The overall winner was Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG, Teisnach plant. As a manufacturing service provider, it produces customer-specific individual parts in mechanical prefabrication and electromechanical systems in its final assembly areas. For larger service projects, it also offers development, design and support services. "With the Rohde & Schwarz production system, you have a clear vision for product and process innovation, an impressive reality and also score points for sustainability. Your production processes are modern and master the high level of vertical integration - as does your supply chain management. Industry 4.0 and cyber security are integrated," said Frauke Berger, Head of the Continental plant in Karben and member of the MX jury, in her laudatory speech.

In addition to the overall winner, the jury also honors other winners in several categories with the MX Award: For example, it recognizes a particularly good customer focus or exceptional performance in terms of information technology, logistics and network management and quality management as well as product or process innovation. The "Best SME" must meet the same high standards as the overall winner: it depends on excellent performance in all areas of the company. "We are convinced that only holistic optimization leads to sustainable success," explains Prof. Thomas Wimmer, Chairman of the BVL Executive Board and Chairman of the MX Board.

This year, the Gillette plant of Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH won two categories: "Customer orientation" and "Process innovation". All components of the brand's wet shaving heads are manufactured and assembled at the plant - 50 percent of Gillette's global production comes from the Berlin site. The central strategy is to continuously improve the product.

Plant 1 of Hilti AG was honored in the "Product Innovation" category. Elements and accessories for commercial and industrial fastening and assembly technology are produced there. The plant combines expertise in shaping technologies, assembly and special processes such as powder metallurgy.

Leesys - Leipzig Electronic Systems GmbH came out on top in the "Logistics and Network Management" category. As an electronic engineering and manufacturing service provider, the company offers all E2MS services from development, material procurement and PCB assembly to automatic optical inspection, electrical testing, programming, component and device assembly and after-sales services.

Apra-Norm Elektromechanik GmbH specializes in the development and production of enclosure and housing systems made of metal and plastic. As a system supplier, it offers design, production, assembly and delivery logistics from a single source - and was honored with the MX Award for "Best SME/Information Technology".

MX Award: Background information

The aim of the "Manufacturing Excellence Award", or MX Award for short, is to recognize and acknowledge the achievements of manufacturing companies in Germany and thus maintain and secure value creation in Germany. Under the heading "Recognizing strengths - setting standards", it has been awarded to companies and their best-practice solutions in Germany since 2004, following the British model.

In Germany, this takes place under the scientific direction of the Logistics Department at the Technical University of Berlin. The jury is chaired by Prof. Frank Straube (TU Berlin) and Prof. Thomas Wimmer (BVL). The award is primarily intended to promote cross-industry cooperation and create a communication network for experts from science and practice. Companies of any size can take part, the only entry requirement is an industrial focus.

All participating companies benefit from the application process by receiving detailed, individual feedback on their projects and processes. They must first complete a self-assessment questionnaire, followed by a business review and evaluation by the jury, which consists of renowned representatives from the fields of science and industry. This gives them the chance to receive a detailed internal analysis and an external assessment. The MX Report, which all participants can use free of charge after the competition, contains a detailed evaluation of the benchmarking results. In addition, they can learn from other participating companies at a high level.