In 2026, Rittal GmbH & Co KG is again one of Germany’s most innovative SMEs. The prestigious “Top 100” award goes to the company from the Friedhelm Loh Group for the fifth time in a row. Rittal is making a bold statement, showing that sustainable innovation is a key factor in successful entrepreneurship.
The Top 100 competition, now in its 33rd year, has examined how innovation-oriented medium-sized companies are and how they act accordingly. Rittal ranked in the largest class for the fifth consecutive time, demonstrating its strength above all in the “Innovation Processes and Organisation” category.
Evidence-based selection process with five different categories
How much working time does management reserve for the topic of innovation? How many innovative ideas do employees raise? The TOP 100 data-based selection process revolves around such questions. In detail, innovation researcher Professor Nikolaus Franke and his team examine five categories: innovation-promoting top management, innovation climate, innovation processes and organisation, external orientation/open innovation, and innovation success. The basis for this is an online questionnaire filled in beforehand by the companies involved. The five categories are reflected in more than 100 test criteria. “At TOP 100, we thoroughly analyse just how innovation-oriented the applicants are. And those who are exceptional receive confirmation of this by receiving the TOP 100 seal,” says Professor Nikolaus Franke.
Rittal as an driver of innovations for future-oriented manufacturing companies
“Rittal has long aspired to be an innovation leader for future-proof industry.” Together with our sister companies Eplan and Rittal Automation Systems (RAS), Rittal is accelerating industrial automation, promoting digitalisation, and increasing both its own efficiency and that of our customers," says Uwe Scharf, Rittal’s Managing Director Sales Germany and Europe.
Since being founded in 1961, Rittal has stood for the courage to change. What began with the standardisation of enclosures is now a global systems enterprise with strong software expertise. The early investment in Eplan over 40 years ago was a milestone: It laid the foundation for consistent, data-driven processes in industry. Now, this data, supplemented by AI, represents the key to the next level of industrial automation.
Speed is of essence
In panel building and switchgear manufacturing, Rittal, Eplan and RAS are accelerating the entire process chain with consistent data – from planning and designing to production with equipment and systems, through to operation. With industry expertise and advanced technology, the companies are thus increasing their customers’ competitiveness.
“Customers all over the world are benefiting from our innovative strength and solutions because we help them speed up work processes, save precious resources and have a competitive edge,” says Mario De Marco, Rittal CSO. “It’s great that the Top 100 position confirms this.”