Organizations are increasingly confronted with more complex and faster developments. In order to use potentials correctly or to evaluate risks correctly, inter-company management systems - such as the EFQM Excellence Model - provide a helpful framework and bring structure and transparency into the company. The continuous improvement process is an essential aspect.
Lock Antriebstechnik has been guided by this Excellence Model for years and in 2018 submitted itself to the "Recognised for Excellence" evaluation process for the first time.
The recognition for Excellence is awarded in the levels 3, 4 and 5 stars. It requires extensive self-assessment and data collection through on-site audits by experienced assessors.
The journey to Excellence
"We help our customers create environments anywhere in the world where people, animals and plants feel safe and comfortable." For 175 years, Lock has been dedicated to this vision by developing and producing drive technology for natural ventilation and shading. After all, air and light are two essential parameters for positively influencing the feel-good factor in workspaces, professional greenhouses and garden centers, as well as for sustainably increasing animal welfare in livestock barns. In the field of lifting technology, Lock drives are used for working platforms, height-adjustable maintenance platforms or slat systems in glass facades.
As a drive manufacturer, Lock operates in niche markets with special requirements for positioning operations. This requires maximum flexibility in processes and variability in the product portfolio in order to satisfy customer needs. On the other hand, the company's competitiveness must be secured through constant product and process innovations. On the other hand, there is the challenge of counteracting the increasing shortage of skilled workers.
Lock embarked on its journey to excellence with the strategy development process in 1999 and the subsequent generation change in 2002. As part of the strategy development process and the annual target planning, programs and projects for the continuous development of the organization were defined and implemented.
In search of new impulses to drive the organization further on the path to excellence, the solution was found with the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). In 2017, Lock participated in the assessment for the first time and achieved 400 points. In 2019, 452 EFQM points were achieved. And now 512 points in 2021.
Prizes awarded to eight participants in the competition for excellence
The Ludwig Erhard Prize in Silver is awarded to organizations that demonstrate outstanding performance and have thus achieved a prominent competitive position in their market.
This year's placers have demonstrated that implementing EFQM's Excellence approach improves organizational resilience and agility. In challenging times, they were able to show that in every problem there is also an opportunity to learn and adapt. (Excerpt from the official press release of the Initiative Ludwig-Erhard-Preis e.V.)
"To belong to the small group of prize winners is an outstanding achievement of which we can all be very proud together." So Frank Lock after the award ceremony in Munich.
