Under the patronage of State Parliament President Ilse Aigner and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger, outstanding Bavarian companies from all industries were honored with the Bavarian SME Award for the thirteenth time on May 20, 2022, in Munich.

Alongside the “Bavaria’s Best 50” state award, the Bavarian SME Award is considered the most prestigious honor for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Free State of Bavaria. As a “hidden champion,” ept GmbH impressed the jury with its sustainability.
The three-time “Bayerns Best 50” award winner now joins the ranks of the 41 SMEs that have received the award since 2007 for serving as role models and pillars of society and the Bavarian SME sector.

The award recognized these companies primarily for their future viability.
The criteria for this included a high level of innovation, resilience in the face of crises, sustainable economic success, social responsibility, environmental sustainability, a strong customer focus, and a modern human resources policy.
“The Bavarian SME Award is presented to companies that overcome particular challenges through unconventional approaches. Through cross-industry comparison, top performance is highlighted, innovative approaches are clearly emphasized, and exceptional achievements are communicated as an incentive for others within the network and beyond,” explains Prof. Dr. Peter Steinhoff, Professor of Corporate Management and International Management at the University of Applied Management and co-organizer of the award.

As a family-owned company and German quality provider, ept GmbH has, in the jury’s opinion, long proven itself as a leading technology provider in the global marketplace. In fact, one in every four cars worldwide features ept’s fastening technology.

The company ensures its employees possess the highest level of technical expertise and invests heavily each year in their training and continuing education.
ept’s success in cultivating its own skilled workforce is also evident in its above-average apprenticeship rate of 18 percent. “As a major regional employer, we are very conscious of our social responsibility. Anyone who joins ept can expect that we invest in our employees at every stage and offer an attractive workplace with a future. From the first internship through vocational training, from employment to assuming leadership responsibilities, everyone is individually supported and challenged here. Top companies need top employees,” explains ept Managing Director Thomas Guglhör. In the past, the company has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to weather crises—such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic—without laying off staff and to continually open up new opportunities for the future.

The outlook remains promising: as a family-owned, German quality provider to the automotive industry, ept GmbH is already prepared for the technological shift toward electric powertrains and autonomous driving and is ready to capitalize on the new opportunities arising from this trend in this growing market of the future.
At its three German locations in southern Bavaria, ept employees are successfully working on the development and production of the electric connection technology of tomorrow.

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