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The Cologne-based specialist for plastics in moving applications records sales growth of 10 percent

Hanover/Cologne, April 15, 2015 - Through continuous investment in product development and the widening of its worldwide distribution network and the expansion of production and logistics, igus was able to win many new customers in 2014. Turnover at igus rose by 10 percent to Euro 469 million.

In the field of plastics for movement - the "motion plastics" - igus has presented more than 150 new products in the past year. With the first tribo-filament for 3D printing up to the e-rover for the automatic coupling of energy chains on harbour cranes, igus has shown the innovation potential , inherent in high-performance plastics in moving applications. "We feel that our innovations of recent years are in demand," says Frank Blase, Managing Director of igus GmbH. "The efforts to improve global logistics and supply will be increasingly appreciated by the customer." Of the total sales of Euro 469 million, 56 percent was generated in Europe, 26 percent in Asia and 18 percent in the Americas and Africa. The number of employees grew worldwide by 12 percent to 2,700 employees, an above-average number in the areas of sales and logistics. In addition to the investments in product development, igus has significantly expanded its distribution network and the global stock during the last year. For example, the storage capacities were expanded in China now to 10,300 square metres and the setting up of a new subsidiary was started in Turkey.

Continuous investments in product development
The family-run company based in Cologne continues on the path of consistent investments in the realisation of customer requirements. igus presented 100 new plastic solutions for the movement at the Hannover Messe alone. With the new robolink D generation of directly driven articulated arms made of plastic and aluminium, robot manufacturers and machine and equipment constructors can build a 4-axis robot (without controls) for just € 1,500 . In addition, igus presents the lightest linear guide in the world made entirely of plastic, thus meeting the other demands such as weight saving, noise reduction and added stability. All motion plastics work without lubricants, for instance, the new bearings made of the iglidur high-speed material for fans and electric motors. Even in the field of energy supply, there are new maintenance-free products such as the e-skin, the first self-supporting corrugated hose, which is modular and can be extended, shortened and opened. 3 years guarantee – secure data transfer for the Industry 4.0
By virtue of the largest test lab in the industry with an area of 1,750 square metres, igus is able to offer its customers predictable reliability. Therefore igus extends the guarantees for its cable range further and is the only company to offer a 36 months guarantee for its chainflex cables. With the promise "chainflex stays", the cable specialist ensures the reliable flow of data, power and other media between machines. The secure data transfer via Ethernet in dynamic applications such as robotics is particularly a key prerequisite for a successful machine-machine communication in Industry 4.0. igus will present 19 new apps in summer
The results from the tests in the test laboratory are directly integrated in over 30 online tools, making it yet easier to find, configure and order. igus is also investing heavily in 2015 in the digital networking of the entire process chain, from customer enquiry up to the commissioning of the predominantly individually configured products. Today, almost all the online tools such as the cable service life predictor or plain bearings expert can be used on mobile devices via a browser. From summer, igus will additionally offer 19 new apps for iOS to its customers.

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