The history of igus

From a back yard in Cologne out into the world

igus 2023

igus sales

€1.115 billion

Sales
igus employees worldwide

4,600

Employees worldwide
igus locations and distributors

31

Locations and 50 distributors: represented in over 80 countries
igus customers

188,000

Customers
igus parts

243,000

Products from stock
igus injection moulding machines

800

Injection moulding machines

igus 2022

Chainge platform: industrial plastic recycling for everyone

In 2019, we launched our plastic energy chain recycling program. Since then, customers have been able to send us worn-out energy chains. We weigh the material and issue a voucher for it. What is special about the program is that we take back not only our own energy supply systems, but those of other manufacturers as well if the chains are made of plastic. We shred the material or send it to external recycling services. But then we thought: There is still more to do. So we introduced our chainge platform in 2022. We want to facilitate recycling in industry and promote the circular economy. To this end, we offer recycled material (recyclate) through our marketplace.
The igus Chainge platform: easy industrial plastic recycling

igus until 2021


igus until 1999


igus 1964/65

Getting started is always difficult – the founding of igus GmbH in 1964

"Give me your most difficult part, and I will find a solution," Günter Blase told Pierburg. He had to take a risk in order to win over the company, which was his very first customer. He had two children at home to care for. Money was tight. He had just set up igus with his wife Margret and still had to buy his first injection moulding machine. The order from Pierburg was a critical one.
Günter Blase in 1964 in his office at igus

The first product, 1965: a valve plug for Pierburg

And Günter Blase received that enquiry from Pierburg. The most complicated part turned out to be a valve plug for a carburettor. In 1965, no one would have thought of using plastic to make the small component, let alone injection-moulding it. The manufacturing process was simply too complicated. For Günter Blase, this was no reason to lose heart. He went into his double garage and experimented until the first perfect plastic valve plug emerged from the injection-moulding machine.
The first igus product: a valve plug for Pierburg

igus in motion

From the very beginning, life at igus was captured on film. The video shows a compilation of old recordings and Günter Blase interview excerpts.

This provides a little insight into the early years and shows how Günter Blase got into plastic and what was important to him from the start: the customers and the advantages igus products can give them!