Zurich-based HZI, formerly Von Roll Inova, is the global market leader in the area of waste-sourced thermal energy recovery.
With this acquisition, the company is expanding its portfolio and, in the future, will also offer construction of the proven Kompogas plants for energy recovery through fermentation.
In doing so, the company will carry on the tradition of the Kompogas brand that was successfully established by Axpo. Operation of the plants in Switzerland will remain with Axpo.
Since its founding in 1991, Kompogas stands for the innovative recycling of green waste to produce energy. With the continuous development of the Kompogas technology after taking over the company in 2006, and with the construction of over 75 biogas plants worldwide, Axpo has made a significant contribution to the expansion of this technology.
Over time, the two business fields operation and plant construction developed more and more to become autonomous areas, and at the end of 2013, they were legally and organisationally unbundled within Axpo Kompogas.
With HZI, Axpo has found a new parent company for the plant construction area with extensive experience and competence in the area of energy recovery from green waste. The technological expertise of Axpo Kompogas Engineering AG in the construction of biogas plants can evolve and develop under HZI.
In addition to know-how transfer and all patents, HZI will take over the majority of employees as of mid-December 2014. This morning, employees of both companies were informed on the integration of Kompogas and the future strategy.
Axpo to remain a provider in the area of biomass
Operation of the existing 15 and any new Kompogas plants in Switzerland will remain the responsibity of Axpo. „In the future, Axpo can fully concentrate on its leading role as an operator of biomass plants and a provider of services and products for biomass exploitation," says Bettina Charrière, Head of New Energies at Axpo. These cover the disposal of green waste, energy recovery, and production of high quality compost, fertiliser, soil, and wood chips.
In the area of new energies, Axpo continues to pursue a targeted growth strategy. In the focus are wind plants at suitable locations abroad, as well as biomass and hydroelectric power in Switzerland.
HZI is the market leader in thermal and biological waste recycling
With over 80 years of experience and over 400 reference projects, HZI is the leading global provider of first class technology and turnkey plants for energy recovery from waste. Axpo Kompogas Engineering AG is a market leader in the segment of anaerobic digestion (AD), the fermentation of biological waste, with over 70 biogas plants delivered, and a market share of about 30%.
Two innovative solutions under one roof
With the integration of the Kompogas plant construction area, HZI plants can now recover energy from biological waste as well as residual waste. „The Kompogas technology compliments our product portfolio ideally because we can recycle residual waste thermally and green waste biologically," says Franz-Josef Mengede, CEO of HZI. The name Kompogas will remain in force and continue under the new owner.
Expanded access to global markets
With this acquisition, HZI is meeting market needs arising from the separate collection of biogenic waste. „Thanks to our market presence and our plant construction competence, we can give the Kompogas technology global market access," says Franz-Josef Mengede and adds: „We are proud to takeover a first class technology, and, at the same time, offer the employees perspectives in an international environment."
Final closing of the contractual agreements is expected in December 2014.
