Leibinger Receives Prestigious Siemens Ring
The Werner-von-Siemens-Ring Stiftung [Foundation] in Berlin has awarded German entrepreneur Professor Berthold Leibinger Germany's most important technology award. The Werner-von-Siemens Ring is awarded every three years to "pioneers in technology." This year it was awarded in the presence of the president of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Leibinger received the award "in honor of his contributions to the innovative development and successful entrepreneurial implementation of the technologies for flexible sheet metal processing and industrial laser technology," Professor Ernst O. Göbel, president of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and chairman of the Foundation Committee, said regarding the jury's decision. Due to his introduction of laser technology in materials processing at the end of the 1970s, the technology pioneer brought about an enormous leap forward in innovation in this industry.
Engineering achievements and excellent technological developments, the courage to attempt something new and social responsibility - this combination has made Leibinger an exceptional businessman.
Leibinger was a student intern at TRUMPF when he wrote his diploma thesis that led to three groundbreaking patents. After a two-year stay in the United States, which at that time dominated the machine tool industry, the young engineer became manager of the engineering division at TRUMPF in 1961. His inventions allowed the company to advance and Leibinger, too. For his patents, TRUMPF reimbursed him with company shares, and in 1978 he became chairman of the Managing Board. Today, the company belongs to his family, and he presides over it as chairman of its Supervisory Board. From 1961 to 2006, TRUMPF's sales boosted from 5 million Euros to 1.65 billion Euros; the number of employees increased from 300 to 7,000 worldwide.
Leibinger's goal was always to take the company to the top in the field of production technology. The ability to come up with innovative ideas and create something new was essential for the company's development. That's how TRUMPF went from developing power tools and simple machines to machine tools with lasers. Now, more than 40 years later, TRUMPF is number one worldwide in industrial laser technology.
At the beginning of the 1980s, Leibinger made the far-reaching decision to develop and build the company's own laser. For a company that had been traditionally a machine-builder, this was a courageous step. Today, the company earns two-thirds of its total sales from lasers and laser machines.
Leibinger's main goal was to be the technological leader in this field. Year after year he invested approximately 6 to 8 percent of company sales in research and development - twice as much as is the norm in the industry. That's how he positioned TRUMPF as the leader for innovation in machine tool construction, industrial laser technology, high performance electronics and medical technology.
Outside the company, Leibinger is also driven. He continues to volunteer his time in a series of professional, cultural and scientific organizations. His credo: The responsibility of a businessman includes dedicating his talents for the good of society. As president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Stuttgart, he was active in the region and was very involved in his industry as president of the Association of German Engineers and Plant Construction.
To give back to society something of what it has given him, he founded the non-profit organization, the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung in 1992. In addition to scientific, religious and charitable causes, it also donates its earnings to culture. The Foundation supports and promotes the International Bach Academy and the German Literary Archive. Since 2000 it has awarded the internationally recognized Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis for applied laser technology.
The Werner-von-Siemens Ring is one more high point in the list of honors that Berthold Leibinger and his family received in 2006: The president of the Federal Republic of Germany recently awarded Leibinger the Order of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany. Furthermore, Leibinger received the German Mechanical Engineer Award for his life's work, an honor the business publication Produktion awarded for the first time. In November, the Board of Trustees of the Fairness Stiftung awarded the Leibinger family with the 2006 German Fairness Award.
TRUMPF is a high technology group with main focus on production and medical technology. Further information about the company can be found under www.trumpf.com/TRUMPF Group/press/media services. Photos that go with this press release are available digitally.
