TOP-100 Innovator Award 2026

CHRISTIAN WULFF HONOURS MÜLLER UMWELTTECHNIK

Schieder-Schwalenberg, 26 June 2026 – Recognition for impressive innovation: Christian Wulff congratulates MÜLLER Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG from Schieder-Schwalenberg on making it into the TOP 100. The awards ceremony, held as part of the German SME Summit, will take place on Friday 26 June in Heidelberg for all SMEs that were awarded the TOP 100 seal at the start of the year. The former Federal President and Minister-President is acting as a mentor for the innovation competition, now in its 33rd year. In the scientific selection process, MÜLLER Umwelttechnik impressed the judges in size category C (over 200 employees in Germany), particularly in the ‘innovation climate’ category.

The TOP 100 company profile published to mark the award states:

The world’s first 360-degree hose boom for sewer cleaning vehicles is a milestone for MÜLLER Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG. What began as a bold prototype quickly developed into a success. Even on its first deployment, it exceeded all the SME’s expectations. Through continuous optimisation, a product ready for series production was created, which today performs impressively even under the most challenging conditions – in heavy traffic, off-road or on the rail network.
Innovation is an integral part of MÜLLER’s corporate culture. New ideas are actively encouraged. Employees put forward suggestions and develop them further. Promising concepts are given time, budget and support by the management. This is how successful product solutions emerge directly from practical experience. A family-like, team-oriented atmosphere characterises the working environment. The close relationship between management and staff is palpable and is put into practice – through personal recognition and joint events that strengthen team spirit.

Dealing openly with mistakes

The way mistakes are handled is exemplary, as illustrated by a scene from the electrical assembly department: “The deputy team leader came to me, explained the incorrectly ordered software configuration for a lorry chassis and immediately offered some excellent suggestions for preventing such errors,” reports Wolfgang G. Müller. Early on, he and his brother, Dr Volkwin Müller, laid the foundations for digitalisation and forward-looking technologies. In 2014, the company developed its own software for operating, control and communication systems for sewer cleaning vehicles and continues to set the standard to this day. Through targeted investment, the software is being further developed in-house. “Sewer cleaning vehicles are mobile high-performance computers that process large amounts of data. To build up the necessary expertise for such product development, learning from mistakes is crucial,” explains Müller.

Simple operation of complex technology

The medium-sized company aligns its development goals with the challenges facing the industry: increasing complexity, a shortage of skilled workers and high levels of physical strain. Health and safety, ergonomics and efficiency are at the heart of all innovations. Health and safety, ergonomics and efficiency are the guiding principles for future vehicles. “We support people by simplifying the operation of sewer cleaning machines, making work in the sewers more comfortable and the cleaning process more efficient,” emphasises Müller.

“This award is due to our entire MÜLLER team of over 300 employees. We are very proud of this,” say the two managing directors, Wolfgang G. Müller and Dr Volkwin Müller. Thomas Nutt and Wolfgang G. Müller accepted the award in Heidelberg on behalf of the team.

Click here for the profile (german only): 
https://www.top100.de/mueller-umwelttechnik-gmbh-co-kg-2026/

About MÜLLER Umwelttechnik

MÜLLER Umwelttechnik is a medium-sized family-run company based in Schieder-Schwalenberg, which has been developing, manufacturing and distributing solutions for wet waste collection vehicles, suction and flushing vehicles, and pipe and sewer shut-off technology worldwide for 75 years. As a specialist provider, MÜLLER combines a high level of engineering expertise with practical innovations for municipal and industrial users.

TOP 100: the competition

Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal to medium-sized companies in recognition of their exceptional innovative strength and above-average success in innovation. Since 2002, the scientific direction has been in the hands of Prof. Dr Nikolaus Franke. Franke is the founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. With 27 research awards and over 200 publications to his name, he is one of the world’s leading innovation researchers. The mentor for the TOP 100 is the former Federal President and Minister-President Christian Wulff. Project partners are the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for the Promotion of Applied Research and the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (BVMW). The magazine *manager magazin* is supporting the company comparison as a media partner, whilst the magazine *ZEIT für Unternehmer* is acting as a cooperation partner. Further information and registration at www.top100.de.

Download Press Release: 2026 TOP100-Press Release 2 

Foto: KD Busch / compamedia

Further information:
MÜLLER Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Elke Wagenbach
Marketing & Corporate Communications
tel     +49  5284  7090
mail  marketing@mueller-umwelt.de
web   www.mueller-umwelt.de