Even for Thomas Edison, finding a better way to do it better wasn’t always easy. The “Wizard of Menlo Park” didn’t invent the light bulb; but he did made it commercially feasible.

He experimented with thousands of materials before discovering that a carbon filament in an oxygen-free bulb could glow for 40 hours. Eventually, he tweaked his discovery to produce a bulb that lasted more than 1,500 hours.

Perhaps even more importantly, he patented a system for electrical distribution, guaranteeing the success of his light bulb improvements. Thus, the genius inventor was not only innovative and persevering, but a visionary as well.

A hard combination to beat.

In that light, Candy Industry’s eleventh annual Leaders in Innovation section showcases suppliers who — in partnership with their customers — stimulate thought processes, develop product concepts, engineer efficiencies, introduce new processing lines and establish new market segments to keep confectionery categories vibrant.

In their own words, executives from equipment, packaging and services companies offer their insights on how they view the innovation process and how it’s more critical now — more than ever — to foster growth in the industry by enhancing value for customers.

Next: Sollich KG