BIW - a hidden champion

“Hidden champions” is a term used to describe companies that are global leaders in their industry while remaining largely unknown to the general public. They stand for technological excellence, long-term innovative strength, and strong international market positions—without relying on media attention.

• They dominate their niche: They focus on a clearly defined market segment and aim for technological or qualitative leadership within it.
• They innovate continuously: They invest above average in research and development to drive innovation forward.
• They maintain close customer relationships: They understand their customers’ needs in depth and often develop solutions in close collaboration.
• They grow sustainably: Instead of pursuing rapid expansion, they focus on long-term stability and controlled, profitable growth.
• They act globally while staying local: They export worldwide but keep their roots and value creation in their home region.
• They avoid attention: They don’t seek the public stage and let their products and performance speak for themselves.
• They ensure quality in-house: Many development steps, technologies, and production processes are deliberately kept within the company.
• They lead with continuity: Entrepreneurial responsibility often remains within the same family or leadership structure for generations, providing strategic stability.

What unites them: long-term thinking, deep specialization, a strong export orientation, and strong regional roots.

With more than 170 hidden champions, South Westphalia is one of Germany’s economically strongest regions—and according to studies, even the third-strongest industrial region nationwide. It is a place where medium-sized excellence, technical expertise, and industrial continuity come together. BIW is proud to be part of it.

Anyone who thinks of silicone rarely associates it with global market leadership. Yet BIW Isolierstoffe from Ennepetal has been one of the leading specialists in silicone processing and cable protection systems for decades—a true hidden champion from South Westphalia.

Since its founding in 1971, BIW has been developing and producing tailor-made solutions for demanding applications in the automotive, aerospace, energy, medical, and sanitary industries. What all products share is maximum precision, quality, and durability. More than 175,000 variants are created every year—always adapted to the individual requirements of our customers.

A key success factor is BIW’s in-house compounding. The company formulates its own silicone compounds and combines them with technical textiles such as fiberglass to achieve special properties—heat resistant, flexible, durable. This makes BIW the only manufacturer in Europe with its own technology center for silicone compound development and prototyping.

From the first idea to the certified series product, everything is created in-house. This not only ensures top quality but also accelerates innovation. Through continuous investments in research, automation, and sustainability—including chlorine-free production—BIW remains at the technological forefront.

Despite its international presence and customers on every continent, the company stays true to its roots. Research, development, and a large share of value creation take place in Germany. This combination of global strength and regional grounding is characteristic of hidden champions—and it has shaped BIW’s identity to this day.

BIW is one of many hidden champions from South Westphalia: https://weltmarktfuehrer-sw.de/