Black Forest-based Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH has made it among the best in the 26th edition of the TOP 100 innovation competition. The company received its award from the competition mentor, Ranga Yogeshwar, Scientific Director of the comparison, Professor Nikolaus Franke, and compamedia at Frankfurt’s Jahrhunderthalle congress hall on 28 June. TOP 100 uses a scientific approach to evaluate innovation management in medium-sized companies and consequential innovation successes. Wiha particularly impressed with its innovation climate during the independent selection process. It is now the second time that the company has made it among the innovation elite.
Wiha manufactures hand tools for professional use and is one of the world's leading companies in this field in industry and trade. This is mainly because the Black Forest manufacturer's tools differ from those of the competitors due to their functionality, ergonomics and design. "The pursuit of innovation, progress and technical advancement is deeply embedded in our corporate philosophy. Every single employee contributes to creating new ideas and taking them one step further,” explains Ronny Lindskog, Managing Director Sales and Marketing at Wiha. Ideas of all kinds are meant – from the optimisation of individual processes, the implementation of new project methods up to brand-new product ideas and inventions, which make day-to-day professional life easier for users in many ways. The jury’s evaluation takes into account factors such as innovation strategy, promotion of innovation potential, and innovation climate from the employees’ point of view. Their verdict confirms that Wiha is one of the most innovative companies in the German SME sector.
TOP 100: the competition
compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal for superior innovative strength and exceptional innovative success to small- and medium-sized companies since 1993. Professor Nikolaus Franke has been Scientific Director of the competition since 2002 and is the founder and Chair of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Vienna University of Economics and Business. The TOP 100 competition mentor is science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners include the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the German SME association BVMW. manager magazine, impulse and W&V assist with the company comparison as media partners.
