11/11 traditionally marks the start of Carnival in Cologne. There is twice as much reason to be happy this year because on 11/11/2022, igus, a Cologne-based industrial company and plastics specialist, reached the one billion mark in sales for the first time.

One billion euros in sales: this target, which igus, a Cologne-based plastics company, set for the first time in 2020, has now been achieved just two years later despite the Corona pandemic – just in time for the Cologne Carnival to start on 11/11. “Amazing, but true: it was on this exact day that we, a Cologne-based family business, reached one billion in sales,” says igus CEO Frank Blase, who was also born in Cologne. And igus has already identified its next goals: it wants its own production to become climate-neutral by 2025, and serve one million active customers by 2030.

From a Cologne garage to the world

For igus, it all began in a garage. In 1964, Margret and Günter Blase founded igus. The couple won over their first customer with the words “Give me your most difficult injection-moulded part, and I’ll find a solution,” laying the foundation for the company’s success. Today, igus serves around 188,000 customers from over 50 industries worldwide, and employs over 4,500 people at 31 locations. Its guiding principle is “improve what moves”, driving igus to improve movement worldwide by means of motion plastics. “We dream of a lubrication-free world,” says Blase.