HISTORY OF THE SATLER COMPANY

The story of the Satler entrepreneurial family started back in 1963, when the first in a whole line of successful entrepreneurs, father Mirko Satler, started working as a craftsman and subsequently called his company Ključavničarstvo Mirko Satler (Mirko Satler Locksmithing). The main property of the company were continuously new products as needed by the market.

Mirko started off on a small scale in a single room in the basement and with one single apprentice with whom he made hay harvesting ventilators and agricultural winches. With good work came recognition. His main guideline was to adjust to needs, from which his second activity – plastics processing – was born and was taken over by his wife Elica in 1980. In addition to spray injectors for air-conditioning, the workshop also made plastic grindstone models.

Having two sons, Elica and Mirko knew that their efforts would pay off in time and that their work would assume a traditional dimension.

While growing up, the two boys acquired knowledge and experience at their father's workshop. Their father's diligent and strong working hands taught them to appreciate and cherish the life and work of working people. Or perhaps their success can be, to the greatest extent, contributed to humility as a virtue.

Son Bojan started to build his entrepreneurial career in 1988 as the co-owner of the family-run business that he continued in 1992 as a sole trader. SATLER BOJAN, s.p., currently employs 40 workers. The company is mainly engaged in manufacturing agricultural machinery. The majority of products is exported.

Equipped with know-how acquired at his father’s workshop, Mirko’s other son Valter started off his career by helping out at his brother’s then recently founded company. In 1993, his childhood dream and desire to create products with a positive impact on people’s living environment and housing led to decision to launch a separate new production programme: PVC builders’ joinery.

In that same year, he also got married and started a family.

His entrepreneurial path was outlined two years later. One could say that he, in a way, continued the activity of his mother Elica and, by adjusting to the then trend and to the increasing demand for PVC builders' joinery, focused the operations of his company on that industry.

With a great deal of effort, the company paved the way to greater visibility both in terms of business and local activities.

New feats, quality and increasing demand led to an expansion of the company which was thus, in 2008, renamed into SATLER OKNA IN VRATA, d.o.o.

Since the beginning of their father’s individual pathway, daughter Monika and son Matevž were used to his absences. In addition to working in the healthcare industry, their mother Jasna also assumed the father’s role, understanding that the future of the family and its security were at stake. Both children were raised in an entrepreneurial spirit. One of their advantages also laid in the fact that there were raised at a farm where they not only experienced a healthy living environment but also became acquainted with the significance of producing your own food on your own soil.

The family’s love for their own soil provided relaxation and pleasure following challenging business days. The majority of entrepreneurs know that physical work in nature serves as a remedy for mental stress and efforts. The same also applied to the Satlers.

The farm grew hand in hand with the vision of growth and development of the company. The farm was run by grandma Elica and grandpa Mirko. However, the entire family came together for major farm chores irrespective of their other obligations. Grandma and grandpa’s love for agriculture was passed on to their son Valter and then also to grandson Matevž.

In 2013, the family was increased by another family member, son Luka, who brought joy and recognition that the story of the SATLER family could continue in all fields of work.

An increasing demand for SATLER products led to the need to expand the company and the production-sales programme also to aluminium builders’ joinery.

The use of top-quality materials, a professional and aesthetic design and keeping up to date with the latest PVC and ALU builders’ joinery technologies with a positive impact on the environment, people and society facilitated a fast expansion both on the local and foreign markets. 

The growth of the company and an increasing number of employees was accompanied by an increase in competition. In 2014, the decision was made to employ Valter’s wife Jasna as a marketing specialist.

The fast expansion of the company also resulted in an increasing lack of premises. The company sought to acquire land and construct new production facilities.

An opportunity to construct new production facilities for builders’ joinery was recognised by acquiring LIP POLJČANE d.d., which was going bankrupt, and its 23,500 square meters of surface area. Since the family has always respected and loved wood, they did not hesitate in expanding their activities to the production of indoor furniture and in continuing the tradition of the Slovenian LIP POLJČANE brand. As a result, they restored production of furniture for children in 2014 and, 3 years later, renamed it SATLER Lip. In terms of contemporary carpentry, they stand out by using primarily solid wood.

All their love for wood is transferred into long-term usable products. The family seeks to re-use waste wood and add additional value thereto. All pieces of wood are given the Satlers’ full attention. In addition to reviving indoor furniture production and employing additional local experts, the Satlers also launched activities required to obtain construction and other permits needed for the construction of their new builders’ joinery production facilities. 

Construction commenced in February 2016. In June of the same year, both the headquarters and production facilities were moved into a new municipality, Poljčane, in full.

In order to provide their customers with products and services for which they can 100% guarantee that they improve living conditions and have an impact on well-being, the Satlers keep up-to-date with new technologies, builders’ joinery and indoor furniture, modernise and seek to optimise all processes of the company.

Know-how is passed onto younger associates and are more than happy to employ anyone who sees their own future in their midst.

The company currently employs 70 regularly employed workers. It currently employs almost all family members. The oldest daughter Monika is engaged in its operations and finances. The oldest son Matevž is going to finish his studies in 2020 and is going to be engaged in technological development. The youngest son Luka, an elementary school student, has already demonstrated an eye for business as well.

The company has business units, authorised resellers and dealers all over Slovenia and abroad. More than 50% of its builders’ joinery turnover is generated by export sales. Whereas more than 80% of its indoor furniture turnover is generated by export sales.

Its manufacturing facility is fitted with a state-of-the-art computerised line that provides it with the option to manufacture state-of-the-art windows and doors. By introducing the state-of-the-art technology of affixing glass to the window casement in 2020, which constitutes a builders’ joinery innovation and has been successfully tested both in the aviation and automotive industries, our company has been able to create a significant competitive edge for its customers and separate from a significant part of competition on the market which continues its conventional production of builders’ joinery. By introducing the new window glazing technology, customers are provided with a much higher level of security, energy and sound insulation for the same product value.

The sales department seeks to understand and listen to the company's clients' wishes and needs, to find the best solution and to thus create a new story of a specific home. Guided by the following values: respect, responsibility and collaboration.

They believe in aesthetics and precision. Even seemingly irrelevant details are important because they understand that they create for us. Which mark both a challenge and passion.

That selecting Satler windows and doors constitutes a correct investment into the future is proven true and demonstrated by numerous reference facilities both in Slovenia and abroad. It also needs to be highlighted that SATLER windows are Slovenian quality windows for all generations.

Tradition is thus continuing and entrepreneurial ideas of the family are passed on from generation to generation.