ETS Group GmbH has been recognised as one of Germany’s TOP 100 most innovative medium-sized companies, receiving the prestigious TOP 100 Seal 2026 during the German SME Summit held in Heidelberg on 26th June.
The award, presented under the patronage of former German Federal President Christian Wulff, honours companies that demonstrate outstanding innovation capabilities. ETS Group was recognised in Size Category B (51 to 200 employees in Germany), with judges highlighting the company’s particularly strong innovation climate.
Headquartered in Amelinghausen, ETS Group specialises in mobile degassing systems that safely extract and combust gases from industrial tanks. Its latest innovation, the “Midi-Combuster”, was developed after operational teams identified that the company’s larger degassing units were oversized for certain applications. The compact, flexible system has since become a permanent part of the company’s equipment fleet, reducing logistical requirements while improving operational efficiency.
The development reflects ETS Group’s approach to innovation, where practical experience from field operations directly influences product development. Following each project, operational teams, technical specialists and management conduct structured debriefings to identify recurring challenges and opportunities for improvement. Ideas generated through these discussions are translated into new products, process improvements and more efficient working methods.
One example involved simplifying a field procedure after several teams reported similar operational challenges. Rather than treating these issues as isolated incidents, the company used the feedback to permanently streamline the process.
According to Managing Director David Wendel, continuous improvement is embedded in the company’s culture, with both new ideas and operational mistakes viewed as opportunities to innovate. He also highlighted the integration of specialists from two previously separate companies into the ETS Group as a key milestone, creating a shared culture that has strengthened collaboration and accelerated innovation.
Looking ahead, ETS Group is preparing for increasingly stringent environmental and safety regulations, as well as growing project complexity. The company is aligning its innovation strategy to address these evolving industry demands while also expanding its international presence to better support customers worldwide.
The TOP 100 competition has recognised Germany’s most innovative medium-sized businesses since 1993. Winners are selected through an independent scientific assessment led by innovation researcher Professor Nikolaus Franke of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, evaluating innovation management, processes, culture and commercial success.
For more information visit www.top100.de/die-top-innovatoren/ or www.ets-group.com
