At this year’s Innovation Day 2025, organized for the 23rd time by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS), Impol received the national Gold Award for Innovation — the highest national recognition for innovative achievements and an important promotion of innovation within the Slovenian economy.
The gold award was granted for the innovation:
High-Alloy Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy with Sustainable and Economic Efficiency (ECO-AlMag6)
This new alloy exceeds existing standards, containing more than 6 wt.% magnesium. As a rolled semi-finished product, it achieves mechanical properties comparable to steel, while delivering significant environmental benefits — thanks to a carefully optimized raw material selection, the carbon footprint is reduced by 11.7 tCO₂ per ton of product. The alloy is already used globally in the electrical, automotive, and marine industries.
The innovation was developed by a strong and highly skilled team:
Dr. Jakob Kraner, Dr. Peter Cvahte, Aleksandra Robič, Mag. Bojan Kropf, Hjubert Jerkin, Dr. Darja Volšak, Branko Arnuš, Kristijan Kresnik, Zvonko Amon, Mojca Kolmanič, Jure Slatinek, Gregor Žerjav, and Tomaž Smolar. Congratulations to the entire team!
At the award ceremony, GZS President Tibor Šimonka emphasized:
“The record-breaking 245 innovation proposals submitted to this year’s GZS Innovation Awards demonstrate that innovation is becoming a core value of the Slovenian economy and society as a whole. It is the key driver of success and competitiveness.”
He further highlighted Slovenia’s ambition to position itself as part of the global innovation landscape — a space where knowledge, technology, and entrepreneurship converge to create solutions for the future — while noting that the country still faces challenges, as it is losing ground on international innovation rankings.
At Impol, we believe that innovation is the key to the future — and we will continue to build on knowledge, technology, and sustainability.
