TOP 100 success: Appreciation of DFE Chemie by Ranga Yogeshwar

DFE Chemie is TOP 100 innovator 2021

Düsseldorf, November 2021

Science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar has congratulated DFE Chemie GmbH from Düsseldorf on its success in the TOP 100 innovation competition with a personal video. Ranga Yogeshwar is mentoring the innovation competition, which is being held for the 28th time.

„True innovators are constantly changing, reinventing themselves and coming up with surprising solutions,“ said Yogeshwar in praise of the achievements of the TOP 100 companies. In the scientific selection process, DFE Chemie particularly impressed in the categories „External Orientation/Open Innovation“ and „Innovation Climate“.

On the occasion of the award, the DFE management was also presented with an individual innovation balance sheet. In it, Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke and his team at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration analyse innovation management at DFE Chemie in detail and come to the following conclusion:

„DFE Chemie GmbH is one of the TOP 100 in 2021, i.e. one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany. DFE Chemie GmbH’s innovation management is rated A+ overall (average TOP 100: A). The A rating is awarded to companies that have an unusually professional innovation management, even by international standards. Companies with this rating set standards. The probability of future innovation success is very high.“

DFE Chemie

DFE Chemie GmbH is a speciality chemicals company and supplies industrial customers. Inhibitors of the FEPORID® series, for example, are used in the pickling of steel sheets and lead to a better surface quality while reducing costs.

The TOP 100 company portrait, now published, states (excerpt, translated):

Many people know that steel is rolled. But what many do not know: This process produces an oxide layer, so-called scale, which is pickled in an acid bath. DFE Chemie is developing an additive for such an acid. „Our so-called corrosion inhibitor virtually protects the steel from the acid,“ explains Managing Director Oliver Paessens. This not only gives the metal a better surface quality, the additive also reduces acid consumption and thus even CO2 emissions. „With a production of many millions of tonnes of steel per year, the difference is considerable,“ says Paessens.

In the further development of its products and internal processes, this medium-sized company is also helped, above all, by a good climate for innovation. „A fear-free working environment is enormously important to me. The employees should have the courage and the time to try out new things,“ emphasises the managing director. During the Corona crisis, a business model innovation proved that these are not just empty words: with the help of an external consultant, the team designed a new vision for the future and completely converted offline sales to digital marketing.

The contest

Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal for special innovative strength and above-average innovation success to medium-sized companies. The scientific management has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke since 2002. Franke is the founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. The mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the BVMW. As media partners, manager magazin and impulse accompany the company comparison.

DFE Company Website Link