Since its founding in 1969, IFM has been dedicated to technical processes in the industrial sector. IFM has more than 5,200 employees in more than 70 countries around the world, mainly providing research and development and sales services for the machinery manufacturing industry, and more than 100,000 users. In 1969, the family-owned company invented the inductive proximity sensor based on thin film technology. Today, the "efector" brand is synonymous with position and fluid sensors, object recognition, diagnostics and recognition systems.