NIDEC GPM named innovation champion
Überlingen - Letting go of the old and daring to try something new: Innovative medium-sized companies like NIDEC GPM GmbH from Auengrund are not afraid of change, but see it as an opportunity.
This was the company's convincing argument in the 27th round of the TOP 100 innovation competition. NIDEC GPM will officially be among the TOP 100 as of June 19 in 2020. In the scientific selection process, the company in the C size category (more than 200 employees) impressed particularly with its innovation success. NIDEC GPM is among the top innovators for the fourth time.
Electromobility is one of the major topics of the future in the automotive industry: sustainable, low-consumption drive concepts are to save emissions and energy. Not only engines contribute to this, but also individual components such as the electric pump for battery temperature control and engine cooling in NIDEC GPM.
Research and development has always been a high priority for the four-time TOP 100 company. One in ten of the 1,000 employees works in this field. And with great success: the medium-sized company has already registered 150 patents. Thüringen is a technology leader in mechanical water pumps that can be controlled and switched. The top innovator is now striving for this pioneering role with its electric main water pump, which is the only one on the entire market based on the so-called glanded pump concept. Here, the pump's motor runs in the air, i.e. "in the dry". The process is extremely low-friction and reduces energy consumption by up to 3 percent compared with electric pumps whose motors are based on the glandless principle. In order to be able to produce this innovation in large quantities, NIDEC GPM converted its production and automated it with robot technology.
By the way, good ideas pay off not only for the company: Employees receive rewards for patent proposals and bonuses when the idea is turned into a series product, such as the electric main water pump.
TOP 100: the competition
Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal of approval for special innovative strength and above-average innovation success to medium-sized companies. Since 2002 the scientific management has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke. Franke is founder and chairman of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. Mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the BVMW. As media partners, manager magazin, impulse and W&V accompany the company comparison. More information is available at www.top100.de.
