RZB honoured as innovation leader for the fifth time

RZB Rudolf Zimmermann, Bamberg GmbH has once again made it to the top of this year's TOP 100 innovation competition. Only particularly innovative medium-sized companies receive this award. On 23 June, science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar will personally congratulate RZB on this success at the award ceremony in Augsburg. Yogeshwar accompanies the TOP 100 innovation competition as a mentor.

The competition is based on a scientific selection process. Innovation researcher Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and his team examined RZB on the basis of more than 100 criteria from five categories: Innovation-promoting top management, innovation climate, innovative processes and organisation, external orientation/open innovation and innovation success. Of particular importance is whether a company's innovations are just a random product or are systematically planned and thus repeatable in the future.

RZB is one of the top innovators for the fifth time. At home in the lighting industry, we have a considerable vertical range of manufacture in Bamberg. Certification according to DIN-ISO 9001 and, last but not least, the award of the EcoVadis silver medal for sustainability activities illustrate the mentality of our company. RZB has stood for intelligent lighting solutions "Made in Germany" for over 80 years. The focus of our internationally active family business is on the development and production of indoor and outdoor luminaires, emergency luminaires and efficient light management systems. New to the portfolio is the RZB Energy brand with a new, fully modular concept of luminaires with integrated charging function. Proven light pedestals and bollards, which have so far defied wind and weather as pure outdoor lighting, have been hybridised and now offer architecturally appealing charging options for electric cars in public and private areas that comply with calibration regulations. Whether in industrial, office or shop applications, in private and public buildings, outdoors, on paths and squares - with 360° Lighting Competence we offer our customers lighting and services from a single source: from consulting and planning to financing and commissioning, service and maintenance to continuous monitoring and optimisation over the complete life cycle of the lighting installations.

To ensure that all applicants have equal opportunities, the seal is awarded in three size categories: up to 50, 51 to 200 and more than 200 employees. In the anniversary year of TOP 100 - the current round is already the 30th edition of the innovation competition - interest was particularly high: 550 SMEs applied, 300 of them were successful and now bear the TOP 100 seal. A maximum of 100 companies per size category can be awarded.

"TOP 100 is about the question of how important the innovation goal is in the company," says Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke, scientific director of the competition. "Do routines and habits dominate or is the company capable of questioning the existing, thinking creatively and in new ways and successfully implementing them on the market? Compamedia analysed this ability on the basis of more than 100 test criteria."

On 23 June, all the top innovators of 2023 will come together in Augsburg for the award ceremony at the German SME Summit. There, Ranga Yogeshwar will personally congratulate them on their TOP 100 success.