Immenstaad, July 1st,2026 – ZIM Aircraft Seating Group, a global designer and manufacturer of Economy, Premium Economy, and Business class seating solutions for commercial airlines, has again been awarded for its newest Premium Economy seat generation: “The Frame” was honored with the Red Dot Award: Design Concept. This award serves as a testament to the fact that The Frame is a pioneering, deeply customer-centric solution that not only pushes the boundaries of innovation but also redefines the industry standard.
The Red Dot Award is one of the largest and most renowned design competitions worldwide. The coveted seal of quality is awarded only to products that excel through an exceptional combination of functionality, aesthetics, and user-friendliness.
In granting this award, the jury recognizes not only a forward-thinking approach and profound industry impact, but also a truly customer-centric design.
These core strengths make The Frame an award-winning solution:
Sustainability: The Frame features a lightweight architecture and substantially reduces the use of plastics by incorporating renewable, recyclable, and reusable materials, supporting airlines’ sustainability roadmaps and advancing circular design principles.
Passenger Experience: A variety of features such as a newly developed kinematic system ensures that passengers always stay comfortable, even on long journeys.
Efficiency: The modular design allows quick and safe interchangeability for upgrades, redesigns, and midlife refreshes, cutting downtime and extending product relevance.
Aesthetics: From a visual perspective as well, The Frame is a high-end seat, featuring premium quality in every detail. Characterized by the unique wooden frame, the design brings a natural, sophisticated aesthetic that elevates it far beyond standard Premium Economy products.
Statements
Raffael Rogg, CEO, ZIM Aircraft Seating Group:
"Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and a powerful validation of our team's hard work. We set out to challenge the status quo and deliver a solution that truly moves the industry forward. This recognition confirms that we are on the right path,and we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible."
Stefan Kroll, CTO and President Germany, ZIM AircraftSeating Group:
"This prestigious recognition marks a defining moment for our organization. By aligning our deep technological expertise with a precise, long-term market strategy, we have created something truly transformative. This award proves that our dual commitment to technological pioneering and commercial excellence is not just driving our business forward – it is actively shaping the future of the entire industry."
Albert Bopp, Head of Research & Development, ZIM Aircraft Seating Group:
"Innovation is not just about adopting the latest technology; it is about completely redefining what is possible in our industry. This award is a testament to our team's ability to anticipate future challenges and engineer a groundbreaking solution that seamlessly bridges visionary science with an intuitive, customer-first experience."
About the Red Dot Design Award
The Red Dot Design Award is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious design competitions. To appraise the diversity in the field of design in a professional manner, the award is broken down into three distinct disciplines: the Red Dot Award: Product Design, Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design, and Red Dot Award: Design Concept. Each year, an international panel of independent design experts, designers, and specialized journalists evaluates thousands of submissions from companies and design studios worldwide. The entries are judged on criteria such as innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, anddurability. The "Red Dot" distinction has established itself internationally as one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design and technical excellence. For more information, visit www.red-dot.org.
About ZIM Aircraft Seating
ZIM Aircraft Seating Group is a global designer and manufacturer of Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class seating solutions for commercial airlines. Owned by AURELIUS, the Group employs approximately 550 people across three locations in Germany and the United States. As one of the industry’s leading independent aircraft‑seat specialists, ZIM supplies major OEMs including Boeing and Airbus, and serves a broad portfolio of international airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. For more information, please visit www.zim.aero.
Press Contact:
ZIM Aircraft Seating
Regina Glaser
Graf-von-Soden-Strasse 1
88090 Immenstaad
Email: Regina.Glaser@zim.aero
Mobile: +49 (0) 151 55465640
