"This is the fifth time we have presented the handling award, an award ceremony that is unique of its kind. Over the last few years, 359 entries have been submitted, and the rush for the award is great," summarized Peter Eberhard, Publishing Director of WEKA BUSINESS MEDIEN, in his welcoming address. 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. A total of 50 applications were received this year, most of which, 18 each, came from the first two categories.

"I was lucky enough to take part in the jury meeting this year, and believe me, the participants didn't make it easy for the judges," says Peter Eberhard. The jury, which 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 editor-in-chief), based their decision on the following criteria: Innovation and marketability, the technology had to be convincing, an increased customer benefit had to be recognizable, a strengthening of competitiveness as well as an improvement in the production process and a special unique selling point had to be recognizable.

Dr. Kurt Schmalz gave the honorary speech for Ursula Ida Lapp. © Manuel Hauptmannl

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

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. The Percussion Artists provided the perfect musical atmosphere, accompanying the winners on stage with a drum roll.

Honorary award for Ursula Ida Lapp

This year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, which the jurors present to a deserving personality in the industry, went to Ursula Ida Lapp, founder of U.I. Lapp. Unfortunately, Mrs. Lapp was unable to accept the award herself for health reasons; her grandson and CEO of the company Matthias Lapp took the golden hand in her place.

Peter Eberhard, Dr. Kurt Schmalz and Matthias Lapp. © Manuel Hauptmannl

Ursula Ida Lapp is an entrepreneur who has written German economic history. "Ursula Ida Lapp is a role model for us all because she showed entrepreneurial courage, demonstrated foresight and always tackled tasks with courage," said Dr. Kurt Schmalz, who gave the honorary speech. "She has achieved great things, although her path was by no means straightforward." One of her quotes was: "You have to be flexible, just like our cables."

The history of the Stuttgart-based Lapp Group began at the end of the 1950s. Ursula Ida Lapp's husband Oskar Lapp was a trained engineer, inventor and tinkerer. In 1957, he invented the Ölflex, the first industrially manufactured flexible control cable with color coding. Until then, all wires were gray or black, had very large cross-sections and were not very flexible. With a capital of 50,000 marks, U.I. Lapp KG was finally founded in 1959. "Mind you, this was at a time when local court officials still raised their eyebrows in doubt when women founded a technology company," says Dr. Schmalz. A few years ago, Ursula Ida Lapp revealed her answer to the Stuttgarter Zeitung: "You know, I don't really speak Swabian, but I can manage like the Swabians. It will work out." And it worked well.

It all started in the garage of the house in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Oskar Lapp took care of sales, Ursula Ida Lapp did the bookkeeping and shipping and looked after the three children, who were still small at the time. The demand for Ölflex cables was enormous. As early as 1963, the first own factory was founded to manufacture the cables themselves. In 1965, the company headquarters were moved to Schulze-Delitzsch-Straße in Stuttgart-Vaihingen - where the company is still based today.

Matthias Lapp, grandson of Ursula Ida Lapp and CEO of U.I. Lapp, accepted the award on behalf of his grandmother. © Manuel Hauptmannl

When Oskar Lapp died in 1987 after a long period of heart disease, Ursula Ida Lapp and her sons Siegbert and Andreas took over the management of the company. The Oskar Lapp Foundation, which supports research into heart disease, was established in 1992.

Today, the Lapp Group is one of the leading providers of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. The Group's portfolio includes cables and highly flexible conductors, industrial connectors and cable gland technology, customized assembly solutions, automation technology and robotics solutions for the intelligent factory of tomorrow and technical accessories. The company has a turnover of more than one billion euros, 17 production sites, 40 sales companies, 100 agencies on all continents and more than 3,700 employees. Ursula Ida Lapp has significantly shaped the spirit of the company. The internationally active family business cultivates and lives its own corporate culture, which is defined by the values customer-oriented, family-oriented, innovative and success-oriented. The focus is always on sustainable action and responsibility for employees.

"Thank you very much for this award. As the eldest of the third generation, it also makes me proud to accept the award for my grandmother's life's work and of course also spurs me on to perhaps be honored with such an award in 50 years' time," said Matthias Lapp in his acceptance speech. "I will gladly pass on everything you have said this evening to my grandmother."