Gelsenwasser AG

What Gelsenwasser AG does

Gelsenwasser AG is a German infrastructure company headquartered in Gelsenkirchen, founded in 1871 and operating as a public Aktiengesellschaft. The company runs nine interconnected business fields: drinking water supply, wastewater disposal, energy procurement and sales, energy and heating networks, decentralized energy, digital infrastructure, circular economy, municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), and industrial parks. In 2025 it delivered 40 million cubic meters of water, sold approximately 1 TWh of electricity and 1 TWh of gas, and disposed of 5.6 million cubic meters of wastewater across the Ruhr area, Münsterland, and Niederrhein regions of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Group employs over 1,500 people and invested approximately 50 Mio. Euro in 2025.

Gelsenwasser generates revenue primarily through recurring regulated and contracted utility services: usage-based residential water tariffs (2.1217 EUR per 1,000 liters as of January 2025), subscription-based energy and heating supply, and B2B contracts with municipalities and industrial customers for wastewater treatment, network operations, and energy efficiency consulting. Pricing in the core supply area is set by an arbitration committee, providing regulatory stability. Go-to-market operates through enterprise field sales for municipalities and industry, combined with direct-to-consumer channels including online customer portals, customer offices (Kundenbüros), a 24/7 emergency service, and the Erenja consumer energy brand. Notable customers include AGG GELSENKANAL (wastewater for ~265,000 residents in Gelsenkirchen), Stadtwerke Wesel (21% partner since 1999, achieving 21% energy reduction via SIMBA optimization), and Technische Werke Emmerich.

The underlying technology stack combines physical infrastructure (reservoirs Haltern and Hullern, waterworks, treatment plants, energy and heating networks) with a digital layer that includes LoRaWAN IoT networks, smart meters for water/gas/electricity, building automation systems (DDC) with backward compatibility to 1985, and the SIMBA dynamic simulation tool for wastewater plant digital twins. The company holds 100% of GELSENWASSER Energienetze GmbH, operates AWS GmbH for industrial/municipal wastewater, runs Abwassergesellschaft Gelsenkirchen mbH, and holds a 49% stake in GELSEN-NET for fiber internet. The executive board consists of CEO Henning R. Deters (since 2011), Dr. Dirk Waider (since 2013, technical operations), and Dr. Agnes Janda (since October 2025, wastewater, circular economy, digital infrastructure).

Name

Gelsenwasser AG

Legal name

GELSENWASSER AG

Website

https://gelsenwasser.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gelsenwasser AG is a German regulated infrastructure company founded in 1871, providing water, wastewater, energy, and digital services to municipalities, industry, and residential customers across the Ruhr area and Münsterland, operating nine integrated business fields with over 1,500 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Utility Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Utilities (221)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950), Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Utility IoT (SCADA, Leak/Quality Monitoring) (EUADAPAK), Advanced Treatment & Purification Utilities (MF/UF, RO, AOP, UV) (EUANAGAD), Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Energy distribution networks
• Municipal infrastructure services
• Smart metering solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water Supply: Drinking water supply to municipalities and industrial customers, including water treatment, distribution, and related services
2. Wastewater Services: Wastewater treatment, sewage sludge utilization, phosphorus recovery, canal infrastructure and sewage plant operations
3. Energy Supply: Electricity, gas, and heating energy supply through Erenja brand and direct contracts for residential and commercial customers
4. Energy and Heating Networks: Operation of energy and heating networks providing infrastructure for municipalities and industry
5. Digital Infrastructure Services: Smart city solutions, IoT services, digital meters and measurement point management
6. B2B Solutions and Consulting: Comprehensive solutions for water infrastructure, wastewater, energy efficiency, building automation for municipalities and industrial partners

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gelsenwasser AG is a German infrastructure utility company providing drinking water supply, wastewater treatment, and energy distribution services to municipalities, industrial customers, and residential consumers. The company operates nine interconnected business fields — water, wastewater, energy procurement and sales, energy and heating networks, decentralized energy, digital infrastructure, circular economy, municipal utilities, and industrial parks — enabling holistic infrastructure solutions from a single source. Services span the full value chain from source extraction and treatment through distribution, metering, and customer service, supported by digital infrastructure including LoRaWAN IoT networks and building automation.

Product overview

Gelsenwasser AG is a German infrastructure company offering a portfolio of nine interconnected business fields as a single unified service portfolio. The core offerings include drinking water supply, wastewater disposal (sewer networks and treatment plants), energy sales and generation, energy and heating networks, and decentralized energy solutions. Supporting these are digital infrastructure services (LoRaWAN IoT, smart metering, building automation), circular economy solutions (phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge), and municipal utility and industrial park partnerships. Key products include the Erenja energy brand for end consumers, Automationssysteme for building automation, Kläranlage and Kanal services for wastewater treatment, and comprehensive water infrastructure solutions. The company operates across multiple German states serving municipalities, industry and commerce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking Water Supply (Trinkwasserversorgung)

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings of over 21% achieved at Kläranlage Wesel through process optimization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Gelsenwasser-StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Corporate foundation established in 2012 supporting non-profit projects in the supply area with focus on educational support for children and youth. Has funded approximately 50 educational projects.
• AWS GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004AWS GmbH is an over-regional service company in industrial and municipal water and wastewater management, operating as part of the Gelsenwasser Group. Handles wastewater treatment plants for industrial clients including a food processing company in Heppenheim.
• Stadtwerke WeselminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Municipal utility operating Kläranlage Wesel serving 75,000 residents. Gelsenwasser has been a 21% partner since 1999 providing energetic optimization consulting. Achieved 21% energy reduction through SIMBA simulation-guided process optimization.
• Erenja AG & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErenja is the eco-energy brand of Gelsenwasser AG serving residential customers in the northern Ruhr region and Münsterland with green electricity and natural gas offerings.
• GELSEN-NETminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional IT company offering fiber optic internet services. Gelsenwasser holds 49% stake. GELSEN-NET services are offered alongside Gelsenwasser's energy and water services at customer offices.
• Westfälische Wasser- und Umweltanalytik (WWU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental analytics partner participating in 'Trinkwasser im Gespräch' industry event with Gelsenwasser experts presenting on water quality topics.
• Technische Werke Emmerich (TWE)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMunicipal utility in Emmerich receiving Gelsenwasser's wastewater treatment consulting services. Since 2004, cooperation agreement has enabled joint project execution including Rechenanlage (screen system) replacement at Kläranlage Emmerich.
• AGG GELSENKANALcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntwässerungsbetriebe Gelsenkirchen - municipal drainage enterprise for which Abwassergesellschaft Gelsenkirchen mbH (part of Gelsenwasser Group) provides wastewater disposal services for approximately 265,000 residents.
• Hochschule Ruhr WestminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences partnership for dual study programs in civil engineering, combining academic theory with practical training at Gelsenwasser.
• Westfälische HochschuleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for dual study programs in mechanical engineering and industrial engineering, combining practical training at Gelsenwasser with academic studies.
• Stadtentwässerung HerneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal sewage disposal partner in dual study program for civil engineering students gaining practical experience in drainage infrastructure.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Thüga AG: German municipal utilities holding company coordinating a network of Stadtwerke across Germany with shared energy, water, and digital services. Comparable as a multi-utility platform serving municipalities with a federated structure similar to Gelsenwasser's integrated offering.
• Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB): Berlin's municipal water and wastewater utility operating integrated water supply and sewage services at large scale. Directly comparable business model of integrated municipal water/wastewater utility in Germany.
• Stadtwerke München (SWM): Munich's municipal multi-utility providing water, energy, heating, and digital services to residential and commercial customers. Closely comparable integrated municipal utility model with diversified business fields.
• Kölner Stadtwerke (RheinEnergie): Cologne-area municipal utility providing water, energy, and heating services. Comparable multi-utility model serving a major German metropolitan region.
• Mainova AG: Frankfurt-area municipal multi-utility supplying electricity, gas, water, and heating. Comparable integrated utility model serving a German metropolitan region with municipal/regional governance.
• Dortmunder Stadtwerke (DSW21): Dortmund municipal utility providing water, energy, and mobility services in the eastern Ruhr area. Comparable municipal multi-utility operating in close geographic proximity to Gelsenwasser's Ruhr-area territory.

Regional players

• Hamburg Wasser: Hamburg's municipal water and wastewater utility serving a major German metropolitan area. Comparable integrated water utility but operating in a different geography (northern Germany).

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Deutschland: German subsidiary of global environmental services giant operating water and wastewater services for municipalities and industry. Comparable as a large-scale water/wastewater service provider in Germany, but as part of a much broader international portfolio.
• E.ON SE: One of Europe's largest energy utilities with German operations in distribution, customer solutions, and energy networks. Overlapping capabilities in energy distribution, digital metering, and municipal utility partnerships, though energy-focused rather than water-focused.
• EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg: Large German integrated energy utility with water/wastewater activities through subsidiaries. Comparable as a major regulated utility with energy distribution, but focused on southwestern Germany rather than NRW.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GELSENWASSER
• Facebookfacebook.com/gelsenwasser-187921442678
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gelsenwasser-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/gelsenwasser
• Xx.com/gelsenwasser_ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Gelsenwasser AG