Placing a high value on innovation
02.08.2023Endress+Hauser invested more money in research and development than ever before in 2022, thus underscoring the company’s innovation ambitions. Innovators from across the Group were honored at the annual Innovators’ Meeting.
Since 2000 Endress+Hauser has invited all employees involved in patent filings to the annual Innovators’ Meeting. This year the event was held at the Freiburg Convention Center in Germany, where 300 innovators and guests gathered to honor the Group’s wealth of ideas and innovative spirit.
The Endress+Hauser Innovators’ Meeting celebrated 300 innovators.
© Endress+Hauser
Patent figures remain at a high level
Endress+Hauser submitted 235 initial patent filings in 2022. The intellectual property rights portfolio, which continues to grow, now comprises 8700 patents and patent filings that protect Endress+Hauser’s products, solutions and services from imitators. “Our well-filled product pipeline shows that Endress+Hauser’s innovation strength continues unabated,” emphasized Chief Operating Officer Dr Andreas Mayr.
Endress+Hauser invested 242 million € in R&D in 2022, which represents 7.2 % of sales and an increase of 13.6 % over the prior year. More than 1200 employees are active in this area of the company. Eight out of 100 employees at Endress+Hauser are exclusively involved in the development of new products, solutions and services. However, employees in production, logistics, IT and administration also ensure innovation with process improvements.
Dr Christine Koslowski and Dr Andreas Mayr led the program and honored this year’s winners
© Endress+Hauser
Collectively innovative
“The Innovators’ Meeting allows us to offer a platform where employees from different Endress+Hauser companies can meet and network,” said Dr Christine Koslowski, Director of Intellectual Property Rights at Endress+Hauser. “Last year, 85 % of our innovations stemmed from innovation teams. This illustrates how important personal interaction is for the creative process.”
During the Innovators’ Meeting, Endress+Hauser recognizes employees who developed economically significant or especially creative innovations in the last year. In addition, awards are given for process improvements or the reuse of existing solutions. A total of 61 employees were recognized at this year’s event.