history of standard textileweb.standardtextile.com/pdf/history_standard_textile.pdf · history of...
TRANSCRIPT
History of Standard Textile What started in 1940 as a small linen distribution company in the Heiman family’s Cincinnati apartment has grown into the international technology leader in the manufacturing and distribution of textiles, apparel, surgical, and decorative products. Standard Textile was founded by the Heiman family, headed by Charles Heiman, a recent immigrant from Germany, who had been incarcerated in the Dachau concentration camp. Charles escaped from the concentration camp, joined his family, and left Germany for the United States. “We came to the lovely city of Cincinnati,” states Paul Heiman, former chairman and CEO and son of Charles Heiman, “We had to learn the American way of doing things. When my father couldn’t get a job in the city during the depression, he decided to start his own business.” Standard Textile was established on July 1, 1940 as a small company working from a third floor apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company grew quickly and in 1945, the business expanded to an old shoe factory in downtown Cincinnati. At the end of World War II, the growing demand for products helped create demand for Standard’s high quality products. In 1963, Standard Textile moved to a Cincinnati area site that would eventually become its world headquarters. With Paul Heiman as the CEO, Standard Textile expanded into a successful, growing company, specializing in healthcare textiles.
Standard Textile has been committed to its philosophy of exceeding customer expectations through three generations of Standard Textile family leadership-‐from Charles Heiman, to his son, Paul, to his grandson Gary Heiman, who today is the company’s President and CEO. In the mid 1970’s the company created its first international manufacturing operation in Arad, Israel. During the 1980’s, Standard Textile developed what would become the industry standard for reusable surgical technology, ComPel® fabric. Along with 28 other patented textile technologies Standard Textile developed products and services that led to the company’s dramatic growth in healthcare textiles throughout the United States and 32 other countries around the globe. In 2000, Standard Textile completed its acquisition of Pfeiffer Textile which significantly strengthened its market position in Europe. Standard Textile has manufacturing facilities in North America, the Middle East, Europe, and in the Far East. Today, Standard Textile is focusing its manufacturing capability within three core business units: Healthcare, Institutional Textiles and Hospitality. Each day, Standard Textile creates new chapters in its history-‐working to develop superior quality textiles and sophisticated management systems. The engine of Standard Textile’s growth has always been, and will always will be, its partnership with customers.