SICO

Ken Steinbauer, President

In hospitality and event environments, success is measured in minutes, movements and momentum. When teams are resetting a ballroom late at night for a morning event, or turning a space multiple times in a single day, the difference between a smooth transition and a stressful one often comes down to the tools they rely on. When timelines are tight and staff are stretched, ease of setup, reliability, and intuitive design of equipment are operational necessities that directly impact staff efficiency and the guest experience.

For 75 years, SICO has built its business around that reality. As a global provider of mobile furniture and staging solutions for hospitality and event environments, it partners with hotels, convention centers, and multipurpose venues to help teams work more efficiently, reduce labor strain, and deliver consistently high-quality events. The company’s solutions are built for conditions where speed, reliability, and ease of use directly impact both staff performance and the guest experience.

Supported by experienced sales and customer care teams, SICO works as a long-term product and solution partner supporting customers from early planning and product selection through delivery, service, and long-term use. The continuity gives operators confidence that the products they rely on today will still be supported years down the line. That commitment to practical design, operational insight, and customer support has defined SICO’s role in the hospitality industry for generations and continues to shape how events come together today.

“Our role goes beyond selling,” says Ken Steinbauer, President. “We focus on asking the right questions, understanding the real pain points, and then matching the right solution to how a space actually operates.”

Consultative Expertise Shaping Better Solutions

SICO’s approach begins with people who know the industry from the inside. Many members of the company’s hospitality-focused team bring close to 20 years of experience, with backgrounds that span hotel operations, event services, and facility management. That firsthand knowledge allows conversations to focus less on abstract specifications and more on how products will perform during real events when timelines are tight, staff is stretched, and expectations are high.

The depth of experience creates a level of trust that cannot be manufactured. Customers are not simply purchasing furniture, they are partnering with teams who understand the operational stakes behind every setup, teardown and the cumulative impact of delays, fatigue, and equipment performance. Those decisions directly affect labor efficiency, staff well-being, and guest satisfaction.

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, SICO’s sales and customer care teams work together to support customers throughout the lifecycle of a project. This partnership-driven approach helps ensure that solutions fit seamlessly into daily workflows and support consistent, high-quality event execution.
Designing for the People Who Use It

The focus on people extends directly into product design. SICO has built its reputation by listening closely to operators and end users alike. Every product is designed with two audiences in mind: the staff who handle, move, and set up the furnishings, and the guests who experience them.

“In hospitality, you can have a beautiful product,” says Steinbauer. “But if it’s labor-intensive or frustrating for staff, it will impact the guest experience and operational efficiency.”

As a result, ease of use, durability, and safety are embedded into every stage of the design process. SICO’s mobile tables, staging systems, risers, dance floors, beds, buffet stations, portable bars, seating units, and storage solutions are engineered to withstand repeated use while remaining easy and safe for teams to handle under tight timelines. By designing products that move smoothly, set up efficiently, and perform reliably, SICO helps teams focus less on logistics and more on delivering successful events.

Protecting Relationships Through Reliability

SICO also positions its products as long-term investments rather than short-term purchases. Each item carries a unique serial number, allowing the company to identify exact models and components years later if repairs or replacements are needed. This level of product traceability helps customers extend product life, reduce downtime, and maintain consistency across event spaces, critical advantages in high-volume hospitality environments.

Equally important is what happens after the sale. SICO’s customer care team plays a central role in supporting customers long after products are delivered, ensuring service needs are addressed quickly and transparently. That ongoing support is closely coordinated with the sales team to maintain continuity and trust.

“As one of our core values, communication is at the heart of everything we do,” says Heidi Niesen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Our teams collaborate closely with our customers to gain a deep understanding of their needs and expectations, ensuring we deliver the best possible experience.”

The consistency reinforces partnerships that often last decades, supported by teams who understand the operational realities their customers face every day.

Innovation Rooted in Real Operational Insight

One clear example of this people-driven approach is SICO’s VMP Performance Staging system. Developed in response to widespread labor shortages, rising setup costs, and operator fatigue, the system was designed to reduce setup time, minimize labor strain, and increase space flexibility for faster room turnover.

Used in convention centers, hotels, and multipurpose venues, the staging system has helped facilities reduce setup time by as much as 40 to 50 percent. For operators, this translates into meaningful labor savings, quicker transitions between events, and a more sustainable workload for teams during peak demand.

By listening closely to how spaces are actually used, SICO continues to turn operational challenges into practical, performance-driven solutions that support the people behind every successful event.

Future of Innovation and Progress

Product innovation remains a main focus for SICO moving forward. Guided by ongoing voice-of-the-customer research and supported by a highly experienced engineering team, the company continues to translate real operational insight into practical, market-ready solutions. This ensures SICO remains aligned with the evolving demands of hospitality and event environments worldwide.

With decades of service behind it, SICO continues to progress with a clear purpose: to design solutions shaped by the people who use them and the environments they serve. By prioritizing operator insight, long-term value, and practical performance, the company reinforces the trust it has built with clients navigating some of the most demanding spaces in the industry.