Industrie De Nora receives the Mercurio 2023 Award of the MERCURIO Association

• The Mercurio Award, granted to companies and initiatives that stand out in fostering relations between Germany and Italy, goes to Industrie De Nora for its innovative sustainable technology solutions, especially in the field of the green hydrogen industry.

• Foscarini, Movendo Technology, and MUMAC – the Coffee Machine Museum of Gruppo Cimbali – receive special recognitions respectively in the categories “Design,” “Start-up,” and “Cultural Engagement.”

• The award ceremony will take place on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. at Wolkenburg in Cologne, in the presence of the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, and the Italian Ambassador to Germany, Armando Varricchio.

Cologne, October 6, 2023 – Industrie De Nora is the winner of the 2023 Mercurio Award, the recognition granted annually by the Italian-German Business Association MERCURIO to companies that have distinguished themselves in fostering economic and cultural relations between Germany and Italy.

The Italian multinational, listed on Euronext Milan, specializes in electrochemistry and is a leader in sustainable technologies and the emerging green hydrogen industry. The company has a portfolio of products and systems designed to optimize the energy efficiency of industrial processes and water treatment solutions. Globally, De Nora is the world’s largest supplier of electrodes for major industrial electrochemical processes and a leading provider of water filtration and disinfection technologies.

Building on its consolidated electrochemical expertise and proven production capabilities, the company has developed a portfolio of electrodes and components for hydrogen production through water electrolysis, a key process for the energy transition. In this sector, the company also holds a 25.85% stake in thyssenkrupp nucera AG & Co. KGaA, a joint venture established with the thyssenkrupp Group. Nucera was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in July 2023, becoming one of the largest European IPOs of the year.

Founded in 1923, Industrie De Nora achieved total revenues of approximately €853 million in 2022. The Group’s intellectual property portfolio currently includes over 260 patent families with more than 2,800 territorial extensions.

The companies Foscarini and Movendo Technology as well as MUMAC – the Coffee Machine Museum of Gruppo Cimbali receive special recognitions respectively in the categories “Design,” “Start-up,” and “Cultural Engagement.”

The Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, stated: "I would like to express my sincere congratulations to the companies awarded this prize, which also emphasizes sustainability. Sustainability must aim at respecting both the environment and the socioeconomic context. We must avoid ideological approaches on this matter. Innovation should be used to make production processes more efficient, while protecting local economies and jobs – as demonstrated by the stories of the companies that have received the Mercurio Award.”

The Italian Ambassador to Germany, Armando Varricchio, stated: “The presentation of the Mercurio Award – in the presence of Minister Lollobrigida – to companies such as De Nora, Foscarini, Movendo Technology, and Mumac symbolically represents the success of many Italian companies in Germany engaged in new technologies, driven by innovation, and oriented toward an increasingly sustainable future. Moreover, they embody the extraordinary bond of Italian-German economic relations, standing as modern protagonists of this long history of friendship.”

The President of MERCURIO, Eckart Petzold, stated: “Since its foundation, our Association has been committed to deepening the economic and cultural ties between Germany and Italy – today more than ever, two leading countries for Europe’s strategic autonomy in energy transition and technology. The awarded companies have helped create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and promote culture and sustainable innovation. We express our appreciation for their outstanding achievements.”

THE 2023 MERCURIO SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

“Italian Design Excellence” to Foscarini
for the aesthetic and emotional character of its decorative lamps and for the acquisition of a historic German light design company, confirming the excellence of Made in Italy and Italy’s commitment to promoting Italian-German economic and creative exchange.

Foscarini is a global lighting brand known for its innovative design that transforms living spaces. Founded in 1981 on the island of Murano and now based near Venice, the company has always stood out for its independence from production constraints, which translates into creative freedom. In 1983, its first collection of design lamps was released. In 1988, designer and project manager Carlo Urbinati acquired the company. Foscarini imagines, develops, and produces decorative lamps through collaborations with international designers and local artisans. Distributed in over 80 countries, the collection today includes 60 families of lamps made from more than 20 different materials, developed with over 30 designers and a wide network of small production workshops. In 2022, Foscarini acquired Ingo Maurer GmbH, the company founded in Munich in 1966 by the namesake designer. This entrepreneurial and creative project stems from Urbinati’s personal relationship with Maurer and the desire to preserve and develop the unique qualities of the Ingo Maurer brand, supporting its growth in global markets.

“Start-up of the Year” to Movendo Technology
for its commitment to developing robotics for use in clinical rehabilitation programs.

Movendo Technology, part of the biopharmaceutical group Dompé Holdings, was founded in 2016 by innovator Simone Ungaro as a spin-off of the Italian Institute of Technology. Headquartered in Genoa (Italy), with offices in Munich (Germany) and Boston (USA), Movendo Technology develops and markets robotic and digital rehabilitation solutions for objective functional assessments and effective treatments. hunova©, the company’s flagship product and one of the most versatile robotic assistance devices on the market, enhances neurological, orthopedic, and geriatric diagnosis and rehabilitation, while supporting active aging and athletic performance. Proprietary software algorithms and new IT and machine learning solutions provide predictive and personalized therapies, telerehabilitation, and data-driven population health management tools. In Germany, Movendo Technology collaborates with Schmieder Clinics in Constance, the BG Klinics and MediClin groups, the FPZ group, the Neuro Robotik Zentrum in Munich, THERAMotion in Bad Königshofen, and other therapy and rehabilitation centers. Thanks to this commitment, a major project is underway in collaboration with FPZ, Generali, and the German Sport University Cologne to use robotics to predict and reduce fall risk among the elderly.

“Intercultural Engagement” to MUMAC – Coffee Machine Museum of Gruppo Cimbali
for its captivating storytelling of Italian espresso culture and tradition.

Gruppo Cimbali is among the leading manufacturers of professional machines for coffee and milk-based beverages and equipment for coffee shops. The Group, which includes the brands LaCimbali, Faema, Slayer, and Casadio, operates through four production plants in Italy and one in the United States (Slayer), employing around 850 people. The Group’s commitment to safeguarding the Italian heritage of an entire Made in Italy sector, promoting its culture, and giving back to the local territory materialized in 2012 with the foundation of MUMAC – Coffee Machine Museum, the first and largest permanent exhibition dedicated to the history, world, and culture of espresso coffee machines, located within Gruppo Cimbali’s headquarters in Binasco. MUMAC is a unique corporate museum that tells over 120 years of evolution in Italian history, style, customs, design, and technology – not only related to Gruppo Cimbali’s brands LaCimbali and Faema, but also to all the companies and brands that have marked milestones in the sector. MUMAC also houses MUMAC Academy, Gruppo Cimbali’s Coffee Machine Academy, a center for training, dissemination, and research.

Mercurio Award - The Mercurio Economic Award has been granted since 1999 for outstanding initiatives in the field of economic and cultural exchange between Italy and Germany. The jury evaluates candidates based on seven criteria, including job creation/preservation, growth, sustainability, and know-how transfer. The award ceremony is attended by representatives of German and Italian businesses, prominent public figures from both countries, and members of the press.

MERCURIO e.V. is a nationwide association headquartered in Düsseldorf. Founded in 1988 at the initiative of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Italian Consulate General in Cologne, it operates under the patronage of the Italian Embassy. MERCURIO offers institutions, interested companies, and executives a unique platform for networking and exchanging experiences and information. Exclusive events focusing on relevant economic topics, corporate case studies, and lifestyle evenings provide members with opportunities to deepen their understanding of Italian-German economic relations and gain insight into key developments shaping bilateral cooperation.

The Jury for the 2023 Awards included:
Laura Bruzzone (Barabino & Partners), Volker Buchbauer (Comau), Jörg Buck (Italian-German Chamber of Commerce – AHK Italien), Davide Campagnari (Iseo), Gianaurelio Cuniberti (University of Dresden), Alexander Esser (Wurdack Commercialisti), Stefan Esser (Derra, Meyer), Andreas Kipar (LAND), Christiane Liermann (Villa Vigoni), Marcello Mariucci (Elettronica), Eliomaria Narducci (Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany – ITKAM), Federico Panichelli (O&K Gruppo Bonfiglioli), Tommaso Pedicini (WDR Cosmo Italiano), Eckart Petzold (MERCURIO, Luther), Karoline Rörig (Office for the Italian-German Dialogue), Antonella Rossi (ENIT), Marina Tedeschi (Marina Tedeschi PE), Christian Vonderreck (HSMV Studio Revisori e Commercialisti).