significant capital. Just two hands, a sharp eye for detail and an unshakeable belief that good lighting makes all the difference in a room.
From the very beginning, design is central. Every fixture is carefully considered: the proportions, the choice of materials, the way light falls and reflects. This is not mass production — this is craftsmanship. And that craftsmanship forms the core of everything Steinhauer makes, from the very first day.
It is a modest beginning. But the foundation Hendrik-Jan lays — quality over quantity, original design as a defining characteristic — is exactly the same foundation on which the company still stands more than ninety years later.
The second and third generation — from acrylic to wood and metal
After the Second World War, the company moves to Apeldoorn, where there is more room to grow. Son Paul takes over from his father and brings fresh energy with him. Under his leadership, Steinhauer specialises in acrylic lighting — a modern material for its time, processed on two large in-house production machines. The entire production cycle, from raw material to finished product, is managed internally. Design and execution are one.
The design process during this period is distinctly hands-on. New models are drawn, developed, prototyped and refined — all within the company's own walls. What is good goes into the collection. What is not good enough is done again. There is no external pressure from fast-moving trends or seasonal collections; there is only the question of whether a product deserves the Steinhauer name.
In the nineties, market tastes change dramatically. Acrylic gives way to warmer materials: wood, metal, glass. Steinhauer senses the shift and adapts the collection accordingly. The company moves again to a larger location in Apeldoorn to accommodate its growing production capacity. And a new generation steps forward: son Mark joins the company and begins his path to the directorship — with fresh eyes and the heritage of two generations of craftsmanship.
1998–2002 — Growth, in-house production and the power of original design
When Mark takes over the company, the Steinhauer team grows to 35 employees. The collection deliberately develops towards higher-end, decorative lighting — a positioning in the mid-to-premium segment that remains the core of the brand identity to this day.
Production during this period is entirely in-house and organised on an impressive scale. A dedicated team of 160 skilled workers assembles lighting products in the Netherlands every day. Every product is managed from start to finish: components are sourced from around the world — primarily from Germany, Italy and Slovenia — and then brought together in Apeldoorn, inspected and finished into the final product.
The design team works closely with the production department during these years. New models are developed internally, technically elaborated and tested directly on the production floor. This short line between design and production is a major strength: adjustments can be made quickly, quality issues are caught early, and the collection maintains a consistent identity. At this point, Steinhauer literally holds all the threads in its own hands — from the first pencil sketch to the moment a fixture leaves the building.
2002–2016 — The world changes, Steinhauer moves with it
In 2002, Steinhauer takes a major and inevitable strategic step: production begins to shift gradually to China. Within ten years, 80% of production takes place there. It is a move the entire European lighting industry makes — driven by sharply reduced production costs in Asia and a market that is becoming increasingly price-sensitive. The result is a fundamental drop in the general price level across the sector.
For Steinhauer, the shift to China does not mean abandoning quality or its own identity — quite the contrary. The design process remains fully based in Apeldoorn. Every product manufactured in China is first designed, technically developed and approved here. Steinhauer's own designers determine the form, the materials, the finish and the lighting performance. The Chinese production partners execute; Steinhauer decides.
At the same time, the retail market shifts rapidly. Two thirds of all lighting shops in the Netherlands close their doors — a wave of closures that turns the traditional distribution structure completely upside down. Steinhauer's international sales grow, but the pressure on margins and volumes is unmistakable. In 2016, the company makes a painful but necessary decision: the remaining production in the Netherlands is permanently shut down. The company's own transport trucks serving the Netherlands and Germany are also sold.
It is a difficult, emotional step — the end of an era of in-house manufacturing on Dutch soil. But it is also the step that makes the organisation leaner, more agile and ready for a world that is changing ever faster.
2021 — Four specialised partners, one quality standard
Production is now concentrated with four dedicated partner companies in China, carefully selected on the basis of quality, reliability and specialisation. Each partner has its own focus:
- LED lighting — modern light sources and integrated LED systems with the latest lighting technology
- Industrial lighting — robust metal and glass fixtures for bold, characterful interiors
- Premium core collection — decorative lighting in the mid-range segment, with attention to detail and finish
- Accessible core collection — affordable lighting for a broad audience, without compromising on appearance
Although production takes place in China, quality control remains a shared responsibility. Steinhauer works with dedicated contacts at each partner company, carries out regular audits and assesses every new product against its own quality standards before it enters the collection. Only what meets the Steinhauer standard reaches the market.
The result is a collection sold to customers in over 24 countries. More than 60% of total turnover now comes from export. In addition to its own brands, Steinhauer also supplies private label products directly from China to customers in the United States, Spain and other markets — a quiet but substantial pillar of the international growth strategy.
Design and product development remain — as always — entirely in-house, from Apeldoorn.
2022–2026 — New steps, new standards
The most recent years are perhaps the most ambitious in the company's history. On multiple fronts simultaneously, Steinhauer invests in the infrastructure, the service offering and the digital position needed to stay ahead in the decades to come.
A new home. Steinhauer moves into its current location at Laan van de Ram 40 in Apeldoorn — a modern, professional base that matches the scale and ambitions of the company. All commercial, creative and operational activities are directed from this building. The design team works here on new collections; the sales team maintains relationships with dealers across Europe; and product development has found its home here.
Logistics at the highest level. Logistics operations are outsourced to Koninklijke Oosterberg, one of the most experienced fulfilment partners in the Benelux region. This partnership enables Steinhauer to deliver quickly, reliably and at scale — to both consumers and dealers. An important part of this logistics model is dropshipping: products are delivered directly from Oosterberg's warehouse to the end customer, on behalf of the retailer. This allows online retailers and physical stores to offer the full Steinhauer range without holding any stock themselves. It lowers the barrier for new dealers and significantly speeds up the process for existing partners.
Guarantee as a statement. On a growing part of the collection, Steinhauer introduces a five-year guarantee — well above what is standard in the market. This is not a marketing promise, but a direct expression of the confidence the company has in its own designs and production partners. For the dealer, it means peace of mind in after-sales and a strong selling point for the end customer. For the consumer, it means long-term security — and the assurance that Steinhauer stands behind its product even after the purchase.
Digital acceleration. Steinhauer invests significantly in the automation and digital capabilities of its website and order process. The webshop has been expanded with advanced visualisation tools that allow consumers to place products in their own interior. The dealer portal provides real-time insight into stock levels, delivery times and order statuses. And for major online retailers, a fully automated order-to-invoice integration has been set up, processing, confirming and invoicing orders without any manual intervention. Technology here serves the product — and the customer.
More than ninety years after the founding in that Amsterdam basement, the core remains unchanged: original design, in-house development, our own standard. Always from Apeldoorn. Always in our own hands.
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