Stehli Silks

Stehli Silks
Native name
Stehli Seiden AG
FormerlyStehli Silks Corporation
Company typePrivate company
Founded
  • 1837; 187 years ago (1837) as R. Stehli-Hausheer & Sohn Obfelden, Switzerland
  • 1897; 127 years ago (1897) as Stehli Silks Corporation
  • Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
FounderRudolf Stehli-Hausheer
Defunct1996 (1996)
FateBusiness transformation
Number of locations
5+ (1920)
RevenueCHF 69 million (1969)
OwnerStehli family
Number of employees
4,000+ (1920)
Websitewww.stehliseiden.ch (in German)

Stehli Silks (formerly Stehli Silks Corporation) was a Swiss textile manufacturing company. Founded in 1837, Stehli Silks was among the largest silk fabric producers in the world, with a workforce exceeding 4,000 people (1920) at its peak.[1] More than half of its workforce was employed at the subsidiary Stehli Silks Corporation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1897.

In 1996, the concern ceased manufacturing operations, and was converted into a real estate company that was only active in Switzerland (Stehli-Areal in Obfelden, ZH).[2][3][4] The former mills in Lancaster were sold to Stehli Mill, LLC, a joint-venture between Rhode Island and Maryland-based real estate developers, but their redevelopment efforts stalled.In 2015, the former mills in Lancaster were added to the National Register of Historic Places.[5] In 2023, the new developers began construction of 165 loft-style apartments in the former silk mills with plans to market the redeveloped site as Stehli Mill Lofts.[6][7][8][9][10]

  1. ^ Writer, RYAN ROBINSON | Staff. "Fire strikes former Stehli Silk Mill". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Stehli Seiden Areal Langhaus, Obfelden | Emch+Berger". www.emchberger.ch. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  3. ^ "Wohnbauten Stehli Seiden Areal | Meletta Strebel Architekten | Luzern und Zürich". www.msa-architekten.ch. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  4. ^ AG, DV Bern. "Stehli Seiden AG". Commercial register of canton Zurich. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  5. ^ MacDonald, Andrea L. (March 11, 2015). "Just Listed: Recent Additions to the National Register of Historic Places". Pennsylvania Historic Preservation. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  6. ^ Writer, CHRIS REBER | Staff. "Stehli Mill's planned rebirth captures neighborhood's interest". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  7. ^ "Stehli Mill Lofts". Stehli Mill Lofts. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  8. ^ BETANCOURT, ENELLY. "Manheim Township Stehli Silk Mill project stuck in limbo; here's the latest [Lancaster Watchdog]". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  9. ^ Writer, CHAD UMBLE | Staff. "Stehli Silk Mill has a new roof as efforts continue to redevelop circa-1898 factory". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  10. ^ Writer, CHAD UMBLE | Staff. "Stehli Silk Mill is primed for a new lease on life; here's what's in store for the historic site [photos, video]". LancasterOnline. Retrieved April 28, 2023.