Press release – November 28, 2022
CONTACT Software leads the list of Digital Pioneers 2022
The German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche has announced its yearly ranking of “Digital Pioneers among SMEs”. Following a second place in the previous year, CONTACT Software reaches the top spot in 2022. The ranking takes into account factors such as digital capabilities and commercial performance.
Digitization opens up new potential in business and society alike. Engineering software accelerates processes and communicates with sensors to enable smart products and more efficient manufacturing. In doing so, digital solutions contribute to reaching climate goals and are a cornerstone for sustainable development. In cooperation with consultants Munich Strategy, the WirtschaftsWoche assessed which “Digital Pioneers among SMEs” lead the way in Germany. CONTACT Software ranks first among the 4,000 companies evaluated.
The ranking compares medium-sized companies with a revenue between five million and one billion euros. Two-thirds of the evaluation are based on criteria related to digital business models, for instance, whether a software supports digital processes, or a company digitizes its products with sensors. Another third reflects business performance, for example, the average revenue growth from 2016 to 2020.
CONTACT Software was ranked 8th among the Digital Pioneers in 2020 and advanced to 2nd place in 2021. Managing Director Maximilian Zachries sees this year’s top spot as an acknowledgment of CONTACT’s strategic direction: “The first place is a great signal for us and our customers. It highlights the importance of our digitization solutions in the context of PLM and IoT for sustainable development in industry and society. In addition to sustainability, the entrepreneurial maxims of our time are agility and the ability to act. We are proud to support our customers in their digital transformation.”
It comes as no surprise that many of the ranking’s first spots are occupied by software companies. However, many industrial companies are also evaluated as top-achieving Digital Pioneers: Theegarten-Pactec, a client of CONTACT Software, reaches position 13.
The CONTACT Elements platform enables companies to connect PLM with the Internet of Things (IoT) and achieve end-to-end processes from development to production and shopfloor all the way to service and back. Combining PLM and IoT paves the way for innovative digital business models and allows companies to fulfill new requirements regarding quality, sustainability, service, and safety in a quick and flexible manner. The analysts at Gartner coined the term Composable Architecture for these kinds of modular platforms, which they see as crucial for companies to remain competitive and able to act in a dynamic market environment.
