Others Hansgrohe Group

Hansgrohe SE Among 2019’s Leading Innovators

Hansgrohe Group awarded the TOP 100 competition’s seal of approval
Schiltach, July 2019. On 28 June 2019, the Hansgrohe Group was able to add yet another award to its name for its achievements as an innovator. At the sixth German Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Summit in Frankfurt, the faucet and shower manufacturer from the Black Forest has again been awarded the TOP 100 seal of approval. Science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar presented the award to Dr. Jörg Hass, Hansgrohe’s Vice President of Corporate Communications at the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt. Innovation expert Professor Doctor Nikolaus Franke was responsible for the independent selection of the TOP 100 companies. The selection was undertaken based on a scientific assessment. Ranga Yogeshwar, who has mentored the competition since 2011, summarizes the qualities embodied by TOP 100 companies as follows, “The hallmarks of a good culture of innovation are openness to new ideas, tolerance of failure and constant endeavors targeted at doing things in a new and different way.”

Innovation Requires Curiosity, Courage and the Will to Change

Innovative thinking and approaches were already the company’s main focus in 1901 when it was founded and Hans Grohe was working on producing his first handheld showerheads. He had started developing products for the home bathroom, a market that didn’t even exist at the time. Klaus Grohe, son of the company’s founder and its CEO for many years until 2008, continued the company’s tradition of innovation with his inventive spirit and hands-on mentality. These qualities became the guiding principles for today’s team of innovators. The right mix of courage, good instincts and a healthy level of risk appetite are essential for the kind of creativity needed to be truly innovative.

For years now, new products that are less than three years old have been generating over one-fourth of the company’s sales. “At Hansgrohe, we practice innovation management with the goal of improving people’s quality of life," says Steffen Erath, Head of Innovation at the Hansgrohe Group. “In other words, the focus of our daily work is always on people and their needs.” Our commitment to user-oriented product development also entails trying out new methods and approaches. Driven by the question of the importance of digitalization for Hansgrohe’s customers, an interdisciplinary team of innovators develops products that fundamentally alter the shower experience. In 2017, Hansgrohe set up a pilot project, the Innolab in Schramberg—a powerhouse of ideas, located several kilometers from the company’s headquarters. It resembles a creative workshop where developers enjoy the freedom to think outside the box, far removed from daily routines and conventional thinking. For more information on innovation management, digitalization and product development at Hansgrohe visit our story.

About the TOP 100 Competition

compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal of approval for exceptional innovative strength and above-average innovative performance to small and medium-sized enterprises since 1993. Professor Doctor Nikolaus Franke has held the position of scientific director since 2002. Franke is the founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and has been a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Franke is one of the world’s leading innovation researchers; he has published more than 200 papers and has received 24 accolades for his research work. The science journalist and television presenter Ranga Yogeshwar is the mentor of the TOP 100 competition. The Frauenhofer Institute for Applied Research and the BVMW (German Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) are its project partners. manager magazin, impulse and W&V are the competition’s media partners. For more information see www.top100-germany.com

About the Hansgrohe Group – the Original from the Black Forest

With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. The Hansgrohe Group brings form and function to water with taps, showerheads and shower systems. The 118-year history of the company is marked by innovations such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. The company holds more than 15,000 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products. With 33 subsidiaries and 22 sales offices supplying products in more than 140 countries, the company is a reliable partner to its customers around the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 600 design prizes since 1974. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are featured in projects around the world, such as the luxurious ocean liner Queen Mary 2, and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Group’s high quality standards are ensured by five wholly-owned production facilities: two in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2018, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.081 billion. It employs more than 4,700 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.

Contact

Press Officer Jörg Hass.
Jörg Hass
VP Corporate Communications