From 2027 onwards, the company will no longer need skilled workers from the external job market

Many companies complain about a shortage of skilled labour. igus, however, is taking on responsibility and increasingly training junior staff. A new Training Factory at the company headquarters in Cologne-Porz will support this project, doubling the training capacity for professions such as mechatronics/electronics technicians and tool mechanics. The company intends to be independent from external specialists as early as 2027. In addition to the Training Factory, the company is also increasingly focussing on adult education in cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer, IHK).

For over 60 years, igus in Cologne Porz-Lind has been creating genuinely new products from high-performance plastics, such as lubrication-free plain bearings, smooth-running ball bearings, robust energy chains, flexible cables or cost-effective robots. To ensure that more than 4,000 orders can be delivered from Cologne to customers around the world every day, igus relies on training its own mechatronics technicians, toolmakers and cutting-machine operators, electronics technicians as well as plastic and rubber technologists. Until now, the trainees at igus have been studying independently in the respective departments. From now on, they will have their own 378m2 Training Factory, equipped with modern turning and milling machines, five injection-moulding machines and electrical workstations. However, the trainees remain integrated into the value chain. They take on real customer orders, such as the repair of injection-moulding tools and the production of small orders. The young specialists also learn how to use AI and robotics in their tasks. This is made possible by the In-house Automation department and the company’s own Low Cost Automation business unit, with which igus develops cost-effective industrial automation solutions. “At the same time, the trainees can concentrate on learning in the training factory,” says Dr Thilo Schultes, CEO Operations at igus GmbH. “Learning together and regular dialogue strengthen the team spirit between trainees from different professions and their motivation.” After one and a half years in the Training Factory, the trainees move to their respective specialist departments. They have previously gained insights into them and can immediately take on responsible tasks.

Number of trainees grows by almost 42%

igus intends to train the specialists it needs itself and become independent of the external labour market in the long term. “The new Training Factory, into which we have invested around €600,000, not only offers us new capacities, but also makes us less dependent on external training centres and their machinery,” explains Michael Köllen, Head of HR Production & Technology at igus. “This allows us to train our specialists independently at an early stage on state-of-the-art machines in accordance with our own quality standards.” The goal is ambitious: starting in 2027, igus wants to meet the company’s entire demand for skilled labour itself. An important step in this direction has already been taken. “25 new trainees started their first year of training in September 2025. This is an increase of around 42%,” explains Köllen. A total of 59 young people in all years of training are currently employed at igus in the industrial-technical field. As of October, igus will again be looking for new trainees for 2026.

Adult education with the IHK

igus has been working with the IHK since 2016 to offer further training to people at every stage of their lives. Together, they designed courses that enable non-specialists or employees without vocational training to obtain recognised IHK qualifications. Currently, 38 employees at igus are completing such a course. Over 250 employees have already acquired a degree and become igus specialists with a corresponding focus such as injection moulding, machining, extrusion, logistics or assembly.