GELITA AG, a manufacturer of collagen proteins, has been welcomed into the select circle of innovation leaders among small to medium-sized companies in Germany. At the award ceremony of the fourth German SME Summit in Essen on June 23, the Eberbach-based company was honored with the TOP 100 seal. In the independent selection process, the company particularly won over the jury with its innovation processes.
 
Every year, the organizers of TOP 100 determine the hundred most innovative companies on a transparent and scientific basis. They examine how innovation-friendly the structures of the company are and how they use their resources, if a climate is created that enables innovation over the long term, and how successful each individual plant is.
 
In the category “Innovative Processes and Organization”, GELITA was ranked among the top 10 at this year’s TOP 100 innovation competition. “We are very proud of this prize and will continue to systematically develop innovative ideas to achieve sustainable economic successes,” said Michael Teppner, marketing manager at GELITA AG, who accepted the award at the official ceremony. The prize was presented by the mentor of the TOP 100 competition, science journalist and TV presenter Ranga Yogeshwar.
 
GELITA fosters a holistic culture of innovation in which every one of the 2,500 employees worldwide can and should contribute their ideas and suggestions. Chief Executive Officer Dr Franz-Josef Konert is aware of the fact that this is especially challenging with 22 plants all over the globe: “Continuous innovation is our driving force and an essential part of our continued success. Excellently structured processes and the incorporation of constructive ideas from all our employees are the foundation for maintaining our leading position.”
 
The TOP 100 award is intended to provide established companies with the attention they deserve. Together with the Vienna University of Economics and Business, the most innovative German SMEs are determined annually in three size classes— companies with up to 50 employees, 51 to 250 employees, and more than 250 employees. The experts evaluated a total of 414 applicants in the company comparison. 305 of them reached the final. They had to make an impression in the five categories “Innovation-friendly Senior Management,” “Climate of Innovation”, “Innovative Processes/Organization,” “Outward looking/Open Innovation,” and “Successful Innovations.”