WDT, specialist of measuring, controlling and dosing systems for swimming pools, wellness facilities and drinking/ waste water treatment won the TOP 100 Trophy in the Innovative Processes and Organisation category
An innovative company
Innovative mid-sized companies such as Wertingen-based WDT - Werner Dosiertechnik GmbH & Co. KG see change as an opportunity rather than something to be afraid of. It is this mindset that impressed the judges in the TOP 100 competition, now in its 27th year. From 19 June, WDT will officially be able to call itself a TOP 100 company. During the rigorous selection process, the level B company (51 to 200 employees) scored particularly highly in the Innovative Processes and Organisation category.
Products, processes, people and culture are the four areas that managing directors Jochen and Rainer Rieger regard as critical in the company's development. "We believe that people, i.e. employees, are the key to an innovative company. After all, the tools and methods at our disposal are only as good as the people who are using them," says Rainer Rieger. All employees at this innovative Bavarian company take part in innovation workshops where they can contribute their ideas and suggestions. Around 15 employees, including managers, have been trained as innovation coaches by an external partner and are closely involved in process improvements.
Top 100: Top-Innovator 2020
The TOP 100 competition
Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal of approval to SMEs with a particular ability to innovate and above-average success rates for innovations. Professor Nikolaus Franke has coordinated the project since 2002, and is the founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. The TOP 100 is mentored by science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar and organised in partnership with the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW). Media support for the company benchmarking competition is provided by manager magazin, impulse, and W&V. Further information is available at www.top100-germany.com.
A total of 364 companies applied to take part in the TOP 100 competition, and 257 were successful across the three size categories (no more than 100 per size category). The companies that managed to win over innovation researcher Professor Nikolaus Franke and his team with their pitches will receive the coveted award. The TOP 100 applicants were assessed on the basis of a catalogue of around 120 criteria. These included explaining how innovation processes are organised in their company, how they create a working environment that enables their employees to be creative, and what innovation strategies they pursue.
