Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum has been awarded as one of the five best in class companies in technology management, identified within the European benchmarking study of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT. The Fraunhofer IPT identified the best in class together with a jury of ten industrial partners forming the consortium of the benchmarking project for especially successful processes in technology development. The consortium included Aesculap, Alstom (Switzerland), Bosch Diesel Systems, Daimler, Mibelle, Miele, MTU Friedrichshafen, Roche Diagnostics, Schaeffler Technologies, and V-Zug. The data base for this benchmarking consisted of a panel of 160 leading R&D or Technology Management employees who were asked about the present challenges faced. More than two thirds of the companies interviewed were of German origin, the remaining participants were from other European countries.

The majority of the participants, more than 30 per cent, were clustered in machinery and engineering. According to Professor Dr. Günther Schuh, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute, the most important success factors in technology management are structural, cultural, personnel, organizational, and methodological aspects. One of the most crucial factors is seen in the courage to shape one’s own future. Apart from that, methods for evaluating technology intelligence and planning, the use of open innovation and a modern IT system play and import role in success. Dr. Martin Füllenbach, CEO Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum emphasizes: "For us, it is a high recognition to be awarded for our technology management by the Fraunhofer Institute, the largest European organization for application based research in cooperation with the RWTH Aachen, and it also is a beacon for the future. Benchmarking is an important factor to continue the efforts in becoming best in class. Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum can draw on a lot of experience and we are glad that we had the occasion to put our technological dynamics to the test.“