07/02/2018

News

Success at TOP 100: ZINQ is one of the innovation leaders in 2018

Copyright: KD Busch / compamedia
winner picture: Ulrich Henssler (COO ZINQ-Group), Ranga Yogeshwar (Mentor TOP 100), Sibylle Henssler

Überlingen (Germany) - For the 25th time, the TOP 100 competition has selected the most innovative companies in German midcaps (SME). One of these innovation leaders this year is the licensee of the ZINQ® Technologie, Voigt & Schweitzer GmbH & Co. KG (ZINQ). This was the result of the analysis of the scientific director of TOP 100, Prof. Dr. med. Nikolaus Franke. As a mentor of TOP 100, Ranga Yogeshwar honors the company from Gelsenkirchen together with Franke and compamedia on June 29, 2018 at the award ceremony in Ludwigsburg as part of the 5th German SME Summit. In the independent selection process, the company with its 1,015 employees (Germany) especially impressed with its innovation success and innovation processes.


The company specialized in batch hot dip galvanizing, with locations in Germany, Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, has developed from a service provider to a technologically leading solution partner.

The TOP 100 company has awakened its sector with disruptive innovations, what is in the face of the prevailing market situation absolutely extraordinary," emphasizes the jury.


Lars Baumgürtel assigns to his industry, which is dedicated to the galvanizing of steel components of all kinds, a lack of innovation for the recognized best corrosion protection method. Because of missing innovations, customers only get served an everyday stew. The group of companies based in Gelsenkirchen shakes vigorously at these structures.

In the company with more than 1.000 employees in Germany alone, the innovation process is being driven forward by an internal technology start-up, ZINQ® Technologie GmbH, which sees the development and research of surface technologies as its main task. As a technology service provider and licensor for the batch hot dip galvanizing industry, ZINQ® Technologie offers a comprehensive range of advice and support for galvanizing companies in all aspects of plant and process technology - in daily operation, in the use and conversion of new hot dip galvanizing surfaces and also in new or refurbishment projects. An innovation and sustainability manager coordinates the new projects between the various departments. He examines ideas and impulses, brings the right people together and has the task to steer and accompany the realization process. The jury was particularly impressed that the traditional company, founded in 1889, is also clearly different in its outward marketing appearance from its competitors. For example, all company vehicles carry the ZI-NQ license plate. In addition, there is a Morgan 3-wheeler with hot dip galvanized components in the fleet, which attracts a lot of attention.

TOP 100: the competition

Since 1993, compamedia has awarded the TOP 100 seal of approval for outstanding innovation and above-average innovation success to medium-sized companies. Since 2002, the scientific direction has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. med. Nikolaus Franke. Franke is founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the BVMW. As media partners, manager magazin, impulse and W&V attend the company comparison.
More information at www.top100.de.

The journalist and newsreader Linda Zervakis led through the evening in a charming way.
Copyright: Rainer Jensen
Keynote by dr. Frederik G. Pferdt at the Prologue Event - Chief Innovation Evangelist at Google.
Copyright: Rainer Jensen
More than 1.000 guests accepted the invitation to the award ceremony at the Forum am Schloßpark (Ludwigsburg).
Copyright: Rainer Jensen
Welcoming speech of Winfried Kretschmann, the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg.
Copyright: Rainer Jensen