Family Business with a Vision: igus Named Finalist for the 2025 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award

Recognized for innovation, customer commitment, and a sustainable approach, igus is among the nominees for the prestigious Ernst & Young honor.

September 18, 2025 – Despite challenging times, Germany continues to foster thriving family-owned businesses—igus among them. Founded in 1964 in Cologne, igus began with plastic components like plain bearings and energy chains for industrial use. Today, the company is expanding into promising new areas such as low-cost robotics. This agility and innovation have earned igus a spot among the finalists for the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 award.

Ernst & Young, one of the Big Four accounting firms, has honored outstanding entrepreneurial achievements through this global competition since 1986. Now held in 58 countries, the German edition is in its 29th year. igus is one of 20 companies to reach the final round in 2025.

“Our vision is to create a world without lubrication – with durable, maintenance-free plastics for motion that are CO₂-neutral, produce no waste, and offer our customers the easiest way to collaborate: technically better, economically more cost-effective, and ecologically sensible,” says igus Managing Director Frank Blase. “Participating in the final of the ‘EY Entrepreneur Of The Year’ competition confirms to us that we are on the right track with our lived start-up mentality and our annually growing number of plastic innovations.” The winners will be announced on November 6th at the Wappenhalle in Munich.

Customer Focus Drives Growth

With over 5,200 employees and annual sales exceeding €1 billion, igus is one of Germany’s most successful family-run companies. The company aims to more than double its customer base and revenue by 2030, launching over 200 new products and services each year.

Blase attributes this success to listening closely to customers. “As an entrepreneur, I learned early and painfully that the focus of strategic direction should not be my own success, but the success of the customer.” This approach has led to thousands of specialized products, including digitized plain bearings and energy chains made from high-performance, lubrication-free plastics used in industries ranging from aerospace to solar energy.

Among its latest innovations is the ReBeL articulated-arm robot, a cobot made of high-performance plastic designed to help small and mid-sized businesses enter automation affordably. “At a price of €4,970, it’s one of the few robots from Germany that can compete with Chinese models,” Blase explains.

Sustainability at the Core

Growth at igus is guided by sustainability. The company is committed to a CO₂-neutral, waste-free plastics economy through recycling programs and products made with recycled content. A standout example is the igus:bike, a lubrication-free, rust-proof bicycle made almost entirely of plastic—about 50% of which is recycled, including ocean waste like fishing nets.

igus also fosters innovation and diversity through trainee programs, dual study tracks, internal startups, and global collaboration.

Learn more about igus’ success story: https://youtu.be/OJ7G3bkO_HQ