Three Generations From a Double Garage to 7,000 m²
Nearly a century of metalworking in Carei. Grandfather, father, and finally the third generation — Vasile and Ileana, who co-founded the company in 1994 and built a factory from a garage. From railway boilers to aerospace components.
How We Got Here
It began in the 1930s when Vasile’s grandfather left for Bucharest to join Malaxa — Europe’s leading locomotive manufacturer at the time. He mastered boilermaking, then came back to Carei in 1940 and passed the craft on locally.
George followed his father’s path. During the 1960s, he oversaw 450 employees at FIUT, producing boilers and mining equipment for export markets. Vasile began there at 15, working during school holidays. He remained through the transition from FIUT to TRUM, departing in 1990.
Vasile and Ileana set up Steiger in 1994, operating out of their garage with tools, know-how, and scarce funding. What began as a modest workshop expanded into a small plant, then into the current 7,000 m² operation employing 100+ staff.
What We Make Now
Complex welded and machined steel structures for aerospace, railway, and energy sectors. Reference projects include Wave Generator for Bosch Rexroth (over 51 tonnes, Netherlands), X-Tracks for Van Halteren Technologies (32 tonnes), and aircraft assembly structures for Airbus and Lockheed Martin.
Company History — Year by Year
Pre-Company Era: The Foundation
Bucharest:
László Kocsorva, Vasile’s grandfather, worked at Malaxa, the most important European locomotive factory at the time.
Carei:
László Kocsorva returned to Carei, worked as a boilersmith, and trained the first generation of boiler manufacturers in the area.
George Steiger at FIUT:
George managed 450 employees at FIUT, manufacturing boilers and mining tools for export.
Founding and Early Growth
Arnstorf:
Vasile Steiger spent 3 months in Germany participating in the Hospitanten program.
Company Founded:
Vasile and his wife Ileana established Steiger SRL. They started in their double garage, offering metal processing services and locksmith products.
New Activity: Industrial Construction:
Following equipment and human resource expansion, the company began undertaking orders in the industrial facility construction sector.
Relocation:
The company moved to its present site in Carei, with approximately 450 m² of production floor.
Quality Systems and Expansion
First ISO 9001 Certification:
Quality management system established according to ISO 9001:2000.
New Workshop:
1,300 m² factory floor workshop with bridge cranes handed over to production.
Integrated Management System:
Since 2009, Steiger has operated an integrated quality, environmental, and OHS management system certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001:2023.
Production Hall Extension:
Extension to approximately 2,000 m².
Export Orientation and Certification
Export Direction Set:
Management set strategic direction to export products abroad. Process equipment became the key focus.
Key Certifications:
EN 1090-2 and EN ISO 3834-2 compliance achieved.
Further Expansion:
Production hall extended to approximately 3,300 m².
Dual Vocational Training:
Steiger signed contract with local vocational school, becoming a training company in Romania’s Dual Vocational Training System.
Machinery Manufacturing Launched:
With the acquisition of CNC machining centres, the company launched machinery manufacturing as a new business activity.
Workshop Extension:
Additional 2,000 m² added, bringing total to approximately 5,200 m².
Major Hall Extension:
Production hall extended to approximately 6,500 m².
Railway Certification:
EN 15085-2 CL1 certification achieved for railway vehicle and component welding.
Recent Developments
EU Project Completed:
SMIS 117036 — Establishment of a new production unit under Regional Operational Programme 2014–2020. Project completed, increasing the total production surface.
Wave Generator Project:
Two-year collaboration with Bosch Rexroth and a university in Hannover, Germany. Complex high-precision manufacturing and assembly on site in the Netherlands.
Current EU Investment:
SMIS 307995 — Strategic investment to expand production capacity under PR NV 2021–2027. In progress.
Work With a Company That Has Proven Staying Power
Thirty years in business. Three generations of metalworking expertise. EU-funded growth trajectory. Send us your drawings for a technical quote.