I rarely report on personnel news or even awards. In this case, Hans Beckhoff was awarded a prestigious award in Germany. I have met and talked with him in the past in Verl. He and James Truchard, co-founder of National Instruments, comprise two of the outstanding visionaries and entrepreneurs of the early development of measurement and automation. His company continues to occupy a significant niche in the automation market.
Hans Beckhoff, Managing Director and founder of Beckhoff Automation, a technology company headquartered in Verl, was honored with the widely acclaimed 2025 Rudolf Diesel Medal. He received this prestigious award in the Most Successful Innovation Achievement category at the award ceremony held at the MAN Museum in Augsburg, Germany on July 10. This medal honors Hans Beckhoff as a visionary pioneer in automation technology.
The Rudolf Diesel Medal is one of the most renowned and long-standing awards for pioneering achievement in Europe. It recognizes the significance of the culture of innovation in Germany and honors inventiveness and entrepreneurial courage. It is awarded by the German Institute for Inventions and honors people and companies that have made significant contributions to society by improving quality of life, prosperity, and preserving the culture of innovation in Germany, thus inspiring the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs.
The Rudolf Diesel Board of Trustees, which consists of around 60 leading technology directors and managing directors of medium-sized global market leaders, has recognized Hans Beckhoff as a visionary who embodies the values of the Rudolf Diesel Medal through his corporate principles and strong social engagement. The jury honored Hans Beckhoff in the Most Successful Innovation Achievement category. This category focuses on innovative prowess and the company’s overall impact on the economy.
Since the company was founded in 1980, Beckhoff’s ethos has been consistently reflected in the company’s technological innovations and revolutions – many of which have developed into global market standards in automation and have had a lasting impact on the industry.
Hans initiated a paradigm shift in automation with the PC-based control technology concept in 1985 and launched it on the German market in 1986. This technology revolutionized previous principles and made the family-owned company a major player in the SME sector. With his tireless commitment to innovation and ability to turn visionary ideas into commercial successes, Beckhoff’s company has become a leading manufacturer in the automation technology field. He consistently shapes the industry with innovative solutions and sets new standards that further the integration of IT technologies into automation. Beckhoff currently employs around 5,300 people across 41 subsidiaries and representative offices worldwide, achieving global sales of €1.17 billion in 2024.
