30 Years of IGEL: From the First Idea to a Development Partnership for the Future

May 2026

Some success stories do not begin in large conference rooms, but where courage, expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit are at their strongest: close to people. When Erich Leitner founded Ingenieur Gesellschaft Erich Leitner mbH in 1996, the first customer meetings took place in his living room, while the work itself was carried out in a hobby workshop. What may seem unimaginable today marked the beginning of a mindset that continues to shape IGEL: listening, understanding, taking action, and providing reliable solutions to technical challenges.

From this initial idea, a well-established development partner with broad technical expertise has grown over the course of three decades. Its roots lie in vehicle and powertrain engineering — a strong foundation that IGEL successfully applies today across a wide range of industries.

Since then, the industry has undergone profound change. Technologies have become more digital, development processes more complex, and the requirements for quality, information security, and documentation significantly higher. What was once often possible through direct and pragmatic approaches now requires greater coordination, consultation, and robust processes. This has made the work more demanding — but also more professional.

IGEL has actively embraced this transformation. Short communication paths and early pragmatism evolved into a structured, quality-focused way of working. A passion for engine and powertrain technology grew into a broad field of expertise centered on the technologies of tomorrow. What has remained unchanged is the spirit of the early years: flexibility, technical understanding, teamwork, and the willingness to find solutions even under changing conditions.

Today’s business environment presents companies with increasing challenges. Regulations, standards, European directives, growing compliance and safety requirements, and intense competition shape everyday operations. Customer projects involve more interfaces, greater responsibility, and higher expectations. This makes the qualities that have defined IGEL since its founding more important than ever: expertise, reliability, and the ability to achieve outstanding results even within limited constraints.

IGEL itself has continued to evolve: from its founding in Ebersberg, through its transformation into a public limited company, to its current headquarters in Munich and branch office in Ingolstadt. New areas of expertise, strategic partnerships, and certified processes demonstrate that, even after 30 years, IGEL remains committed to taking responsibility and actively shaping the future.

What began in a living room in 1996 has become a story of continuity, courage, and continuous development. It is a story of people who understand technology, value collaboration, and create solutions built to last. Thirty years of IGEL stand for experience and curiosity, grounded values and innovative strength — and for the determination to solve challenges together with customers, partners, and employees.

Perhaps that is the most important constant since day one: IGEL keeps moving forward. With the ambition to help shape the mobility and powertrain technologies of tomorrow — reliably, independently, with a strong commitment to quality, and with the same entrepreneurial spirit that started it all.

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