60 years of plastics in motion: igus sponsors 60 sets of jerseys for sports clubs

igus Partners with JAKO to Support Amateur Football, Basketball, and Handball Teams Across Germany

April 24, 2025 – What do igus and sports teams have in common? Movement! Since 1964, the company—based in Cologne has been designing and manufacturing “motion plastics”—machine components made from high-performance plastics that are both lubrication-free and long-lasting, built for moving applications ranging from crane systems and machine tools to stage equipment. Celebrating movement together —this was igus’ theme for its 60th anniversary. To mark the occasion, igus has teamed up with sports gear supplier JAKO to donate 60 sets of jerseys to sports teams across Germany.

“At igus, we deal with movement as well as continuous development and innovation every day,” explains Tobias Vogel, Managing Director of Plain Bearing and Linear Technology at igus. “These values, along with team spirit and camaraderie, are exactly what we want to promote. Therefore, we asked our employees to suggest local sports clubs that are close to their hearts, so that they have a chance to win a new set of jerseys.” All the teams had to do was submit a contribution to the question “What does movement mean to you?” From photos and videos to self-painted pictures and composed songs, there were no limits to creativity. igus employees acted as sponsors and collected the applications.

The Joy of Exercising Together

A panel at igus—made up of representatives Human Resource, the agency, management, the trust council, and the youth and trainee representatives, reviewed all the entries. The winning teams were awarded a certificate and a voucher for a set of soccer, handball, or basketball jerseys from sports equipment supplier JAKO. “We were delighted with the truly creative submissions,” says Tobias Vogel. “Through this joint campaign with JAKO, we were able to support 60 sports clubs across Germany, from children’s and youth to adult teams. At the same time, we want to use this campaign to promote the joy of exercise and togetherness, as well as to show our appreciation for the performance and commitment of German sports clubs.”