Hans Beckhoff receives Rudolf Diesel Medal
Hans Beckhoff, Managing Director and founder of Beckhoff Automation, a technology company headquartered in Verl, has been honoured with the widely acclaimed Rudolf Diesel Medal 2025. Hans Beckhoff received this prestigious award in the Most Successful Innovation Achievement category at the award ceremony held at the MAN Museum in Augsburg on July 10. This medal honours him 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 honours inventiveness and entrepreneurial courage. It is awarded by the German Institute for Inventions (Deutsche Institut für Erfindungswesen, D.I.E. e.V.) and honours people and companies that have made a significant contribution 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 pioneer who embodies the values of the Rudolf Diesel Medal through his corporate principles and strong social engagement. The jury honoured Hans Beckhoff in the Most Successful Innovation Achievement category. This category focuses on innovative prowess and the company’s overall impact on the economy.
Prof. Dr. Gunther Herr, Professor of Comprehensive Business Innovation Strategies at Steinbeis University in Berlin and scientific advisor to the Diesel Medal Board of Trustees, attributes these 45 years of success to Beckhoff’s technological and entrepreneurial foresight, his innovative, pioneering thinking, and his unstinting creativeness.
Beckhoff technology is characterized by software-based rather than hardware-based control technology, integration of IT and automation technology, ultra-fast and reliable communication technology, highly optimized drive technology and deep embedding of AI functionality. It is successfully used by many customers worldwide to control the latest manufacturing machinery, buildings, technical processes, scientific experiments and big stage shows to name a few.
In his acceptance speech at the award ceremony, Hans Beckhoff said: “The Rudolf Diesel Medal that has been given to me today is, of course, not for me alone – it has been awarded to our entire company. Over 600 developers and product managers work in development every day, looking to create new advanced automation products. Over 2,000 employees worldwide work closely with customers, support our users, and listen to their wishes and requirements. Our customers have therefore also contributed to our success as an inventing company, through their feedback on our products, and through their own ideas. This collaborative partnership sets us apart and brings us great joy.”
Picture courtesy: Dominik Wagner, Eichmeister Kreativagentur
