What Evac does

Evac, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Espoo, Finland, is a privately-held provider of integrated water, waste, and wastewater management systems serving marine, offshore, and land-based building customers across more than 70 countries. The company operates three brands: Evac (vacuum collection, wastewater treatment via membrane bioreactor, wet waste processing through HydroTreat into biochar, dry waste handling, and land-based vacuum plumbing), Cathelco (impressed current cathodic protection, marine growth prevention systems, and ultrasonic antifouling via the patented DragGone platform), and HEM (reverse osmosis fresh water generation systems for superyachts). The technology stack rests on more than 150 patents covering vacuum toilet mechanics, MBR microplastic removal, hydrothermal carbonization, and ultrasonic hull protection, with flagship products engineered for IMO MEPC.227(64) and EN 12109 compliance.

Evac earns revenue primarily through project-based hardware sales of engineered systems specified into newbuild and retrofit programs, supplemented by a substantial lifecycle services business spanning installation, commissioning, training, spare parts, preventative maintenance, retrofits, and multi-year service agreements. Go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise field sales supported by regional offices in 14 countries and a developing channel/OEM network in supermarket and building segments; pricing is quote-driven with no public list prices. Revenue grew from approximately €100 million in 2016 to €190 million in 2024 under previous owner Bridgepoint, and in 2023 the majority stake was sold to Altor Equity Partners, which has stated intent to fund continued segment and product expansion. Anchor customers include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, TUI Cruises, and Ponant on the marine side, with a growing land-based pipeline exemplified by the Cicignon Park development in Norway.

Name

Evac

Legal name

Evac Group Oy

Website

https://evac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Evac designs and supplies integrated vacuum collection, wastewater treatment, wet/dry waste processing, fresh water generation, and hull protection systems for marine vessels and land-based buildings, serving cruise lines, commercial fleets, and building developers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine and Building Water and Waste Management Systems

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Ballast Water, Bilge & Wastewater Treatment Systems (Environmental/Utility) (IMAJAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental, Waste & Emissions Control Systems (Wastewater, VOC Capture, Spill Response) (IMAJALAK), Retrofits, Upgrades & Compliance Conversions (Scrubbers, BWTS, Alternative Fuels, Energy-Saving Devices) (TLAHAMAI), Fresh Water Supply & Potable Water Delivery Coordination (TLAHAJAD), Piping, HVAC & Fluid Systems (Fuel, Ballast, Firemain, Refrigeration) (TLAHAMAF)

Keywords

• Vacuum collection systems
• Marine wastewater treatment
• Water management systems
• Hull protection systems
• Fresh water generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Espoo

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Water and Waste Management Systems: Evac generates revenue through the sale of integrated water, waste, and wastewater treatment systems including vacuum toilets, collection units, MBR systems, HydroTreat, and related components. Products are sold directly to marine and land-based customers with custom configurations.
2. Lifecycle Services: Comprehensive service portfolio including Installation & Commissioning, Training & Technical Support, Spareparts, Preventative Maintenance & Repair, Site Survey & Consulting, Retrofit & Modernization, and Comprehensive Service Agreements. Services ensure enduring success of installed systems.
3. Corrosion Protection and Antifouling Systems: Revenue from Cathelco-branded products including ultrasonic antifouling (DragGone), marine growth prevention systems (MGPS), and impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems for maritime customers.
4. Fresh Water Generation Systems: Sales of reverse osmosis desalinators and watermakers under Evac and HEM brands for marine vessels and superyachts, providing fresh water generation capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Evac designs, manufactures, and services integrated water, wastewater, and waste management systems for marine vessels (cruise ships, commercial vessels, offshore platforms, superyachts) and land-based buildings. The portfolio includes vacuum collection toilets and units, membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment, HydroTreat wet waste-to-biochar processing, dry waste equipment, Cathelco corrosion protection, marine growth prevention, ultrasonic antifouling (DragGone), and reverse osmosis fresh water generation systems, complemented by global lifecycle services.

Product overview

Evac is a comprehensive water and waste management solutions provider operating under three main brands: Evac® (vacuum collection, wastewater treatment, wet and dry waste management), Cathelco® (corrosion protection, marine growth prevention, fresh water generation), and HEM® (freshwater systems for superyachts). The portfolio includes vacuum toilets (Optima 7, Optima 910, Elongated models), vacuum collection units (N°30 HQE, Bonito, Parati, Horizon), vacuum interface valves, membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, HydroTreat wet waste processing, dry waste equipment (compactors, crushers, shredders, densifiers), Cathelco ultrasonic antifouling (DragGone), impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP), marine growth prevention (MGPS), and reverse osmosis watermakers. The product line serves both marine (cruise ships, ferries, commercial vessels, yachts) and land-based (buildings, airports, stadiums, hotels) segments with a combined portfolio of 150 patents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cathelco: Cathelco safeguards fleets by managing biofouling, ensuring corrosion protection, and generating fresh water. Products include Ultrasonic Antifouling (USP DragGone), Marine Growth Prevention Systems, and Impressed Current Cathodic Protection.
• HEM

Products and services

• Evac Optima 7 Vacuum Toilet Flagship vacuum toilet for marine applications featuring reduced noise levels (72 dB or below), soft-closing seat with smooth motion, and built-in antimicrobial materials eliminating 99.99% of surface bacteria. Designed for cruise lines, commercial vessels, and other marine operators.
• Evac VacuConvert First gravity-to-vacuum conversion solution on the market, enabling building conversions and adaptive reuse with up to 90% water savings. Combines modern toilet aesthetics with full vacuum performance for land-based buildings, hotels, airports, and heritage property retrofits.
• Evac N°30 HQE Vacuum Collection Unit Vacuum collection unit providing suction for black water, gray water, and condensates for land-based applications. Fully compliant with European standard EN 12109. Features a 2,900-liter collection tank and rotary-claw vacuum pumps.
• Evac Vacuum Interface Valves Pneumatic interface valves connecting gravity-based appliances to vacuum sewage systems, available in 2L (polypropylene tank) and 5L (AISI 316 stainless steel) variants. No electricity required, quiet and reliable operation for land-based building applications.
• Evac Elongated Vacuum Toilet Corrosion-resistant vacuum toilet with vitreous china bowl for land-based applications in North America. Uses approximately 1.7 L/flush, compliant with ADA standards. Designed for hotels, offices, and commercial buildings.
• Evac Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) System Wastewater treatment system using membrane bioreactor technology that removes 99% of suspended particles and nutrients, ensuring high-quality effluent. Capable of removing up to 99% of microplastic particles from marine vessel wastewater.
• Evac HydroTreat Wet Waste Treatment Wet waste treatment system that transforms wet waste into biochar, a soil amendment and effective medium for carbon storage. Achieves up to 80% reduction in carbon emissions through HTC process and enables circular economy processes for cruise lines and other marine operators.
• Evac Dry Waste Solutions Portfolio of dry waste management products including compactors, crushers, shredders, and densifiers designed for cost-effective waste handling aboard vessels and in buildings.
• Cathelco USP DragGone Ultrasonic Antifouling Ultrasonic antifouling technology using patented methods to prevent hull fouling and improve fuel efficiency. Protects vessel hulls from biofouling for eco-friendly maritime operations without chemicals.
• Cathelco MGPS (Marine Growth Prevention Systems) Marine Growth Prevention Systems ensuring internal pipework, strainers, and sea chests are free from biofouling, preserving system performance and minimizing maintenance needs for maritime operators.
• Cathelco ICCP (Impressed Current Cathodic Protection) Impressed Current Cathodic Protection systems offering corrosion protection for vessel hulls, extending operational life by preventing costly corrosion damage.
• Cathelco Seafresh RO Plants Reverse osmosis freshwater generation systems efficiently converting seawater to potable, usable water for vessel self-reliance, reducing the need for dockside water supplies on commercial vessels, cruise ships, and offshore platforms.
• HEM Flow Series Watermakers Fresh water generation systems designed for superyachts (20-50 meter vessels), offering HEM performance and quality at sized and priced configurations for smaller yachts. Specialized for the unique requirements of superyacht operators.
• Evac Lifecycle Services Comprehensive service portfolio including Installation & Commissioning, Training & Technical Support, Spare Parts, Preventative Maintenance & Repair, Site Survey & Consulting, Retrofit & Modernization, and Comprehensive Service Agreements for marine and land-based customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% water savings compared to gravity systems
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RWO Marine Water Technology: German specialist in marine water and wastewater treatment, producing sewage treatment plants and bilge water systems for shipyards and vessel operators; competes head-on with Evac's MBR and vacuum collection systems in the marine newbuild and retrofit markets.
• Jets Vacuum AS: Norwegian vacuum toilet and sewage system manufacturer serving marine and offshore; directly comparable niche competitor in the vacuum toilet and vacuum collection systems market where Evac has shipped 1M+ units.
• Scanship: Norwegian provider of waste processing, water purification, and food waste processing systems for cruise ships and offshore vessels; competes directly with Evac's wet waste, wastewater, and fresh water generation portfolios in the marine segment.
• TeamTec AS: Norwegian supplier of marine sewage treatment plants and incinerators for vessels and offshore platforms; directly competes with Evac's wastewater and waste treatment portfolio in marine newbuild specifications.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water management major with marine and land-based wastewater treatment solutions; broader portfolio competitor with overlapping membrane bioreactor and industrial water reuse capabilities versus Evac's MBR systems.
• Hempel (Marine Coatings): Danish marine coatings major offering antifouling hull coatings and corrosion protection systems; competes with Cathelco's ICCP and ultrasonic antifouling (DragGone) in adjacent marine hull protection categories.
• Alfa Laval: Swedish industrial major offering marine environmental equipment including freshwater generators, wastewater treatment, and heat exchangers; overlaps with Evac's marine equipment portfolio across multiple product categories as part of a much broader industrial portfolio.
• Wärtsilä (Hamworthy): Finnish marine technology major with broad environmental systems offering including sewage treatment, ballast water, and freshwater generation through Hamworthy legacy; competes with Evac as a broader-portfolio incumbent rather than a pure-play specialist.

Others

• De Nora Water Technologies: Italian water treatment specialist with electrode and disinfection technologies used in industrial and marine water applications; adjacent enabling technology competitor in water and wastewater treatment markets where Evac operates.

Emerging players

• OceanSaver (Markleen): Norwegian provider of ballast water management systems and marine environmental solutions; partial overlap with Evac's marine environmental portfolio, particularly ballast and compliance-driven upgrades for shipowners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/evacgroup

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Evac