What Martin GmbH does

Martin GmbH für Umwelt- und Energietechnik is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned engineering company headquartered in Munich, Germany, founded in 1925 by Josef Martin. The company designs and delivers thermal waste-to-energy (WtE) plants, acting as general contractor or consortium leader on turnkey EPC projects and supplying proprietary grate-based combustion systems, heat-recovery boilers, and flue gas cleaning equipment to municipal utilities and private WtE operators worldwide. Its core technology is the reverse-acting grate (Rückschub-Rost), invented in 1925 and continuously refined (current generation: Rückschub-Rost Vario and MARTIN.grate with infrared-camera combustion control), complemented by Horizontal-Rost, SYNCOM/SYNCOM-Plus combustion optimization, SNCR for NOx reduction, MICC automatic combustion control, and the Shock Pulse Generator (SPG) online boiler-cleaning system acquired with Explosion Power GmbH (2016).

MARTIN monetizes through five revenue streams: (1) turnkey plant construction as general contractor (one-time, multi-year, large contract values); (2) component and equipment supply (grates, boilers, SNCR, SYNCOM) sold to other general contractors or plant operators; (3) engineering and project services across the plant lifecycle; (4) after-sales service, modernization, and spare parts delivered through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in Switzerland, France, the USA, Portugal, the UK, and Germany; and (5) technology licensing royalties from partners including Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta (China, since 2000), EBARA (Japan, since 2018), and the CNIM MARTIN joint venture (India/Southeast Asia, since 2017). Reference installations range from small (40 t/d) to very large (8×850 t/d) plants, with documented best-in-class energy efficiencies (Amsterdam 32% electrical; Göteborg >80% total; Malmö >90% total) and 1,000+ combustion lines sold globally over the company's century of operation. The company employs multi-generational engineering talent and operates exclusively through direct enterprise sales, augmented by industry events (IFAT), technical publications, and active memberships in ESWET, ISWA, VDMA, and WtERT.

Name

Martin GmbH

Legal name

MARTIN GmbH für Umwelt- und Energietechnik

Website

https://martingmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Martin GmbH is a fourth-generation, family-owned Munich-based engineering firm that designs, builds, and services thermal waste-to-energy plants using proprietary reverse-acting grate combustion technology, serving municipal utilities and private operators across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste-to-Energy Plants

NAICS

Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410), Industrial Process Furnace and Oven Manufacturing (333994), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567), Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Management & General Contracting (EPCM, Scheduling, QA/QC, HSE) (EUAMAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Thermal Power Plant EPC (Gas/Coal/Oil) (EUAEAAAA), Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC), Commissioning, Testing & Energization Services (Pre-Commissioning, Grid Code Compliance) (EUAMAFAK)

Keywords

• Waste-to-energy plants
• Thermal waste treatment
• Grate combustion systems
• Flue gas cleaning
• Heat recovery boilers

Headquarters

HQ city

Wettingen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Turnkey Plant Construction (General Contracting): MARTIN acts as general contractor and consortium leader for the delivery of complete turnkey waste-to-energy plants. This includes engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover of entire plants. Revenue is project-based, large contract values, long project durations (multi-year).
2. Component and Equipment Supply: Supply of core combustion components including grate systems (reverse-acting, horizontal), furnace systems, steam boilers (heat recovery), combustion air systems, SNCR systems, and related equipment as individual lots or packages to plant operators or other general contractors.
3. Engineering Services: Engineering partnership services covering the full project lifecycle from planning through commissioning. Specialized engineering support for combustion systems and flue gas cleaning integrated into customer projects.
4. After-Sales Service, Maintenance, and Modernization: Comprehensive service for existing plants including combustion system overhauls, maintenance, spare parts supply, boiler service, modernization, and optimization. Supported by regional subsidiaries in Switzerland, France, USA, and Portugal. 24/7 customer hotline available.
5. Licensing Royalties: Technology licensing to international partners including Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta (China, since 2000), EBARA (Japan, since 2018), and CNIM-based joint ventures. Licensors produce and install MARTIN grate technology in licensed territories.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MARTIN GmbH plans, designs, builds, and services thermal waste-to-energy plants as a general contractor or component supplier. The company's core offering covers grate combustion systems (reverse-acting and horizontal grates), heat recovery steam generators, flue gas cleaning systems (SNCR, dry/semi-dry), and combustion control technology (SYNCOM, MICC). It also provides engineering, plant modernization, after-sales service, spare parts, and boiler service through regional subsidiaries and licensing partners worldwide.

Product overview

Martin GmbH is a fourth-generation family-owned company (founded 1925 in Munich) and one of the world's leading suppliers of thermal waste treatment plants. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for waste-to-energy applications, organized around its core combustion technologies. Core products include multiple grate systems (Rückschub-Rost Vario, Horizontal-Rost, SITY 2000, A-Rost, EnviroPower, and MARTIN.grate), combustion control technologies (SYNCOM, SYNCOM-Plus, MICC), and flue gas treatment systems (SNCR, dry discharge, flue gas cleaning). Supporting technologies include the Shock Pulse Generator for boiler cleaning and digital tools (DataAgent, MARTIN Müllstromanalyse). The company operates as a general contractor for turnkey plants and provides lifecycle services including engineering, modernization, maintenance, and spare parts through its global subsidiary network (MARTIN AG, MARTIN Services SAS, MARTIN Caldeiras, MARTIN Environmental Technologies LP, LUEHR FILTER, LAB, Explosion Power, Loibl, and MARTIN Renewables Solutions). Joint ventures include CNIM MARTIN Pvt. Ltd. for India/Southeast Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MARTIN.digital: Digital services and solutions division of MARTIN for waste-to-energy plant digitization
• MARTIN.grate
• MARTIN SYNCOM
• MARTIN SYNCOM-Plus
• MARTIN MICC
• MARTIN N53 Protect
• Rückschub-Rost Vario
• Horizontal-Rost
• Shock Pulse Generator (SPG)

Products and services

• MARTIN Rückschub-Rost (Reverse-Acting Grate) Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000th combustion line sold (Bazenheid, Switzerland, Nov 2019) — demonstrating century-long commercial traction
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Metrostav DIZ a.s.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Metrostav DIZ a.s. is the general contractor for the BRNO waste-to-energy modernization project in Czech Republic. MARTIN supplies core components (combustion, combustion air, steam generator, SNCR) as a subcontractor to Metrostav. Project is EU-funded. Cooperation with LAB for flue gas cleaning.
• LUEHR FILTER GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025LUEHR FILTER GmbH became a 100% subsidiary of MARTIN in October 2025. It specializes in air and gas cleaning systems, particularly dry flue gas cleaning. With 350 employees at Stadthagen (Germany) plus branches in Austria and Poland, LUEHR complements MARTIN's 'chute-to-stack' strategy. Both LUEHR FILTER and LAB brands remain independent with their own contact persons. The acquisition strengthens MARTIN's portfolio in particulate and gaseous pollutant separation from air and flue gases.
• Loibl Förderanlagen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Loibl Förderanlagen GmbH acquired by MARTIN in May 2023. Based in Straubing, Germany, with 140+ employees. Loibl is a leading manufacturer of conveyor and materials handling systems for bulk goods with special focus on the energy sector. Extends MARTIN's portfolio in conveyor technology for waste-to-energy plants.
• LAB SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022LAB (Laboratoire d'Application de la Bussière) became a 100% subsidiary of MARTIN in January 2022. Headquartered in Lyon, France, with offices in Six-Fours-les-Plages (France), Stuttgart, and Coburg (Germany). LAB specializes in integrated flue gas emission reduction plants and offers the B.V.T. (Best Available Technology) for reducing pollutant emissions from thermal plants. Complements MARTIN's combustion technology from the flue gas side.
• EBARA Environmental Plant Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2018Partnership established April 2018 with EBARA Environmental Plant Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). EBARA exclusively offers MARTIN systems in Japan. Combines EBARA's local market presence with MARTIN's grate technology, including the new reverse-acting grate Vario, for modern waste-to-energy plants in Japan.
• Küttner Martin Technology GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2018Joint venture established March 2018 in Munich with Küttner Holding GmbH & Co. KG (Essen). Focuses on fluidized-bed combustion technology for primarily municipal sewage sludge. First contracts signed in 2019: full plant in Bitterfeld, Germany; fluidized-bed incineration/boiler for Bahrain.
• CNIM MARTIN Pvt. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2017Joint venture established November 2017 in Chennai, India, jointly by MARTIN GmbH and CNIM (Constructions Industrielles de la Méditerranée). Combines MARTIN's reverse-acting grate technology (EnviroPower), CNIM's heat recovery boiler, and LAB's semi-dry flue gas cleaning. Markets turnkey waste-to-energy plants in India and Southeast Asia. Contact: Mr. Denis Bauer.
• Explosion Power GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Explosion Power GmbH was 100% acquired by MARTIN in January 2016, with all employees and assets. Based in Lenzburg, Switzerland, it independently markets the Shock Pulse Generator (SPG), an online boiler cleaning device. Over 900 SPG units installed in 20 countries. The company continues to operate autonomously.
• Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Cooperation agreement signed end of March 2015 with Thöni Industriebetriebe (Telfs, Austria). MARTIN acquired rights to a technology and entered the dry digestion field for treating biogenic waste streams to produce biomethane and agricultural fertilizer. First contract signed in Tornesch, Germany (2017): integrating anaerobic digestion into existing composting plant.
• Martin biopower Pty LtdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Joint venture established in 2014 in Australia to address the Australian and New Zealand markets for thermal waste treatment. Intensified market development and lobbying for increased acceptance of waste-to-energy in the region.
• Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta Environmental Industry Co., Ltd.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2000License partnership established end of 2000 with Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta. License covers SITY 2000 and EnviroPower grate technologies for China (including Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan) and numerous other countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam. License renewed and extended multiple times (most recently 2014 for 10 additional years). Over 110 lines (~60,000 t/day) in orders. Also new license with China Everbright signed in 2013.
• Paprec Engineering (CNIM)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1961Partnership with Paprec Engineering (formerly Constructions Industrielles de la Méditerranée, CNIM) established 1961, ongoing for over 60 years. CNIM exclusively offers MARTIN systems in France, UK, Belgium, Poland, and numerous other countries. Non-exclusive in Middle East and Gulf states. Major reference projects include Cardiff, Wilton, Beddington, Kemsley (UK) and other European plants.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Doosan Enerbility: Doosan Enerbility is a large Korean EPC contractor with a dedicated waste-to-energy division offering grate and fluidized-bed combustion systems. As a much larger diversified industrial group, it competes with MARTIN on mega-projects and broader power generation EPC scope.
• Babcock & Wilcox (B&W): Babcock & Wilcox is a US-based boiler and emissions control technology provider with heritage in waste and biomass combustion systems. As a broader industrial steam generation incumbent, it competes with MARTIN on boiler technology and EPC scope for waste-to-energy projects.
• Andritz (Air Pollution Control / WtE): Andritz is an Austrian industrial group with a separation and fluidized-bed combustion division serving waste-to-energy and biomass plants. While much larger than MARTIN, Andritz directly competes in fluidized-bed WtE and biomass combustion markets.
• Valmet: Valmet is a Finnish industrial group offering boiler islands, air pollution control, and automation for waste-to-energy and biomass plants. As a significantly larger listed company, it competes with MARTIN on boiler and combustion system supply and services.

Direct peers

• Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI): HZI is a leading global EPC contractor for waste-to-energy plants, headquartered in Switzerland with Japanese parent Hitachi Zosen. It directly competes with MARTIN in turnkey WtE plant delivery, offering grate combustion, boiler, and flue gas cleaning technologies with comparable reference plant scale.
• Standardkessel (Hitachi Zosen subsidiary): Standardkessel is a German engineering firm specializing in waste-to-energy boiler island and grate technology, serving as a direct competitor to MARTIN in the European market. Their technology and service offerings closely mirror MARTIN's component supply and engineering partnership model.
• Keppel Seghers: Keppel Seghers is a Singapore-based EPC contractor for waste-to-energy and alternative fuel plants, part of Keppel Infrastructure. It directly competes with MARTIN in Asian markets and offers turnkey WtE delivery similar to MARTIN's general contractor model.
• CNIM (Constructions Industrielles de la Méditerranée): CNIM is a French industrial EPC contractor specializing in waste-to-energy and energy-from-waste plants, and is MARTIN's long-standing partner of 60+ years. CNIM offers comparable turnkey WtE delivery and is both a partner and competitor in overlapping geographies (France, UK, Belgium, Poland, Middle East).

Emerging players

• Covanta Energy: Covanta is North America's largest pure-play waste-to-energy operator and is both a customer and partial technology collaborator of MARTIN. While primarily an operator/owner rather than EPC contractor, Covanta competes in adjacent project development and is connected to MARTIN through the Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta joint licensing arrangement.

Regional players

• Sumitomo Heavy Industries Environment & Energy Division: Sumitomo Heavy Industries offers waste-to-energy and biomass power plant technology, primarily serving the Japanese market with rotating and grate combustion systems. As a comparable regional WtE player in Japan, it competes with MARTIN's EBARA partner channel for Japanese municipal projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/martin-gmbh-f%C3%BCr-umwelt-energietechnik

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Martin GmbH