This year, three prizes were awarded in each of the three categories "Components for handling and assembly", "Manipulators, robotics and system solutions" and "Warehousing, order picking and intralogistics". No award was presented in the "Quality, safety and automation software" category this year.

The award ceremony took place - almost traditionally - on the afternoon of the second day of the trade fair in the atrium of Messe Stuttgart. Prof. Dr. Kirsten Tracht, Director of the Bremen Institute for Structural Mechanics and Production Systems (bime) and Chairman of the Scientific Society for Assembly, Handling and Industrial Robotics (MHI), hosted the ceremony and presented the beaming winners with the golden hands, the symbol of the handling award.

"This is thefifth time we have presented the handling award, an award ceremony that is unique of its kind. Over thelast few years, 359 entries have been submitted, and the rush for the award is huge," summarized Peter Eberhard, Publishing Director of WEKA BUSINESS MEDIEN, in his welcoming address.

"The handling award not only honors the outstanding developments of the last twelve months, this prize is also intended to drive and motivate innovation and new ideas," said Bettina Schall, Managing Director of trade fair organizer P. E. Schall.E.Schall.

This year's jury was made up of Dr. Kurt Schmalz (Schmalz GmbH), Michael Stark (SEW-Eurodrive), Achim Gauß (Zimmer Group), Edgar Grundler (for trade fair organizer P.E. Schall) and Petra Born (handling-Chefredaktion). Every year, the jurors also award an honorary prize for lifetime achievement to a deserving personality in the industry. This year's award went to Ursula Ida Lapp, founder of U.I. Lapp.

The award winners at a glance

In the "Components for handling and assembly" category, the jury awarded Weiss Robotics (1st place), Asyril (2nd place) and Formhand (3rd place).

The handling award in the "Manipulators, robotics and system solutions" category went to Robert Bosch (1st place), Preccon Robotics (2nd place) and Boll Automation (3rd place).

This year's winners in the "Warehousing, order picking and intralogistics" category are SSI Schäfer (1st place), Kasto (2nd place) and U.I. Lapp (3rd place).

Ursula Ida Lapp was awarded the honorary prize for lifetime achievement.