Nabaltec wins award as ideas factory

- Nabaltec is one of the Top 100 firms for the sixth time in 2012

- Ranga Yogeshwar honours Germany's most innovative SMEs

Schwandorf, 25 June 2012 - On 22 June 2012 in Friedrichshafen, Germany's most innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were awarded the Top 100 seal of approval by journalist and television presenter Ranga Yogeshwar. Nabaltec AG was once again among the recipients of this award in 2012.

Over a period of several months the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration has examined the innovations management systems used by 281 medium-sized German companies. The best of them - including Nabaltec AG for the sixth time - receive the prestigious Top 100 award. The member of the board, Gerhard Witzany was delighted to have won this accolade and emphasised that this achievement had been a team performance. 'I see this award as a recognition of the work done by our staff. Their enthusiasm and efforts are the key driver behind our innovation. At the same time we have put in place the right processes to ensure that this creativity can unleash its full productive potential. Our success is a combination of these two factors.'

When developing its products Nabaltec often works closely with key customers, whose preferences and requirements are incorporated into the initial specifications given to the company's chemists. During the laboratory stage Nabaltec then conducts tests at the customer sites. The subsequent experiments carried out at pilot plants with production on an industrial scale ultimately result in field tests being performed at the eventual buyer's premises. This client may then in turn have to have the new product tested and approved by its own customers. 'This collaboration can in some cases mean that we supply a particular client with a product exclusively for one or two years', distinguished the member of the board Johannes Heckmann.

In order to ensure that the company nurtures its strong innovative capabilities going forward, Nabaltec organises an inhouse conference twice a year at which its application technology, sales and production departments discuss the latest development issues with the members of the board. The findings of these conferences are then posted on the intranet so that they are available to all 397 members of staff.

compamedia - in collaboration with the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration - presents awards to a total of 116 firms (no more than 100 in each of the three size categories), which include 51 domestic market leaders and 20 global market leaders, including Nabaltec.

Further information about the Top 100 project can be found at www.top100.de.

Mentor
The project's mentor is the journalist and television presenter Ranga Yogeshwar.

Project management
Since 2002 this project has been coordinated by Dr Nikolaus Franke, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. The focus of his research is on entrepreneurship, innovations management, and marketing. He is one of the world's leading experts in the field of user innovation.

Organiser: compamedia - mentor to the best SMEs
compamedia GmbH, which was founded in 1993 and employs 20 people, organises the nationwide company benchmarking competitions Top 100, Top Job, Top Consultant and Ethics in Business. In doing so, it assists and awards prizes to SMEs that achieve outstanding results in the areas of innovation, human resource management, consulting and corporate social responsibility. compamedia works closely with leading universities on these projects.

Partners
The Top 100 project partners are the German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW), the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research, innovations-report, the German Centre for Productivity and Innovation (RKW), SchmidtColleg GmbH & Co. KG, VDE - the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies, and the consultancy Weissman & Cie. The media partner is the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

About Nabaltec AG:
Nabaltec AG, with registered office in Schwandorf, a chemicals business which has received multiple awards for innovativeness, manufactures, develops and distributes highly specialized products based on aluminum hydroxide ('ATH') and aluminum oxide, as well as other raw materials, on an industrial scale through its 'Functional Fillers' and 'Technical Ceramics' divisions. The company's product range includes halogen-free flame retardant fillers and eco-friendly additives for the plastics industry. Flame retardant fillers are used e.g. in cables in tunnels, airports, high-rise buildings and electronic devices, while additives replace stabilizers containing heavy metals in PVC processing. Nabaltec also produces base materials for use in technical ceramics, the refractory industry and catalysis. Unlike halogenated flame retardant fillers, the products manufactured by the company's 'Functional Fillers' division contain no hazardous substances and do not require separate disposal. Rather, the company's flame retardant fillers actually decrease the development of fumes hazardous to human health and the environment in the event of fire. Nabaltec maintains production sites in Germany and the US and plans to continue to consolidate its market position by expanding capacity, further optimizing processes and quality and making strategic extensions to its product range. On the strength of its specialty products, the company strives to attain the market leadership in each segment.
 

Contact:
Marina Fuchs
Nabaltec AG
Phone: +49 9431 53-205
Fax: +49 9431 53-203
E-mail: mfuchs@nabaltec.de

Frank Ostermair
Better Orange IR & HV AG
Phone: +49 89 8896906-14
Fax: +49 89 8896906-66
E-mail: frank.ostermair@better-orange.de