C.Ed. Schulte GmbH receives iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 and sees it as a milestone
CESentry, the cloud-based system from CES, C.Ed. Schulte GmbH, was recently honoured with the renowned iF DESIGN AWARD 2025. In the ‘Building Technology’ category and ‘Product’ discipline, the system prevailed over almost 11,000 submissions from 66 nations and is now regarded as a benchmark for innovation, aesthetics, user-friendliness and sustainability in access technology. In collaboration with the design agency Squareone, the hardware of the CESentry locking devices – consisting of a hinge, wall terminal and electronic locking cylinder – was transformed into a unified and harmonious design language.
Evaluation process and decision-making
A total of 131 jurors from 23 countries were involved in the competition in two evaluation rounds. After an intensive online pre-selection process, the best 50 per cent of the entries qualified for the final evaluation in Hamburg. There, over a period of three days, 102 design experts worked in Schuppen 52 to evaluate all the entries in detail based on the criteria of idea, form, function, differentiation and sustainability. This detailed assessment was carried out in close cooperation with the iF Sustainability Working Group in order to include ecological and social aspects in the evaluation. The jury of experts concluded that an exceptionally large number of outstanding designs had been submitted this year.
Organisational details and outlook
The festive awards ceremony will take place on Monday, 28 April 2025, at the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin as part of the iF DESIGN AWARD NIGHT. The iF Design Trend Conference 2025 will follow directly afterwards on 29 April, focusing on future developments and trends in the design world. The impressive figures of the competition – from almost 11,000 submissions to 2,211 prize winners and 75 gold winners – testify to the international reach and high relevance of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2025.
Technological innovation and design excellence in the CESentry system
The CESentry system impresses with its forward-looking combination of state-of-the-art technology and a clearly structured, appealing design. The cloud-based system features an integrated smart access functionality that enables flexible and secure access control, thus meeting the requirements of a digitally networked world. The fusion of functionality and aesthetic appeal will be seen as a leading example of innovative access technologies in the future. In addition, sustainability aspects and the use of artificial intelligence are increasingly being integrated into product development, which corresponds to current trends in the design industry.
Economic relevance and perspectives
The CESentry system’s distinction by the iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 highlights the commercial relevance of innovative access technologies in facility management and the security industry. In the face of global efforts to increase efficiency, sustainability and security in building technology, products such as the CESentry system can be seen as a pioneering example of successful technology and design integration. The international focus of the evaluation and the participation of a record number of experts confirm the strong market trend towards smart, design-oriented security solutions.
Overall, the result of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 exemplifies the ongoing development of design disciplines, in which technological innovations and sustainability aspects are increasingly seen as integral components of a successful product concept. The CESentry system from CES, C.Ed. Schulte GmbH, is setting a clear example in the global competitive landscape and is making a significant contribution to the further development of modern building technology.
