ST Suspensions was founded in the early 1980’s in Southern California, but back then it was named Suspension Techniques. Suspension Techniques developed many innovative products and solutions in response to market demands. Utilizing quality materials, modern technologies and streamline processes, Suspension Techniques was able to provide excellent value for their products. The company soon established themselves as a recognized name in the sport compact suspension tuning industry. This success helped garner the attention of many enthusiasts and tuners resulting in a strong growth of the brand in the USA.
The Sporttech and Speedtech lowering springs along with the Suspension Techniques Sway Bar kits became a household name in the tuning scene in the 80's and 90's, and at that time, the products were referred to in many circles simply as ST. In 1995, this attention attracted a new owner, Belltech Sport Trucks, who brought a whole new dimension to the ST lineup. After the acquisition, ST was relocated from Southern California to Fresno, CA.
In 2005, the German suspension manufacturer KW automotive GmbH, well known internationally for their KW Coilover height-adjustable suspension systems, purchased both Belltech Sport Trucks and Suspension Techniques, and launched KW automotive North America Inc. With the name purchase, the name of the brand was changed to its current nameplate of “ST Suspensions.” The infusion of technologies from ST’s new parent company took ST's game to a whole new level, not only increasing its application range coverage, but also adding (among other things) the innovative ST Coilover program, created after the galvanized KW Variant 1 coilover design.
With this influx of worldwide technology, staff, and engineering base, ST boasts one of the largest application ranges and largest distribution chains of any suspension manufacturer in North America.
What started out as a small team of three employees working on a plant area of 1,600 square feet is today an international group of companies for innovative suspension systems. KW today employs more than 200 employees, several subsidiaries and has a main plant area exceeding 170,000 square feet.
In 2009, the KW coilover program alone covered more than 3,000 applications. Numerous new facilities turned KW into one of the most advanced production centers for innovative suspension solutions in Europe. R&D, production, sales and logistics are centered at the headquarters in Fichtenberg, and all departments boast of optimized processes and innovative structures that guarantee flexibility and reliability.
One of the main focuses in the headquarters in Fichtenberg, Germanym, is research and development. More than 18 employees are working full time on new suspension and damping solutions as well as continuous improvement and development of the existing products. All components pass a series of comprehensive testing procedures to meet the highest quality standards.
In 2006, an ultra-modern hydraulic 7-post-dyno test equipment was installed. It is utilized to design and test KW's product lines in a controlled environment. Once a product is designed, the latest in CNC manufacturing equipment and the in-house manufacturing facilities offer all customers fast and flexible service and guarantee results. Product assembly is coordinated across individual stations where the experienced team ensures the highest industry standards are reached.
In 2013, KW automotive GmbH looks to complete its new Test Facility in the Nurburgring theme park. The new facility will be the home base for on-track testing on the world famous Nurburgring racetrack.
From prototypes to line production, the company's team reacts quickly and efficiently to meet all needs of the customers. All departments are working hand-in-hand guaranteeing maximum efficiency. KW automotive GmbH as a worldwide company has subsidiaries in the USA, UK, Switzerland and Canada, as well as exclusive distributors in every major market worldwide.