Despite being a global player with locations in 34 countries and thousands of employees, we try to act as small independent teams whose focus is to help customers with our products: Felix Brockmeyer of igus Inc.

“Earlier in 2023, we opened our local Rhode Island injection molding facility as part of an effort to expand our Rumford facilities and localize more of our production process. The intention here is to improve our customer service further and reduce our dependence on European production.”

igus Inc. is a Germany-based manufacturer and distributor specializing in high-performance plastic products. It focuses on motion plastics, cable carriers, cables, linear actuators, guides, bearings, robotics, and automation. The company serves clients across the world.

igus is headquartered in Cologne.

The Silicon Review reached out to Felix Brockmeyer, President and CEO of igus Inc., and here’s what he had to say.

Interview Highlights

Please tell us about the circumstances or events that led to the founding of igus Inc.

Günter Blase began working in the plastics business in 1955 and quickly realized the potential of plastics to solve engineering problems and substantially improve designs. He went on to start igus with his wife Margret out of their two-car garage in Cologne, Germany, in 1964. He approached his first prospective customer, Pierburg, asking them to bring him their most difficult part and promising a superior solution. The part — a valve plug for a carburetor — was particularly difficult to manufacture with injection molding. Though it proved a challenge, Günter ultimately delivered a successful product and won over his first client.

Q. As a leading manufacturer of high-performance polymers, what are igus’ key focus areas?

We strive to improve anything that moves with our high-performance plastics, or “motion plastics” as we call them. This has gone hand-in-hand with our commitment to remaining the easiest company to work with in the industry and exceeding our customers’ expectations, which has always been and will continue to be our primary goal. We also do everything possible to build a CO2-neutral and minimal waste organization that acts responsibly and proactively around sustainability and ecological topics.

Q. What strategies does igus implement to exceed client expectations?

First and foremost, igus sets itself apart by being completely organized around the customer. From our organizational structure to processes, everything is optimized to service customers quickly and directly. Despite being a global player with locations in 34 countries and thousands of employees, we try to act as small independent teams whose focus is to help customers with our products. Organizations that waste a lot of energy on internal topics tend to become very slow and bureaucratic. We try to be the opposite. Additionally, we focus on bringing a very high level of technical expertise with every team member, allowing us to develop hundreds of products and innovations every year.

Q. Can you provide us with one or two success stories detailing specific client challenges and how igus’ solutions contributed to their success?

A high-tech manufacturer based in the Netherlands that specializes in providing electronic component assembly solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry was struggling to find an energy supply solution for circuit board assembly machines. They required a solution that could handle movements of up to 2m/s and accelerations of up to 35 m/s2 while lasting for at least 400 million strokes. After reviewing the extensive test data that we collect on all of our components, they challenged us to find a solution that utilized both our e-chains and chainflex cables. To meet this unique challenge, we provided a pre-assembled readychain energy supply system consisting of cleanroom-certified e-chains and cables. The ready-to-install system met all the application requirements and reduced machine assembly time.

By partnering with Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart to develop ISO Class 1 cleanroom test labs, we’ve been able to provide innovative solutions for companies within the cleanroom sector. These labs enable us to continually develop new cleanroom products that meet the needs of our customers.

Q. Tell us about the igus team. What value do they bring to the company?

Our team, both in the U.S. and across the globe, is what allows us to achieve the success we have had over the past six decades. The unique perspective each employee brings with them is what enables us to constantly innovate and improve. This, combined with the collaboration between various subsidiaries, keeps our team at their best and provides us with new avenues and opportunities for growth.

This culture of collaboration was essential when adapting to the changes brought about by Covid-19. Much of our team had to shift to a work-from-home environment due to the pandemic and did so with great success. We even managed to achieve significant growth as a company during this time, bucking an industry-wide trend and further demonstrating how effective our team is and how vital they are to our success.

Q. What new endeavors is igus currently undertaking?

Earlier in 2023, we opened our local Rhode Island injection molding facility as part of an effort to expand our Rumford facilities and localize more of our production process. The intention here is to improve our customer service further and reduce our dependence on European production.

Additionally, we are working on establishing a Marketing and Robotics facility at our Broadway site in Rumford, Rhode Island, igus’ original U.S. location that opened in 1985. Our Low-Cost Automation products, which we offer through the RBTX Marketplace (rbtx.com), currently receive a lot of interest in the markets, and we need a new expanded home. What better way to honor our early starting point in North America than moving the future into our original facility? We also plan to break ground on our next larger expansion, which will be the first phase of our CO2-neutral building expansions.

On the community side, we are looking to expand our support of STEM and Robotics education with our robotics programs, such as the YES (Young Engineers Support) program. Through the YES program, students and teachers can be provided with product samples, catalogs, flyers, and workshops hosted by guest lecturers.

Q. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?

In the past year, we’ve unveiled new innovations in the field of extended reality. The most exciting of these is the iguverse, our own metaverse to bring engineers across the world together. We’ve also launched the igusGO app, a cloud platform with artificial intelligence that can show you igus products that will work within your application based on a photo. These new developments will continue to be a focal point for us as the manufacturing world begins shifting towards digitalization and extended reality.

Felix Brockmeyer | President & CEO

Felix Brockmeyer possesses more than 17 years of executive leadership experience in German-owned enterprises based in the United States. He’s been the President and CEO of igus Inc., a part of the global igus group of companies, since October 2022.

Originally from Kassel, Germany, Felix Brockmeyer has spent many years in operational, business development, sales, and leadership roles. He currently resides in Providence, RI, where igus Inc. is located.

Felix is a graduate of the Technical University of Applied Sciences in Wuerzburg, Germany, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

“Our Low-Cost Automation products, which we offer through the RBTX Marketplace (rbtx.com), currently receive a lot of interest in the markets, and we need a new expanded home.”