GF has received two German Design Awards, recognising both an industrial product and a trade fair concept that highlight the company’s focus on practical design, usability, and sustainability.
The German Design Award jury honoured GF’s IR-225 M infrared fusion machine for its design contribution to faster, safer, and more reliable thermoplastic pipe welding in industrial applications. In addition, GF’s trade fair booth at ISH 2025 was recognised for its unified presentation of Flow Solutions for buildings.
Infrared fusion machine designed for industrial performance
Building on more than 30 years of experience in infrared fusion technology, GF developed the IR-225 M to improve welding performance for industrial Flow Solutions. The award jury highlighted how the machine’s design translates technical capability into practical benefits for operators, including flexibility across a wide range of applications such as cleanroom environments.
The IR-225 M features a compact and robust base frame with a clear, operator-focused layout. Multilingual interfaces, improved accessibility, and a stable mechanical design support safe handling and repeatable welding results on site.
Design enhancements based on material research and process optimisation enable shorter cooling times and an extended range of weldable materials within the same application-oriented dimension range. According to GF, this helps increase productivity and reduce overall installation time.
Infrared fusion for demanding industrial sectors
GF’s infrared fusion technology enables contact-free welding of thermoplastics including PVDF, ECTFE, PP-H, PP-n, PE100, and PVC-U. These materials are commonly used in industries such as chemical processing, microelectronics, data centres, and water treatment, where reliability and long service life are critical.
The machine-controlled fusion process is designed to minimise welding errors, reduce preparation effort, and ensure consistent weld quality. GF introduced contact-free infrared fusion technology in 1992 and has continued to develop the process with a focus on usability and industrial requirements.
Commenting on the award, Dominik Scherer, Head of Jointing Solutions and GSS & Solution Training at GF, said: “Good design is essential when it directly improves daily work on site. With the IR-225 M, design and performance go hand in hand – enabling faster processes, intuitive operation, and reliable welding results for industrial piping systems.”
German Design Award for sustainable booth concept
In addition to the product award, GF also received a German Design Award for its trade fair booth at ISH 2025. The booth was developed in collaboration with M+W Gruppe, Brands and Emotions GmbH, and architect Axel Loritz from imageneering GmbH.
The circular booth concept focused on architectural clarity, reuse of materials, and sustainability. Displays and structural elements were designed for repeated use, while a Digital Twin of the booth provided a virtual stand experience and supported sales training beyond the event itself.
The German Design Award jury noted the combination of architectural clarity and resource-conscious execution, describing the concept as setting new standards for sustainable design in temporary exhibition spaces.
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