Year after year, the Endress+Hauser Group invest more than seven percent of its sales worldwide in research and development. A consistently high rate of patent applications in all areas of measurement technology is proof of the solid power of innovation of the Swiss family company.
“With 270 first applications and 456 patents granted, we’re pleased to report that we once more exceeded last year’s great results,” says Angelika Andres, head of PatServe, Endress+Hauser’s intellectual property department. “The development shows a high level of continuity and a good spread across all our key technologies.” The strongest growth segment was analytics, where the strategic acquisitions of recent years (Analytik Jena, SpectraSensors, Kaiser Optical Systems) make themselves felt. The number of proprietary rights active worldwide has meanwhile risen to 6552.
On average, four out of five invention disclosures from Endress+Hauser’s rank and file get forwarded to the patent office. More than half of these have global relevance and are also patented in the USA and in China. Only about 30 percent of all patents reach business relevance, often after many years, but they are crucially important for the Group’s growth. “Our proprietary rights not only protect each innovation, but the enterprise as a whole,” explains Michael Ziesemer, COO of the Endress+Hauser Group. “Our own broad-based patent portfolio allows us to fend off attacks by competitors with better chances of success.”
New branch office in the USA
PatServe opening an office abroad fits well into this context: From 1 April 2016, three experts will protect technical innovations at the Greenwood site in Indiana where Endress+Hauser produces level, flow, pressure and temperature measurement instruments. With around 600 people working in production and 250 in sales, the USA is among Endress+Hauser’s most important markets.
Honouring its inventors has a long tradition at the measurement and automation technology specialist: Employees who have filed a patent get invited to the annual Innovators’ Meeting. “This is how we show our inventors that we appreciate their work,” says Ziesemer. Attended by over 300 people, the 2016 event took place on 11 March at the exhibition centre in Mulhouse, France. As every year, patents that are particularly important in economic terms received prizes during this festive occasion.
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...Groundbreaking renewable energy skills platform
News
South Africa’s renewable energy sector has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of PowerUp. A South African first, this online platform is designed to equip the country’s workforce with the skills required to meet industry demands.
Read more...Innomotics wins Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding
News
Innomotics has been awarded with the Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding. The international jury honoured Innomotics’ efforts to develop a powerful and recognisable brand after the carve-out of Innomotics from the Siemens Group in 2023.
Read more...Unlocking Africa’s hydrogen potential
News
Africa is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the global green energy revolution, with hydrogen emerging as a critical commodity of strategic and national importance across the continent. Namibia is putting ambition into action by having already reached a number of key milestones towards final investment decision on up to five projects.
Read more...Fuchs doubles sales volume
News
An aggressive growth strategy in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade has resulted in Fuchs Lubricants South Africa achieving a CAGR of 6% in volume sold since 2015. The result of this is that sales volume has nearly doubled in this time.
Read more...High-quality sensing and automation equipment
News
The Turck Banner Demo Van is showcasing the company’s latest products and solutions.Turck Banner sells directly to end users and OEMs in a broad range of industries and applications.
Read more...From ground to compound: the journey of crude oil Wearcheck
News
You’re in for a ‘crude awakening’ when you download WearCheck’s latest Technical Bulletin. You will be treated to an in-depth explanation of the processes of producing oil, fuel and other petrochemical wonders that power our modern lifestyle.