igus is setting its sights on global growth and fast delivery times—through investments in automation and local production

With global investments totaling €124.4 million, igus is strengthening its fast supply chains, customer proximity, and competitive edge.

At a time when global conflicts and economic uncertainty are holding back many industries, the ability to innovate remains essential for growth and competitiveness. With 227 new motion plastics, igus proves that innovations can emerge precisely in difficult circumstances. To achieve further growth, the company has invested heavily in new infrastructure and automation, leading to even faster delivery times. In addition, igus is expanding its global operations through new and existing subsidiaries to further strengthen its proximity to customers through local production.

Despite global challenges, igus managed to grow its 2025 revenue to €1,155 million—a 4.4 percent increase over the previous year. The three largest markets for igus are China, Germany, and the U.S., which together account for approximately 60 percent of revenue. igus employs 5,423 people worldwide—185 more than in 2024, with 2,044 in Germany alone. To become independent of the external labor market by 2027, the company established its own Training Factory at its headquarters in Cologne at a cost of 600,000 euros. In 2025, igus invested a total of €42.2 million in the innovation center in Cologne alone and €11.5 million in equity investments. In addition, €70.7 million was invested in its global subsidiaries. The funds are being used, among other things, for new land, buildings, and modern equipment, all with the goal of supplying customers even faster and more reliably in the future.

“Product quality and price are no longer the only differentiating factors,” says Artur Peplinski, CEO and spokesperson for the Executive Board at igus.

“Our customers increasingly need suppliers who can deliver quickly and, above all, reliably without compromising on product quality.” Automation is a key driver for greater speed. As part of the new “Phase 8” building at the headquarters in Cologne, for example, a fully automated warehouse for small parts is being built, which will shorten order processing times with up to 1,800 storage and retrieval operations per hour. Specially developed automation solutions that relieve employees of routine tasks, such as unloading injection molding machines, ensure additional production speed. The 857 injection molding machines in Cologne produce more than one billion parts per year. In areas such as crimping and soldering, new automation solutions enable throughput times that are 10 to 30 times faster than manual processes.

1,500 square meters of additional testing space for more research and innovation

To ensure consistently high quality, the world’s largest testing laboratory has expanded even further and now covers 5,500 square meters.

“Adding 1,500 square meters to our testing facilities in the new building, dedicated exclusively to our drytech products, lays the groundwork for increased capacity and new products, such as PTFE-free and bisphenol-free materials,” says Peplinski. “The number of test setups alone has increased by about 20 percent, and with it the number of tests: from the current 11,000 to a total of about 17,000 tests per year.”

Part of the investment also went toward developing new online tools that allow design engineers to configure products automatically—and thus even more easily and quickly—without having to exchange design drawings with igus’s sales department.

New subsidiaries and local production for even greater proximity to customers

igus still manufactures approximately 95 percent of its components in Germany. However, the trend toward local production is growing worldwide. Developments such as China First or America First are a reflection of this reality. To better understand and address local challenges and to improve its own environmental footprint, igus expanded its factories in China, the U.S., Poland, Turkey, and Japan in 2025. Larger storage and assembly facilities have been established in many locations. “By expanding local production capacities in China and the U.S. alone, we reduced transport weight by approximately 1.2 million kg in 2025—a significant contribution to CO₂ reduction,” emphasizes Peplinski. The company has also established new subsidiaries in Australia, Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Latvia.

Sustainability remains a central component of the company’s strategy. Since 2025, igus’s production at its headquarters in Cologne has been climate-neutral in accordance with Scopes 1 and 2. The company’s own recycling platform, chainge, also continues to grow: to date, 235 tons of end-of-life energy chains have been taken back. “An important step forward is the new ISO-certified validation, which allows us to reduce CO₂ ”We can transparently demonstrate to customers the savings we achieve through our cable track recycling,” explains Peplinski.

227 new products will enable further growth

igus’s new products are also designed to ensure international growth and help the company tap into new markets. The plastics specialist presented a total of 227 new motion plastics products at Hannover Messe 2026. These include the first drylin C roller guide, 3D printing materials for the food and beverage industry, and the e-spin energy supply system, a new cleanroom solution for long-distance applications with ISO Class 1 certification from Fraunhofer IPA. This year, igus also presented new solutions for e-mobility with e-tract AC and DC. igus sees low-cost robotics in particular as a growth driver. “Our goal is to democratize automation,” says Artur Peplinski.

“Small and medium-sized businesses with limited budgets and little experience can also reap the benefits of automation.”

That is why igus is expanding the RBTX online platform. igus’s goal is to further develop the RBTX ecosystem and transform it into a service hub for complete automation solutions. In the future, RBTX will not only bundle components from more than 260 well-known robotics manufacturers, but also connect customers [JB1] with suitable integration partners—quickly, transparently, and independently of the manufacturer. Approximately 100 humanoid robot models from 35 manufacturers are already available. Peplinski summarizes: “We want to demonstrate that sustainable growth and technological innovation are possible, even in challenging times. With a consistent focus on speed of delivery, local presence, and automation solutions, we are setting the course for growth—for us and our customers.”