UZIN UTZ Group again honored with Axia Best Managed Companies Award 2020

The UZIN UTZ Group, a globally active full-service provider of flooring systems, has once again received the Axia Best Managed Companies Award. This is yet another award for the listed family-owned company for its strategic vision, innovative strength, outstanding corporate culture and exemplary management. Heinz Leibundgut, Philipp and Julian Utz, UZIN UTZ's Executive Board, accepted the award on May 13. With the award and seal of approval, the auditing and consulting company Deloitte, the business magazine WirtschaftsWoche, the wealth manager CreditSuisse and the Voice of German Industry (BDI) honor outstandingly managed medium-sized companies.

The Axia Best Managed Companies (BMC) program evaluates companies based on four core areas: strategy, productivity and innovation, culture and commitment, and governance and finance. With its corporate philosophy, UZIN UTZ was able to win in all categories. "Despite our 109-year company history, we have remained a young company that is characterized by its dynamic, innovative strength and short decision-making processes," Philipp Utz made clear at the award ceremony. The Axia Best Managed Companies Award 2020 was open to medium-sized companies with annual sales of at least 150 million euros, whose headquarters are in Germany and which have grown economically in recent years.

The application process included a comprehensive online questionnaire and a personal interview with the Executive Board. After evaluation by a panel of experts, a jury of renowned business, science and media representatives chose the winners.

A team effort

Julian Utz emphasized at the award ceremony, which could not take place in Düsseldorf as originally planned because of Covid-19: "Such a personal performance at the highest level does not come from a single person. Behind it is our highly motivated and passionate team. Therefore the award is due to all employees of the UZIN UTZ Group. Heinz Leibundgut, member of the Board of Management, made a similar statement. During the jury's visit to Ulm, he emphasized that the company is acting in a targeted, long-term and sustainable manner: "Above all, we want to send a positive signal to our employees with this award. They are largely responsible for the success of our company and help shape its direction every day. We would like to say thank you for this".

Vision at UZIN UTZ

With the PASSION 2025 strategy, the company is setting the course for the coming years. On the basis of the four pillar model "Planet", "People", "Profit" and "Products and Services", individual initiatives are to be drawn up worldwide on these four main thrusts and implemented in a jointly defined roadmap. These four areas of environment and resources, employees and society, products and services, and economy and corporate security will be given equal consideration. The UZIN UTZ Group has been pushing the topic of sustainability on many levels for years. In future, the company wants to make an even greater contribution with regard to a transparent, sustainable value-added chain and further expand its function as a role model in the industry.

"The current situation relating Covid-19 also poses enormous challenges for German medium-sized companies. More than ever, entrepreneurial qualities such as strategic foresight, consistent, future-oriented action and value-oriented corporate management are in demand. Our Best Managed Companies also stand for these qualities", adds programme manager Markus Seiz from Deloitte.

UZIN UTZ once again proves to be a successful family business

Since 2008, the Axia Award has been presented to outstanding medium-sized companies in Germany - including UZIN UTZ at three times. The Axia Award 2014 was presented to the then Chairman of the Board of Uzin Utz AG, Dr. H. Werner Utz, with the motto "Think sustainably, lead successfully". With "Preserving and continuing tradition", the Axia Award 2016 honored the family company with its more than 100-year history, which has maintained its visionary and sustainable management over generations. In 2019, the prize for entrepreneurial excellence awarded by Deloitte, WirtschaftsWoche, CreditSuisse and BDI was replaced by a new concept and became part of the international Best Managed Companies Award (BMC).