Peter Neleman

SCHILLER was founded in 1974 by Alfred E. Schiller. Starting in a four-room flat as a one-man business, the company has become a successful group with around 1300 employees, 30 subsidiaries and a global sales network. Today, SCHILLER is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of devices for cardiopulmonary diagnostics, defibrillation and patient monitoring as well as software solutions for the medical industry. For 50 years, SCHILLER has been committed to the fight against sudden cardiac death. While the most established manufacturers still sold heavy and bulky emergency devices, SCHILLER launched a handy emergency electrocardioscope that was ten times lighter. Simultaneously, the company not only made a name for itself, but also set new standards. Two years later, the smallest emergency ECG device with integrated printer followed. A built-in microcomputer allowed the automatic measurement and interpretation of the ECG. This in turn enabled the early detection of heart disorders. Thanks to suitable therapies and rehabilitation measures, physicians can thus protect people of all age groups from sudden cardiac death. As success increased, so did the product portfolio: devices such as blood pressure monitors and spirometers completed the product range, while complete diagnostic stations and monitoring devices were being produced for clinics and medical practices. SCHILLER has developed unique products, such as FRED easyport, the world's first pocket defibrillator, or the "Fire of Life" software, which analyses the autonomic nervous system. The HRV (heart rate variability) is analysed and the patient's condition is displayed in the "Fire of Life" graphics. This graphics shows how well the patient can cope with stress and how he reacts to rest. This opens up completely new diagnostic possibilities, allowing for example to reduce the risk of a burnout. However, resting on its laurels is not an option for SCHILLER because innovation is a priority for this Swiss company.