The Sternenbrücke children's hospice offers help and end-of-life care for the families of terminally ill children, adolescents and young adults. This started as a pilot project in 2003 in northern Germany but word of this organisation has now spread to many other federal states. As health insurance only covers around 60% of the costs, the children's hospice relies on donations to carry out its work. For many years we have therefore been supporting Sternenbrücke by way of a Christmas donation.
About ELOKON
Lead with safety
ELOKON develops and implements innovative safety and assistance systems for the intralogistics sector in line with the technological advancements of Industry 4.0. Over 4,250 customers around the world benefit from our solutions which improve workplace safety and increase MHE productivity. ELOKON is also one of the leading companies in the field of machinery safety and advises multinational corporations and SMEs on machinery safety issues.
years of experience
Employees worldwide
Customers in over 45 countries
Awards for excellent solutions
38 years of expertise
Established in 1986, our name has become synonymous with long standing customer relationships and partnerships. As a private, equity financed company, we are akin to many other success stories in the German logistics industry. We focus on long term sustainability, but also on year on year profitability.
Our customer base comprises large international corporations as well as small and medium sized companies. Whether they are from home or abroad, they have all put their trust in ELOKON for decades to ensure the safe and smooth running of their operations.
Focusing on digitisation and Industry 4.0
Vehicles are becoming increasingly digitised and continue to be equipped with a variety of innovative assistance systems as a precursor to autonomous driving. But it is not only on the roads that this technology is ever more prevalent: in the logistics arena forklift trucks are benefitting from more and more digital „guardian angels“ which are making their operation much safer for both the workforce and equipment. This is the basis for ELOKON’s product range, which hinges on an intelligent interplay of hardware, software, sensor and radio based technologies.
Our products preemptively recognise dangerous situations and semi-autonomously intervene, to slow down a forklift for example, thereby preventing accidents.
Using innovative Lidar or UWB technology, the trucks recognise the presence of pedestrians in the vicinity. Trucks communicate with each other by radio – known in the automotive sector as „car -to-car“ or they communicate via sensors with the infrastructure – known as „car-to-X“, to ascertain their position in relation to pedestrians or other trucks in real time.
ELOKON – we make the difference
Our team of over 130 motivated and highly qualified employees is the bedrock of our business and enables us to deliver the leading innovations that our customers expect. ELOKON continues to invest in emerging trends: solutions for Industry 4.0, in UWB based technology for personal protection systems, and uses the latest products emanating from the sensor, control and drive engineering sectors for enhanced machinery safety. Our workforce is diverse, passionate and internationally connected.
Our certifications and associations
Our values
Our values are part of our DNA. They guide the way we work with our customers, business partners, within our communities and with each other.
Through customer focus, professional development, sustainability, open mindedness, job enrichment and integrity, we strive to create a vibrant company culture where ideas can blossom, people can thrive and success can flourish. Our values connect us with our customers and business partners.
Customer Focus
Our thoughts and actions are focussed on customer benefits. We offer solutions, services and innovations with outstanding benefits and a fast ROI for our customers' requirements. We create a positive culture that is oriented to customer requirements. ELOKON customers appreciate the wealth of experience of the company and the long-lasting business relationships.
Professional Employee Development
The professional development of our employees and their capabilities, motivating them and encouraging talent are a part of our responsibility. We strive to build powerful teams that will increase the performance capability of our company. The safety of our employees is the company's top priority.
We give our employees operational responsibility, and expect them to use their talent in the best possible way and develop themselves. The basis of collaboration between our employees consists of mutual respect and trust.
Sustainability
Our private, equity financed company stands for financial stability, profitable growth and responsible actions. Long-term profitable relationships with our customers and business partners are more important to us than short term profitability. Our goal is solid growth – we are careful about taking risks. With regard to our employees, sustainability means that they should be able to develop themselves at ELOKON during their entire professional careers, both personally and professionally.
Open Mindedness: "Better is the Enemy of Good"
In order to recognise what is better, we require openness – both within the company and in relationship to our external partners and customers. Many of our most innovative and successful products are the direct result of collaboration with customers and technology partners that have been characterised by openness. However, openness within our company is also a source of change and progress. It pays to ask about everyday routines, share knowledge and try out new, creative approaches.
Work & Enjoy
ELOKON provides its employees with a working environment with freedom and value appreciation. Target-oriented working and enjoying work are not contradictory: The combination of the two is the breeding ground for our success. Yes, we want our employees to enjoy thinking about ELOKON tasks outside working hours. In return, we give them work to do which will allow them to exploit their personal potential, and give them the necessary freedom to implement their ideas and their duties.
Integrity
Our employees are encouraged to be aware of the rules and regulations at their respective deployment location and adhere to them. We respect the culture of our partners and the characteristics of their markets, and adapt ourselves to them. However, integrity goes far beyond this: It is about doing what is right in the correct manner – both as an individual and as a company.
We think and act together – beyond national and site boundaries
ELOKON milestones
1986
Establishment of a partnership
Johann Hufen establishes an engineering office for electro-optical designs, initially for the development of specialised electronic products.
1989
Launch of personnel protection system (ELOprotect)
The first personnel protection system is launched on the market. This uses outsourced infrared detectors, which are replaced just one year later by products developed in-house.
1992
Establishment of Optokon in Poland and 2nd generation of the personnel protection system ELOprotect
The Polish company Optokon GmbH is established (now Elokon Polska GmbH) and further development of the personnel protection system using scanning infrared detectors.
1995
Expansion of the product portfolio
The range of products expands with the addition of a fleet management system, initially in the form of an electronic tachograph.
April 1995
Establishment of ELOKON Sicherheitstechnik GmbH
The engineering office for electro-optical designs is renamed ELOKON Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, headquartered in Tornesch near Hamburg.
1996
Launch of a fleet management system and 3rd generation of ELOprotect
Optokon develops its own, improved fleet management system and later on, ELOKON launches the third generation of its personnel protection system, for the first time with laser scanners.
1999
TÜV certification of ELOprotect
This personnel protection system receives TÜV Certification and is authorized for operation with narrow-aisle forklifts in intralogistic processes in accordance with the the regulations of DIN 15185 part 2.
2001/2002
Launch of load control system
Development of electronic pallet measurement systems (distance control system / load control system).
2011-2013
Opening of further branches in Poland
Due to the successful growth of ELOKON Polska, particularly in the field of machinery safety, further offices are established in Auschwitz, Posen, Danzig and Breslau/Walbrzych.
2015
Launch of ELOshield
ELOshield, the mobile driver assistance system for personnel detection and collision avoidance, is launched on the market.
2017
Establishment of UK branch
ELOKON opens its UK subsidiary, based in Birmingham.
2019
Establishment of USA branch
Establishment of the first USA subsidiary in Atlanta, GA.
April 2020
ELOshield safety vest and further innovations
The smart safety vest, new pedestrian modules and additional ELOshield functionalities extend the product portfolio.
2020
25 years of ELOKON GmbH
ELOKON GmbH celebrates its 25th anniversary.
In focus: social commitment
For may years now ELOKON has supported organisations that are involved with social or community projects. Whether these are small institutions, such as the Sternenbrücke children's hospice, or large non-profit organisations such as the DKMS - the German bone marrow donor centre - what is important for us is that we can offer sustainable and effective help. Here’s a closer look at the causes we support:
Viva con Agua was established in Hamburg in 2006 with the aim of ensuring that everyone in the world has access to clean drinking water. The organisation, located just 30 km from ELOKON‘s headquarters, sponsors water projects and initiatives at home and abroad and has contributed to the long-term improvement of the lives of many people. In our offices we exclusively use Viva con Agua mineral water every day for our employees and visitors.
The DKMS - the German bone marrow donor centre - has been fighting leukemia for almost 30 years. Its database originally comprised 3,000 donors, but this has now grown to more than 9 million. In spite of this, every tenth person suffering from blood cancer can still not find a suitable match for a stem cell donor. Continued support is therefore vital. We provide this using AmazonSmile, as every single order - from paper clips to printers – results in a donation to the DKMS.