Überlingen – Congratulations to the innovation forge: Ranga Yogeshwar congratulates the DE group from Dingolfing on their success at TOP 100. The award ceremony as part of the German SME Summit takes place on Friday, June 27th, in Mainz for all medium-sized companies that were awarded the TOP 100 seal at the beginning of the year. The science journalist accompanies the innovation competition, held for the 32nd time, as a mentor. In the scientific selection process, the DE group impressed particularly in the category of innovation climate in size class B (51 to 200 employees in Germany). The company is among the top innovators for the second time.
In the TOP 100 company profile published on the occasion of the award, it says:
Short decision paths, agile structures, and creative freedom characterize the DE group. The provider of digital shop floor information systems develops smart technologies that make production processes more efficient, flexible, and resource-saving. Employees directly contribute their ideas to development, enabling new digital solutions to be quickly implemented. Intelligent applications can therefore automate processes and make companies fit for the demands of today and tomorrow.
In developing new technologies, the company relies on close collaboration with customers and universities. Through trade fair visits, workshops, and direct conversations, market needs are identified early and translated into practical solutions. One example is the workstAItion 5.0 – an AI-supported workstation that individually assists employees in manufacturing. Using voice and facial recognition, each user receives exactly the information they need for their task. The system also automatically captures verbal instructions, allowing work processes to be documented and updated more quickly. “Vision-as-a-Service” also demonstrates the practical approach: instead of abstract analyses, the company continuously accompanies customers – from identifying optimization potentials to the concrete implementation of new digital processes.
Innovation through collaboration
Close exchange with customers, suppliers, and external experts shapes the innovative strength of the DE group at every step. One example is a joint workshop with a long-standing customer, where a complex process was significantly simplified through the use of artificial intelligence. This approach convinced at all levels of the company. COO Andreas Tobisch summarizes the philosophy: “Innovation means recognizing market needs and creating software solutions from them that allow customers to act more economically.”
Space for digital pioneers
Open structures, personal responsibility, and continuous education promote the development of practical technologies. Every employee has a personal training budget that they can use flexibly. At the same time, the company culture actively creates space for new ideas. This approach ensures long-term success: the DE group is a company that integrates technological competence around AI so practically that the team experiences and shapes digital progress every day.
TOP 100: the competition
Since 1993, compamedia has awarded the TOP 100 seal for special innovative strength and above-average innovation successes to medium-sized companies. The scientific direction has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke since 2002. Franke is the founder and chairman of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. With 27 research awards and over 200 publications, he is one of the leading innovation researchers internationally. The mentor of TOP 100 is science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the SME association BVMW. The magazine manager magazin accompanies the company comparison as a media partner, the magazine “ZEIT für Unternehmer” as a cooperation partner.