ifm electronic gmbh is one of the leading suppliers of automation technology. ifm has 2800 employees at more than 70 locations worldwide, in Germany alone there are 23 production sites and sales offices. The headquarters are in Essen, in the Ruhr area, the main production site is in Tettnang at Lake Constance.

The family-owned company started with inductive proximity switches more than 35 years ago - today it is the market leader in that field. Today's product range also covers the fields of position sensors and object detection, fluid sensors and diagnostic systems as well as identification, networking and control systems. With this product range a turnover of approx. EUR 330 million was achieved in 2005.

ifm products are used in particular in the automotive and food industries, in conveying and in mobile machines as well as in wind power systems.