CAQ AG Wins Grand Prize at German Mittelstand Awards
In a festive atmosphere at the gala evening in Düsseldorf on Saturday, September 27, 2025, we were presented with the “Große Preis des Mittelstandes “, the Grand Prize for Mittelstand (SME) Businesses in Germany. We have been nominated a total of eight times since 2003, have made it onto the jury list five times since 2020, were finalists once (2022) ... and now we have won it – the Grand Prize.
Florian Schwarz, CEO with Stephen Collier, Head of Communications – © Susanne Kurz | Oskar-Patzelt-Stiftung
A Pioneer, a Maker, and a Reliable Partner
This year, 4,208 companies across Germany were nominated, and we are very happy that our company was able to make it to the top.
The laudatory speech stated:
CAQ AG Factory Systems is more than just a software company. It is a pioneer, a maker, and a reliable partner. With a clear strategy, a tireless spirit of innovation, and a deep commitment to quality and responsibility, it has earned a place at the top of its industry – proving that success and values do not have to be mutually exclusive ... Behind this success story is a team that impresses not only with its professional expertise, but also with its exceptional corporate culture. CAQ AG promotes an atmosphere of respect and openness in which every employee is seen as a central part of the whole.
We would like to thank our entire team for their tireless efforts – this award belongs to all of us and winning it would not have been possible without the outstanding work of every single person in every department of the company.
About the German Mittelstand Awards
With more than 4,000 nominees each year, the Große Preis des Mittelstandes is one of the most prestigious business awards among the more than 500 economic competitions in Germany. It is organized entirely on a voluntary basis and financed exclusively by private funds. The Oskar Patzelt Foundation, which sponsors the competition, was honored with the Federal Cross of Merit in 2008 and 2016.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the team at the Oskar Patzelt Foundation for awarding us this prestigious prize. We would also like to thank all our customers and partners for accompanying us on the path to this success.