Germany's “hidden champions”: unknown top firms

“Hidden champions” are internationally highly successful privately owned companies whose names are practically unknown, even in Germany. We ... Skiptomaincontent HowGermanyticks close Besttopics: Germanyataglance Coronavirusnews Newsroom Video Links ThenewFederalGovernment Working Studying LearningGerman Sustainability Travel Business Search Chapter Politics GermanyandEurope DevelopmentandDialogue PeaceandSecurity GlobalIssuesandLaw Life SocietyandIntegration LifestyleandCuisine MobilityandTravel SportsandLeisure Business GlobalizationandWorldTrade InnovationandTechnology BrandsandMarkets CareersandWork EnergyandTechnology Knowledge EducationandLearning HigherEducationandResearch IntellectandScholarship NetworksandPartnerships Culture ArtsandArchitecture CreativityandFashion CommunicationandMedia TownandCountry Environment EarthandClimate LandscapesandHabitats ResourcesandSustainability Energytransition Infos&Kontakt Contact Dataprotectionstatement PublisherInformation Serviceforjournalists Newsletter OffsettingcarbonemissionsID:ZRI-BSC-471559 deutschland.de close Deutsch English Français Español Português,Brasil Polski Türkçe Русский 中文 العربية Besttopics: Germanyataglance Coronavirusnews Newsroom Video Links ThenewFederalGovernment Working Studying LearningGerman Sustainability Travel Business Letusexplain AGermanphenomenon “Hiddenchampions”areinternationallyhighlysuccessfulprivatelyownedcompanieswhosenamesarepracticallyunknown,eveninGermany.Werevealthree. MartinOrth/13.06.2021 Symrise:flavouringsfor30,000products Symrise AccordingtoProfessorHermannSimonthereare1,300“hiddenchampions”inGermany,whichisalmosthalfofallthehiddenchampionsworldwide.Theeconomistandbusinessconsultantcoinedthetermin1990todescribethe“spearheadofGermanindustry”:highlysuccessfulcompanies,themajorityevenworldmarketleadersintheirspecificniche,which,however,arepracticallyunknowntothegeneralpublic.Othercommoncharacteristics:hiddenchampionsareoftenfamily-ownedandrunandbasedinsmalltowns,butarestronglyexport-oriented.Herearethreecurrentexamples. Wickert:essentialforvaccineproduction Wickert,themechanicalengineeringfirmfromLandauinthePalatinate,specialisesintheproductionofhydraulicpresses.Whenordersfromtheautomotiveandaviationsectorsdriedupin2020asaresultofthepandemic,itlandeditsfirstmajororderfromthepharmaindustry:manufacturingequipmentthatproducessealingplugsforvaccinecontainers.Fewcompaniescandothisbecauseverystrictrequirementshavetobemet.Thesealingplugsneedtobeproducedundercleanroomconditionsbecauseparticlesof3micrometresinsize–inotherwords,0.003millimetres–areregardedascontamination.Incomparison,ahumanhair–at0.03millimetres–isroughlytentimesasthick.Productionisnowrunningatfullsteamandthe45-tonnepressesarebeingtransportedtocustomersinEurope,AmericaandAsiainanenormousAntonovcargoaircraft. Mennekes:e-mobilityconnectors picture-alliance/ZB Mennekes:drivingforceforelectro-mobility Mennekes,afamilyfirmfromKirchhundemintheSauerland,hasnowbeensupportingtheelectrificationofindustrywithinnovativesolutionsfordecades.However,Mennekesprobablyachievedthegreatestsuccessinitscorporatehistoryin2014whenitsType2connectorforchargingelectricvehicleswasselectedbytheEuropeanParliamentasthestandardplugintheEU.WalterMennekesdevelopedhisfirstchargingconnectorin2008,whenElonMuskhadjustlaunchedthefirstTeslaRoadster.HissonChristophernowearnshigherrevenuesintheelectro-mobilitysectorthansellingconventionalindustrialconnectors. Symrise:DAXcandidate BasedinHolzminden,LowerSaxony,theworldmarketleaderwiththeartificialnameSymriseisaclassichiddenchampion.Peoplehaveneverheardofitbutcomeintocontactwithitsproductseveryday.ThatisbecauseSymrisesuppliesfragrancesandflavouringsforover30,000productsworldwide,largelybasedonnaturalrawmaterialslikevanilla,citrusfruits,blossomsandplantmaterials.Itsexportshareis90%.Withanannualturnoverof3.5billioneuros,anaverageannualgrowthrateof5to7%andaprofitmarginofover20%,itsbusinessnumbersmakeSymriseacandidatefortheGermanstockmarketindexDAX. ©www.deutschland.de YouwouldliketoreceiveregularinformationaboutGermany?Subscribehere: Newsletter#UpdateGermany RelatedContent TransporthubGermany Germanyisknownworldwideasanoutstandinglogisticshub.DoyouknowwhatlinksHamburg,DuisburgandFrankfurtamMain? Readmore Theimportandexportbusinessbynumbers AnyonewhoknowsthecurrentfactsandfigureswillunderstandtheroleGermanyplaysinworldtrade. Readmore Studyingbigbusiness Worldtradeisanenormousbusiness,inwhichGermanyplaysaspecialrole.Thesefiveuniversityprogrammesprovidedeeperinsightintothesector. Readmore