igus announces the acquisition of elko Verbindungstechnik GmbH. With this step, the company expands its assembly capacities in the field of drive technology. At the same time, the motion plastics specialist from Cologne is now even closer to its customers in southern Germany, the center of the German machine tool and automotive industry.
The assembly of cables for moving applications is a core competence of the motion plastics specialist igus. These are manufactured according to industrial standards or individual specifications. For cables, igus relies on its extensive chainflex range, which is used in combination with renowned connector manufacturers such as Harting, Binder, TE Intercontec, Yamaichi, and many others. With nearly 6,000 assembled motor, servo, signal, and encoder cables for use in energy chains and compatible with 40 manufacturer standards, igus offers the right drive cable for almost every application. The assembled readycable cables guarantee a long service life thanks to extensive tests and quality checks in the 4,000 square meter test laboratory and more than 25 years of igus experience in the production and assembly of cables.
Custom assembly solutions delivered directly
In January 2025, igus acquired elko Verbindungstechnik GmbH. Like igus, elko is a family-owned company and a specialist in connection technology. The company from Kirchheim am Neckar specializes in assembling cables and connectors into customer-specific systems and cable sets, primarily used in mechanical engineering and the automotive industry. The Kirchheim am Neckar location offers ideal conditions for high regional customer proximity and even better service due to its geographical location and good transport connections. 'The proximity to our numerous customers in southern Germany allows igus to respond even more flexibly and quickly to the individual needs of the customers,' emphasizes Michael Blass, igus Managing Director e-chain systems. 'The regional proximity enables an even more direct and personal customer service.' This very proximity to the customer and their application is important to jointly develop innovative and customized solutions for various application scenarios. It is essential to pay attention to the specific requirements of each application. 'Because there is not one cable for all cases, but operating conditions and location play a decisive role in choosing the optimal cable,' says Christian Stremlau, Head of readychain & readycable at igus. 'We are always looking for the most cost-effective solution that works.'
Merger strengthens both partners
At the same time, igus is expanding its manufacturing capacities through the acquisition of elko by increasing production space and consistently automating manufacturing processes. A production network is being created with minimal throughput and delivery times. So far, igus assembles over 14,000 cables per week in Germany alone. In total, readycable is assembled at 14 international igus locations worldwide. The proven assembly machines used there will also be deployed at elko in the future, reducing throughput times while simultaneously increasing quality and price stability in Kirchheim. 'We will invest as we do in Cologne and continuously work on developing innovative solutions,' says Stremlau further. One example is the self-developed and patented Crimptower, which has 10 crimping machines and 20 different band goods ready for immediate processing. 'We made a very conscious decision to purchase the company elko,' emphasizes Christian Stremlau. 'elko is a well-established, family-owned company characterized by its dedicated employees who are passionate about their work. It is a company with character and tradition, deeply connected to its customers and rooted in the region. igus thanks Harwig Nuß and Markus Grözinger for the trust they have placed in us, who founded the company in 1998, and feels a high level of responsibility to utilize the combined strengths and resources to always provide customers with even better service and products.' The merger of igus and elko will strengthen both companies, Christian Stremlau is convinced. 'We look forward to working with the friendly and ambitious elko team and their previous managers so that customers can quickly access the optimally assembled cable that works safely in their moving application,' concludes Michael Blass.
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