Award-winning: Messer is a winner of the Axia Best Managed Companies Award 2020

05/20/2020

Specialist for industrial gases receives award for corporate governance for the third time

Messer, the largest family-run industrial gases specialist worldwide, is again this year’s recipient of the Axia Best Managed Companies Award, the prize and seal of approval for outstandingly managed companies; the honour is presented by Deloitte, the German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche, and the Federation of German Industries (BDI). The company has already been presented with this award in 2016 and 2019. ‘As one of the honourees, Messer is once again showcased for its top-notch corporate governance, with excellent innovation, a strategy based on long-term developments and strong governance structures. This not only makes Messer a benchmark for superbly managed medium-sized enterprises but also a symbol for Germany’s future as a business location’, Lutz Meyer, partner and head of the medium-sized enterprise programme at Deloitte, emphasised.

In light of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, the award was presented personally on 15 May 2020 at Messer’s headquarters in Bad Soden near Frankfurt, Germany. Stefan Messer, owner and CEO, and Marcel Messer, Adviser to the Management of Messer Group, accepted the prize in person. Stefan Messer emphasised: ‘Since Messer Group GmbH was founded, we have been pursuing long-term objectives in order to lead the company independently and economically into the future. With this in mind, we take a future-oriented and continuous approach that considers the different circumstances in our existing markets.’

Marcel Messer, a fourth-generation shareholder of Messer, is responsible for strategy and corporate culture at Messer. He says: ‘We are committed to sustained profit growth, not short-term profit maximization. Measurable goals in the various business units document our improvements and development.’

Founded by Adolf Messer in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1898, the company employed four workers and one salaried employee for the production of acetylene generators. Today, Messer is the largest family-run industrial gases specialist worldwide. Gases and services are offered in Europe, Asia and the Americas under the brand ‘Messer – Gases for Life’.

‘The current situation around COVID-19 presents enormous challenges for German medium-sized enterprises as well. More than ever these times call for entrepreneurial qualities such as strategic vision, consistent, future-oriented action and a value-driven approach to corporate governance. This is also what our Best Managed Companies stand for’, programme manager Markus Seiz of Deloitte added.

MESSER CUTTING SYSTEMS: THE APEX OF TECHNOLOGY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS

Messer Cutting Systems is a global supplier of cutting edge technology. The company offers products and services for the metalworking industry which set standards world-wide. As market leader in its branch, the machine manufacturer supplies complete solutions and concentrates strategically on advising its customers and customer oriented innovation. Here, the company focusses on the digitalisation of processes and products. Messer Cutting Systems is represented with more than 800 employees in 5 main locations with production facilities and in more than 50 countries.

The product range includes oxyfuel, plasma and laser cutting systems from hand guided machines right up to special machines for shipbuilding as well as machines and equipment for oxyfuel welding, cutting, brazing, soldering and heating. Spare parts, repairs, modernisation, maintenance and service as well as environmental technology round out the product portfolio. In-house software solutions optimise production and business processes. The product range is extended by solutions from technology partners, for example in the field of automation.

An intensive dialogue with our customers has prime position – the modern training centre makes this claim clear. World-wide, Messer Cutting Systems is the partner of choice for cutting systems, oxyfuel technology and customer consultancy.