Outstandingly innovative

Success built upon entrepreneurial vision: international lighting manufacturer RZB Rudolf Zimmermann, Bamberg GmbH is being honoured as one of Germany's most innovative SMEs at the German SME Summit in Essen on 26 June. The company joins an exclusive group of prizewinners stretching back over more than 20 years as Top 100 mentor Ranga Yogeshwar awards it the Top 100 seal of approval. The award to RZB is the outcome of a two-stage analytical procedure by a team of research scientists.

The carefully targeted innovation strategy pursued by RZB Rudolf Zimmermann, Bamberg GmbH has enabled the firm to score particularly highly in this Top 100 competition. This strategy requires the company - which produces lighting solutions and luminaires for both indoor and outdoor use as well as systems and luminaires for emergency lighting - to meet three specific criteria: every newly developed product must offer an innovative solution to a technical lighting problem, it must constitute a unique selling proposition (USP) and it must add value for customers. This approach ensures that RZB can deliver highly efficient product solutions that feature the latest advanced LED technology and the excellent lighting quality customers expect from products made in Germany.

Among the key drivers of innovation at this long-established company, which employs some 500 people, are its most senior executives, who spend 60 per cent of their time working on innovations - an above-average figure even by the standards of Top 100. The managing directors keep a close eye on the latest progress of inhouse product development projects, scrutinise the details of innovative products and make decisions on the purchase of new plant, machinery and equipment.

RZB has achieved remarkable success with its innovations and holds a large number of patents and property rights; with a portfolio comprising more than RZB has achieved remarkable success with its innovations and holds a large number of patents and property rights; with a portfolio comprising more than 10,000 products and with product innovations accounting for roughly 50 per cent of its revenues, the firm is one of the market leaders in the lighting sector.

"Generating good ideas and implementing them quickly is an important competitive factor for us," explained the managing directors Dr.Ing. Alexander Zimmermann and Reiner Jürgens. "RZB's core competences lie in its inhouse product development, its manufacturing and its quality assurance carried out in certified testing laboratories in Bamberg. This is where we invest a lot of time and money in managing innovation. In doing so, we are relying on the creativity and inventiveness of all of our employees. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to them for helping us win this Top 100 award."

RZB congratulates two further companies based in Bamberg: Wieland Electric and Mediengruppe Oberfanken GmbH & Co. KG. Both companies also won the Top 100 award. More information.