You’ve probably heard 3D printing described as a “game changer” in any number of industries. Medicine, fashion, aerospace – the list goes on. It’s a term that tends to lose meaning when you’ve heard it several times, but when you’re listed as a game changer within a game-changing industry, well, that tends to stick a little bit more.
This year, German business publication Manager Magazin and consulting company Bain & Company created the Game Changer Award, which honors German companies who are changing their industries with creativity and innovation. Three categories, “Challengers,” “Incumbents,” and “Focused Players,” were created. The winner in the Challengers category was none other than EOS E-Manufacturing Solutions, the additive manufacturing company that is coming off a wildly successful year.
Hans Langer, founder and CEO of the EOS Group, holds his company‘s Game Changer award. With him, left to right, are Walter Sinn of Bain & Company, Olaf Koch, CEO of Metro AG, and Steffen Klusmann, Chief Editor of Manager Magazin.
“As the market leader and pioneer of the revolutionary industrial 3D printing technology, we considered EOS an obvious candidate for the Game Changer Award,” said Olaf Koch, Chief Executive Officer of METRO AG and one of the judges who selected the winners. “EOS’ development, since its formation in 1989 to the present, provides impressive proof, as the company progressed from Rapid Manufacturing of prototypes through small series to series production for larger volumes. EOS is an excellent example of technical innovation and entrepreneurial creative power. The current and especially future impact of the technology on value chains in the industry and the entire economy is enormous.”
Only companies with headquarters in Germany were considered for the awards. The “Challenger” award, which had 78 candidates altogether, focused on “the disruptive potential of the business model and its impact on customers and competitors.” Particular factors under consideration included added customer value, the company’s impact on its industry, and its potential for growth in the future.
“We are very pleased with this award, and would like to thank the initiators and the jury,” said Dr. Hans J. Langer, EOS Founder and CEO. “It shows us that we are making the right decisions on the basis of our long-term business strategy. With this award, Manager Magazin and Bain & Company are also honoring a technology that is already heralding a paradigm shift in engineering and production, and that plays a role in gradually creating entirely new business models at our customers.”
The Gasometer, Berlin
The awards ceremony took place at the Gasometer in Berlin. The winner of the “Focused Player” award was digital publishing company Axel Springer, and taking home the “Incumbent” award was BMW. The jury consisted of leaders of industry and academia, and included:
- Prof. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner, Chair of Entrepreneurial Finance and Scientific Co-Director of the CEFS at the Technical University Munich
- Andreas von Bechtolsheim, Chief Development Officer & Chairman of Arista Networks
- Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, President of acatech
- Steffen Klusmann, Chief Editor of Manager Magazin
- Philipp Justus, Managing Director of Google (Germany, Austria and Switzerland)
- Olaf Koch, Chief Executive Officer of Metro AG
- Walter Sinn, Managing Director of Bain & Company Deutschland
In a year that has had a lot of worrisome news for some large 3D printing companies like Stratasys and 3D Systems, EOS’ successful and award-winning 2015 bodes very well for their future. We’ll see what 2016 has in store. Discuss this story in the EOS forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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