Technology specialist receives recognition for its Annual Report and workwear

For the sixth year running, Wilo has received the renowned German Brand Award – and this time, it’s done it twice. The company won the “Brand Behaviour” category for the 2019 Annual Report and “Excellence in Brand Strategy and Creation” for the innovative Wilo work clothing created with Puma Workwear.

The German Design Council lauded the progressive concept and the design as well as the layout of the content behind the Dortmund technology specialist’s 2019 Annual Report, which looked back on the previous year and ahead to the future.

“The 2019 business year marked 10 years of record sales in a row for Wilo, which is why we used the Annual Report to look back on the previous decade as a whole,” says Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group. “Looking back, it’s quickly clear what’s responsible for Wilo’s long-term success: consistent branding, a combination of innovation and technological prowess, and the courage and desire to make financial and technical investments in our future.” As a result, Wilo went from a hidden to visible and connected champion within a decade. Solutions for long-term areas of growth are documented in the Wilo Annual Report: “Digitalisation, globalisation, urbanisation, energy shortage and water shortage are global developments that will shape human lives and societies over the coming decade,” says Oliver Hermes. “As such, our aim – which is also covered in the current Annual Report for 2020 – is to actively help shape climate action and digital transformation.” That requires extensive entrepreneurial foresight, so it’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic, which was only just beginning when the 2019 Annual Report was released, was already a subject of discussion in the executive board editorial.

The German Design Council – a parliamentary initiative

The German Design Council is an independent, international institution that helps companies to effectively communicate design and branding expertise. The German Design Council was founded in 1953 by the Federation of German Industries and leading companies as the result of a German parliamentary initiative. The judging panel consists of independent, interdisciplinary experts from the fields of business, research, consulting, services and agencies.

Function and identification

In addition to the Annual Report, which sets standards as the strategic showcase for the Wilo Group, another widely visible aspect of Wilo’s branding received the German Brand Award for “Excellence in Brand Strategy and Creation”: the new workwear for industrial employees. This was developed as part of the new construction project at the Wilopark company headquarters in Dortmund and created with clothing partner Puma. “Modern industrial employees lead a new kind of lifestyle – which means they need different things from what they wear to work. With the innovative ‘Puma Workwear’ brand, we’re taking this discerning target audience to a brand new level,” says Georg Weber, Chief Technology Officer at Wilo. “The main focus when developing the clothing, as well as safety and function, was colleagues’ well-being and identification with Wilo as an organisation.” To ensure the same standards are met throughout production, the whole collection has been equipped with the ESD protection required for electronics production, so that staff can safely spend time in any area of production. The collection features the organisation’s own personal design vocabulary and company colours, worn on the outside with pride.