On occasion of the book lauch "Lexikon der deutschen Weltmarktführer" (encyclopedia of German Global Market Leaders) at Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch-Hall/Germany, January 24, 2011, the enterprises included in this new reference book received the "Weltmarktführer-Schwinge" award. ILLIG, being the leading manufacturer of machines and tooling for thermoforming and solutions for packaging technology worldwide, is one out of approximately 800 enterprises presented in this encyclopedia.
The porcelain wing, exclusively designed and manufactured by Manufaktur Meissen for this book project, was handed over by editor Dr. Florian Langenscheidt and his co-editor, Munich based corporate consultant Prof. Dr. Bernd Venohr. The first German Congress of Global Market Leaders hosted under the patronage of German Federal Minister of Economics, Rainer Brüderle, at Schwäbisch-Hall, January 24 - 26, was the setting for this ceremonial book launch and award ceremony.
"There are about 1,500 German enterprises altogether with leading positions worldwide in their respective market segments, i.e. measured in terms of turnover, they are among the first three enterprises. ….. This export success is not only achieved by big concerns, but also by a large number of medium-sized enterprises. If you somewhat expand the term medium-sized enterprises compared to the regular limit (annual turnover up to 50 million Euro) and also include enterprises of "lager medium-size" with high export rates (annual turnover between 50 million Euro and 1 billion Euro) in this group, these enterprises generate approx. 40 % of German export volume. Approx. 1,400 out of the 1,500 German global market leaders are medium-sized enterprises". This can be read in the introductory chapter "Das Erfolgsmodell der deutschen Weltmarktführer" (The Success Story of German Global Market Leaders) of the new reference book.
Florian Langenscheidt's economics publishing company, Deutsche Standards Editionen, Cologne, now for the first time compiles about 800 of these German global market leaders in a reference book. Together with the editors, an advisory board of eight renowned representatives from industry associations, media, research institutions through to the financial sector determined the encyclopedia's configuration. In this way the encyclopedia provides insight into the elite of German industry. Numerous branches are represented in the book, from automotive sector and renewable energy through to pharmaceutical and medical technology, with German medium-sized companies being among the "Top 3" worldwide.
"Approx. 70 percent of the global market leaders are not listed on the stock exchange and are completely family-owned. Ultimate ambition of most of these enterprises is to safeguard long-term survival as well as to ensure independence ("Trustee Perspective"). Corporate policy is aimed at creating sustainable relationships of trust with all essential stakeholders of the enterprise (owners, staff members, customers, suppliers and society). Rather than shortterm profit maximization, achieving appropriate profits and sustainable increase in value are main aspects", Bernd Venohr states in the encyclopedia's foreword.
ILLIG with a 65-years company history and the reputation of being the pioneer in thermoforming technology is one typical example of this company philosophy. 80 percent of the machines and lines built by the still owner-managed enterprise are being exported, about 50 percent thereof go to countries outside Western Europe. ILLIG employ about 750 staff members, 100 of these in research and development.