May 2024 | Ipsen ATLAS GREEN has been honoured with the German Innovation Award 2024. The German Design Council, during the ceremonial award ceremony in Berlin, recognises forward-thinking innovations with the Award. In 2024, out of a total of 520 cross-industry submissions from 23 countries, the interdisciplinary expert jury selected 187 products and concepts that stand out for their user-centric approach and added value compared to other solutions.
With over 75 years of experience, the global team at Ipsen International GmbH works to empower manufacturers and commercial heat treaters to develop innovations with confidence. Ipsen equips production companies to perform precise, reproducible heat treatments that enhance safety, enable innovation, and drive business growth. With over 100 patents, the company has demonstrated its ability to develop precise, reliable furnaces and modern control technology to promote a safe and advanced world.
The jury of the German Innovation Award 2024 on the honoured Ipsen ATLAS GREEN project:
“Conventionally, industrially used chamber furnace systems for heat treatment are operated with fossil fuels such as gas or electricity – resulting in a correspondingly high CO2 footprint. The innovative Ipsen Atlas Green furnace, on the other hand, is heated 100% CO2-neutral, ensured by the intelligent combination of green electricity and green hydrogen. The latter is only used when there is not enough green electricity available, which is controlled by intelligent software. Although the infrastructure for green hydrogen is still under construction, limiting its availability, the Ipsen Atlas Green furnace already offers an attractive solution to utilize green hydrogen with its cleverly designed and forward-thinking hybrid solution.”
Future trends and groundbreaking innovations
The German Innovation Award is awarded annually in the two main categories “Excellence in Business to Consumer” and “Excellence in Business to Business,” each divided into around 20 subcategories. Additionally, projects in the overarching category “Innovation Methods” are recognized, which have utilized agile methods such as Design Thinking, Scrum, Lean Startup, or Sprint on their path to innovation.
“Targeted innovations are essential for success and sustainability. They are indispensable for addressing the challenges of our time and driving the sustainable transformation of industry forward. With the German Innovation Award 2024, we make these outstanding and exemplary innovations visible. I am very pleased with the diversity of the awarded projects this year: They not only provide significant added value for the industry but also for society and the environment,” says Lutz Dietzold, CEO of the German Design Council.
The awarded projects of this year impressively demonstrate that the complex challenges of our time can only be solved through holistic approaches. It is also becoming clear that the innovation strength benefits from the exchange and analysis of different perspectives.
Interdisciplinary expert jury
The jury consists of independent, interdisciplinary experts from technology, digitalization, science, and institutions. They evaluate the submissions based on the criteria of innovation, user benefits, and economic viability. The innovation strategy should consider aspects such as social, ecological, and economic sustainability as well as energy and resource usage. Factors such as location and employment potential, longevity, market readiness, technical quality and function, materiality, and synergy effects also play a crucial role in the judging process.
Members of this year’s jury were:
Annette Brunsmeier, Digital Transformation Lead Public Sector, Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH, Hamburg
Dr. Elias Knubben, Vice President and Head of Corporate Research and Innovation, Festo SE & CO. KG, Esslingen
Michael Kruza, Team Lead Design / User Experience, Innovation Hub, Deutsche Telekom AG, Bonn/Darmstadt/Berlin
Sonja Schiefer, Head of Siemens Design Home Appliances, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, Munich
Dr. Christopher Stillings, Vice President and Head of Color & Design (CMF), Covestro Deutschland AG, Leverkusen
Anette Ströh, Innovation Manager, Charité, Berlin
