The study not only measures successful innovations already on the market, but also evaluates the four areas which safeguard the capacity to follow these up with further innovations in the future, namely: a company's innovative processes and organisational structures, its climate of innovation, the way it markets its innovative products and how innovation-friendly its senior management is.

Wiedenmann GmbH qualified in all of these categories, securing itself a place in the TOP 100. The company develops machines for creating and maintaining turfed areas, with solutions to its customers' problems constantly in mind. Its innovations process is very well organised: all employees are members of improvements teams who meet regularly, and the sole task of the development department is to design new projects and processes. This has enabled Wiedemann to take the lead, and consolidate its position, in areas such as lawn aeration, focusing on deep spiking and mowing machinery.

Every year, Professor Franke uses a standardised process to establish the hundred most innovative participants in the German national TOP 100 study. 167 companies took part in this year's survey, and those who made it into the top ranks of original thinkers are listed at www.top100.de. Further details are given in the book "TOP 100 2004 – Germany's most innovative medium-sized businesses", edited by Lothar Späth, the TOP 100 patron.