WE ARE FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2024!
Fantastic news we are happy to share with you: We have been named “Family Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region”! This honor fills us with pride and gratitude, as it is a recognition of the hard work, commitment and passion of our entire TOPMOTIVE Family.
On July 8, 2024, the associations DIE FAMILIENUNTERNEHMER and DIE JUNGEN UNTERNEHMER awarded the prestigious “Schalthebel der Wirtschaft” prize to our owners Anja Pleus and Thies Schmeling. The award ceremony took place as part of a glamorous business gala in the historic customs hall of the old main customs office in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt warehouse district. Over 220 invited guests from business, politics and various institutions were present to share this special moment with us.
The award recognizes us as a leading provider of software solutions for the automotive market. Our company, now in its second generation of management, has established itself as a true “hidden champion” in the Hamburg metropolitan region. We are proud that our expertise in the development of catalog systems, the professionalization of ERP-systems and the provision of services relating to the process chain in the automotive aftermarket is so highly valued.
The laudatory speech by Hamburg’s Senator for Finance, Dr. Andreas Dressel, was a special honor for us. His words of appreciation underlined the importance of family businesses like TOPMOTIVE for the economic development and innovative strength of the region.
WHAT makes us special
In their statements, jury members Andreas Fischer-Appelt and Gordian Madsen emphasized several aspects that make us special:
- Innovative strength and passion: we embody the strengths of owner-managed and family-run companies in the best sense.
- Start-up feeling in a medium-sized company: We have a modern, dynamic corporate culture.
- Strong team spirit: Our low employee turnover is evidence of a positive working environment.
- Open-door policy: Flat hierarchies and a continuous exchange of ideas characterize our day-to-day work.
For Anja Pleus and Thies Schmeling, this award is of particular importance. They remember the beginnings of the company 30 years ago, when their fathers started out with an uncertain assignment.
"We are proud to run such a progressive, sustainable and, above all, authentic company"
"Seeing the complex products we develop, the new markets we conquer, the strong partnerships we maintain and the reliable colleagues who make us the company we are, is something very special."
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this success:
- Our fantastic team, who works on our solutions with passion and creativity every day
- Our loyal customers and partners who place their trust in us
- The associations DIE FAMILIENUNTERNEHMER and DIE JUNGEN UNTERNEHMER for this valuable recognition
- The jury for their careful evaluation
- All supporters who make the regional work of the entrepreneurs’ association possible
- In particular our managing directors Krunoslav Bagaric (CEO) and Stefan Schneider (CIO), as well as our founders Udo Knabe-Paulsen and Rainer Schmeling, without whose forward-looking actions we would not be where we are today.
INTO THE FUTURE TOGETHER
This award is more than just a trophy for us. It is a confirmation of the path we have taken and at the same time an incentive to continue to deliver top performance. We see it as recognition for every single employee who gives their best every day to advance TOPMOTIVE as a company.
The award also underlines the importance of family businesses for the German economy. We are part of the backbone of our economy, we create jobs, drive innovation and assume social and ecological responsibility.
We will consistently continue on this path. We will continue to invest in innovation, open up new markets and strengthen our partnerships. In doing so, we will remain true to our values: progress, sustainability and authenticity.
The future undoubtedly holds many challenges, but we at TOPMOTIVE are confident that we will overcome them together. With our expertise, our passion for the automotive industry and our strong cohesion, we are ideally equipped.