1993 - The first shaft guide.

igus now offers drylin R shaft guides.
The customers of igus were asking about solutions for linear motion more and more frequently. They wanted to make movements quieter and lubrication-free, with all the advantages that they already knew from the iglidur range of plain bearings. A liner with clearance compensation made of especially low-friction material was the first product to come on the market in this context. The name "drylin" itself was indicative of what it was for: dry linear guide. In other words, lubrication-free.

1994 - Move to Porz-Lind in Cologne.

igus grows - a bigger factory becomes necessary.
The factory within old walls became too small, igus was growing continuously in all areas. More production space and more space for staff were needed. Not just for a few years but for the long term as a fixed base, a factory that could grow with the company. The renowned British architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw was fascinated by the briefing and also by the image of the solar system, which reflects the corporate culture. A building was created that has striking yellow pylons and stands out due its openness, flexibility and an unusual bright design that has since then been leaving an impression on employees and passers-by alike.

1994 - Introduction of self-adjusting bearings. igubal bearings expand the igus range of products.

Making self-aligning bearings was the logical consequence of the continuous further development of materials and the increase in the number of possible applications. Manufactured with the 2-component injection-moulding method, the housing is formed over the inner spherical ball while at the same time remaining movable. The igubal product range continues to grow continuously but, whatever new materials and shapes are used, some things remain the same: the bearings are lubrication-free, maintenance-free and more cost-effective than metal bearings.

1999 - Subsidiary established in China.

A representative office in the Land of Smiles.
China was increasingly becoming a worthwhile market for igus. Energy chains, cables and plain bearings from Porz-Lind in Cologne were in demand here as well. For better coordination and management of business relations, a subsidiary was set up in China just before the turn of the millennium. Today it is the largest foreign subsidiary.

Source: Igus Gmbh