The Oscar of the electrical industry: Application phase for ELMAR Award started

The ELMAR Award is entering the next round: Submissions for the renowned industry prize opened to electrical contractors from all over Germany on 8 March 2026. Use this opportunity! This year, the application deadline is 31 July 2026.

The award honours companies that position their brand effectively with creative ideas and innovative concepts. The benefits of participating:

• High-impact platform
• Highlight brand strength
• Raise industry awareness

Don’t forget: Attractive cash prizes of up to 15,000 euros reflect the competition’s significance. It is organised by the Elektromarken Starke Partner. e.V. brand association, which OBO joined this year.

Renowned industry prize enters its 18th round

This year, the ELMAR Award will be presented for the eighteenth time. A top-class panel of judges, a celebratory award ceremony and a strong media presence have made the award a renowned industry prize since 2008 – one that recognises creativity and a strategic approach to establishing an outstanding brand identity.

Behind each ELMAR trophy lies a multi-stage selection process:

• First, the ELMAR team identifies the 30 most convincing brand identities among the online entries received.
• The companies then introduce themselves in telephone interviews, from which twelve finalists are selected.
• These finalists are paid a visit on-site and showcased in video portraits.
• The resulting image film and a live presentation of the finalists before an independent panel of experts ultimately determine the gold, silver and bronze winners.

The competition is split into four categories. The first three award categories are based on the company size – up to 10, 11–30 and over 30 employees – giving companies of all sizes a fair chance at a spot on the winners’ podium. The fourth category, “ELMAR Newcomers”, is aimed exclusively at companies founded after 1 January 2023. On top of this, the “ELMAR Employers” honours an especially high dedication to employee development and retention. This winner is chosen from the group of entrants.

OBO is proud to be a strong partner of Elektromarken

“Elektromarken. Starke Partner. e.V.” –  is an association of 16 leading brand manufacturers in the German electrical industry. Established in 2005, the association pursues the goal of strengthening the electrical trades with quality, innovation and sustainable partnerships to secure its long-term viability. Besides presenting the renowned ELMAR Awards, the association is also committed to supporting the next generation, for example by awarding masters scholarships to young talents.

OBO is proud to have joined the brand association in 2026 and to be able to play an active role in the ELMAR Award going forward. We stand for system expertise, technical quality and a consistent brand identity and are pleased to complement the brand association with these values.

2026 awards: Don’t miss your opportunity

The winners of the ELMAR Award are honoured as part of the “Markenforum der Elektrobranche” brand forum for the electrical industry. It will take place on 26 November 2026, and represents the association’s annual highlight. Manufacturers, experts, innovators and representatives from the electrical trades meet here. Besides the award ceremony, it also offers a platform for discussions, sharing ideas and networking within the industry.

Enter now and strengthen your brand presence. OBO wishes good luck to all the companies participating!