KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG

History

Year	Detail
1945	The company was founded in Germany, and its initial product range included instruments, headlights, and binocular loupes for otorhinolaryngology.
1952	The first endoscopes with a traditional lens system were developed and produced.
1960	The company developed a cold light source for an endoscopic approach.
1969	KARL STORZ launched its first resectoscopes for the transurethral treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia and bladder tumors.
1971	KARL STORZ established KARL STORZ Endoscopy America Inc. in Los Angeles, U.S., and a manufacturing plant in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
1977	It launched a high-frequency surgery unit with automatic coagulation and cutting current control.
1980	The company launched the stroboscopy unit "STORZ 8000" for visualizing vocal fold vibration and its First endoscopic ureterorenoscopy.
1989	KARL STORZ Endovision (Charlton, Massachusetts) is founded.
1990	KARL STORZ's first sales subsidiary in Asia is established in Singapore.
1998	The company launched a spinoscope with a movable distal tip for endoscopic laser foraminoplasty and CLICKLINE forceps generation as an advancement of the 10 mm and 5 mm TAKE-APART hand-held instruments for laparoscopic procedures.
2003	KARL STORZ introduced video endoscopes in gastroenterology and started working on 3D technology early, resulting in the very early model TRICAM 3D.
2007	KARL STORZ becomes a partner of the technology initiative MoBiTech "Molecular Imaging – images for healthy life" funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the company established its subsidiary in Australia.
2013	Opening of the new KARL STORZ logistics center in Neuhausen ob Eck, Tuttlingen county and KARL STORZ Visitor and Training Centre in Berlin.
2018	Expansion of the modular endoscopic camera platform IMAGE1 S by components for native 4K imaging.
2020	The company launches Image 1 S Rubina, a 3D endoscopy in 4K resolution, including flourescence imaging.
2022	Founding of the new subsidiary KARL STORZ VentureOne in Singapore with a business focus on robotic solutions, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.