Engelmann Wins Germany’s Most Prestigious Business Award

On September 26, 2026, Engelmann won the Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Businesses. This makes us one of the top 3 small and medium-sized enterprises in Baden-Württemberg and one of the top 27 in all of Germany. We were nominated in 2025 and made it to the finals on our first try. Since then, we’ve been able to call ourselves one of Germany’s top 50 small and medium-sized enterprises. In our anniversary year of 2026, this has now changed. We can now call ourselves one of the top 27 medium-sized companies in all of Germany.

Let’s start from the beginning

The award has been presented annually for more than 30 years by the Oskar Patzelt Foundation in Leipzig. It does not come with a cash prize but serves as a symbolic honor for the recipient’s achievements. Over the course of several months, independent judges review companies that provide insight into their last five fiscal years. A company is evaluated as a whole. The criteria include:

▷ Revenue, profitability, equity growth, and investments
▷ Unique selling propositions and competitive position
▷ Creation and preservation of jobs and training opportunities
▷ Employee engagement
▷ Research and development expenses
▷ Promotion of innovation, modernization, and process optimization
▷ Willingness to collaborate
▷ Commitment to the environment, social issues, education, entrepreneurship, and volunteer work
▷ Marketing expenses
▷ Communication strategy and differentiation
▷ Customer service, events, trade shows, and media

The companies that excel in all of these criteria are honored as finalists—just as Engelmann was in 2025. The best companies receive the Grand Prize for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.

Facts, figures, and data about the award

Nationwide, a total of 4,817 companies were nominated in 2026. In Baden-Württemberg, there were 1,494 small and medium-sized enterprises. Of these, 476 nationwide and 81 in Baden-Württemberg advanced to the final round. A total of 49 companies nationwide and 8 in Baden-Württemberg were named finalists. In 2026, there were 27 award winners nationwide and 3 in Baden-Württemberg.

Photo: © Susanne Kurz | Oskar Patzelt Foundation

The laudatory speech delivered at the awards ceremony

Efficient energy use, responsible water metering, and transparent billing of consumption—that’s what Engelmann Sensor GmbH from Wiesloch stands for. Measurement and communication solutions that precisely track heat, cooling, and water usage, securely transmit data, and thus lay the foundation for sustainable energy use—increasingly via wireless technology, digitally networked, and consistently geared toward Submetering applications. In just under five decades, the company has evolved from a specialized manufacturer of heat meters into a technological trendsetter. The company’s innovative spirit is particularly evident in its flagship products.

The Unifix Heat Cost Allocator is an example of how Engelmann solves industry-wide problems in a practical way: Instead of many different devices for various heat transfer plates, installers now need only one system that supports nearly all standard plates in Europe. This reduces complexity on the job site, saves time, minimizes inventory costs, and makes installations more resilient to supply shortages. A particularly significant unique selling point is the company’s circular economy approach. Engelmann systematically takes back used meters, disassembles them, and channels valuable components into a new product life cycle. New devices are designed to be as recyclable as possible; the “cradle-to-cradle” philosophy is the guiding principle here. This technical and environmental strength is complemented by an exceptional focus on customers and service. Engelmann does not see itself merely as a manufacturer of devices, but as a partner with a holistic service approach: a closely integrated team comprising sales, technical service, product management, and quality management provides customers with personalized, long-term support.

The company’s internal culture provides a solid foundation. Continuing education at the click of a button, structured onboarding programs, flexible work schedules and remote work policies, a culture that embraces learning from mistakes, and a regular communication system that promotes transparency and employee involvement make Engelmann an attractive employer. Leadership is understood as a shared responsibility among equals. Above all, however, it is the ability to adapt to change that sets Engelmann apart. The company has moved beyond its former reliance on a single major customer, broadly diversified its business, tapped into international markets, and evolved from a product-focused company into a systems provider aligned with the circular economy. At a time when energy efficiency regulations, digitalization, and climate protection are reshaping entire industries, Engelmann thus stands as a prime example of a medium-sized company that combines technological leadership, environmental responsibility, and a commitment to customer-centricity into a sustainable model for the future.