Patent Approvals Reach New Record: Endress+Hauser Recognizes Innovators

Summary

Since 2000 Endress+Hauser has invited all employees involved in patent filings to the annual Innovators’ Meeting. No in-person events were held in the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic. The company thus used this year as an opportunity to celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary. 360 innovators were invited to attend the two-day session at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany to be creative and celebrate with one another.

Patent figures at a high level

“Innovation continues to be a driver of our success and our innovation rate is high. The numbers nevertheless show us that the innovation process is suffering from a lack of personal interaction,” said Dr. Andreas Mayr, chief operating officer at the Endress+Hauser Group. With 258 initial filings, Endress+Hauser is slightly under the prior year’s figure of 276. “Many ideas arise through coincidental encounters and the sharing of information. Together we are simply more creative and innovative.”

One reason to celebrate is the new record of 764 worldwide patent approvals. Since many innovations in multiple countries are filed as patents, this figure is regularly above the number of internal patent submissions. The intellectual property rights portfolio, which protects the Endress+Hauser products, solutions and services from imitators, now comprises a total of 8,600 patents and patent filings.

Endress+Hauser places a high value on research and development. In 2021, the Group invested more than 210 million euros in R&D, which equates to 7.4 percent of sales. “This ensures that our pipeline continues to be filled with new products. We will introduce more than 30 new products to the market this year as well,” said Andreas Mayr.

Focus on personal encounters

“This year’s Innovators’ Meeting is designed to offer a platform to take advantage of the potential of personal encounters,” said Dr. Christine Koslowski, director of Intellectual Property Rights at Endress+Hauser. “We expanded the program to two days and brought our innovators together from various Endress+Hauser companies to work on new ideas. Three of these concepts were awarded a financial and time budget to develop them further.” The afternoon of the second day was reserved for a celebration ceremony and other awards presentations.

The Innovators’ Meeting honors Endress+Hauser employees for economically significant and especially creative innovations. Awards are also handed out for process improvements or the reuse of existing solutions. More than 100 employees were recognized.

About Endress+Hauser

Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement and automation technology for process and laboratory applications. The family company, headquartered in Reinach, Switzerland, achieved net sales of approximately 2.9 billion euros in 2021 with a total workforce of more than 15,000.

Endress+Hauser devices, solutions and services are at home in many industries. Customers thus use them to gain valuable knowledge from their applications. This enables them to improve their products, work economically and at the same time protect people and the environment.

Endress+Hauser is a reliable partner worldwide. Its own sales companies in more than 50 countries as well as representatives in another 70 countries ensure competent support. Production facilities on four continents manufacture quickly and flexibly to the highest quality standards.

Endress+Hauser was founded in 1953 by Georg H Endress and Ludwig Hauser. Ever since, the company has been pushing ahead with the development and use of innovative technologies, now helping to shape the industry’s digital transformation. 8,600 patents and applications protect the Group’s intellectual property.