Dental News - Kettenbach recognized as TOP 100 Innovator for 2018

Dental Tribune USA

Thu. 12 July 2018

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At the 5th German Mittelstands-Summit (SMEs summit) on June 29 in Ludwigsburg, Kettenbach GmbH & Co. KG was recognized as a TOP 100 innovator for 2018. The company and its 160 employees were recognized in the category “Innovative Success.” The president of the company, Jens Kuhn, accepted the award directly from the TV moderator and science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar.

The TOP 100 seal is awarded by the initiator compamedia to small and medium-sized enterprises for exceptional innovation and innovative success. The businesses that receive awards have undergone an independent scientific analysis with about 100 parameters that are used as test criteria, divided into assessment categories such as “Innovative Processes and Organization,” “Innovation Environment” (involvement of employees), “Top Management Fostering Innovation,” “External Orientation / Open Innovation” and “Innovative Success.”

The initiator compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal for exceptional innovative performance by small and medium-sized enterprises since 1993. The scientific administration has been in the hands of Professor Nikolaus Franke since 2002. Franke is the founder and chair of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the University of Vienna. With 18 research prizes and more than 200 publications, he is one of the world’s leading innovative researchers. The mentor of the TOP 100 is the science journalist and TV moderator Ranga Yogeshwar. More information about the competition is available at www.top100.de.

“Innovation as we define it means above all meeting our customers’ needs in the best possible way, thereby illustrating our uniqueness,” said Kuhn. Kettenbach brought the first impression material based on silicone to the market in 1955 with “Lastic,” a condensation-curing silicone. Along with modern materials for impression taking and bite registration, the medium-sized company’s portfolio now also includes composites for restorations. The company builds on its own research and development as well as production in Germany, and quality is paramount.

As one of the awarded SMEs, Kettenbach finds itself in great company. Other recipients include international and national market leaders that hold many patents and with product innovations that are strong revenue drivers. This makes them job motors: Between 2017 and 2019 about 14,000 new jobs are created by these companies. The number of employees also grew at Kettenbach in the past three years by a 15 percent.

This is the result of dedication, investments and entrepreneurial courage, according to Kettenbach. Kuhn says: “Our success is highly dependent on whether we provide our customers with benefits.” That is, innovation in the service of the customer — based on this there is likely to be no barrier to continued success for the company, Kettenbach says.

(Source: Kettenbach)