CM Aqua

What CM Aqua does

CM Aqua A/S designs and manufactures mechanical water filtration and particle control systems for commercial aquaculture, with operations headquartered at DTU Science Park in Hørsholm, Denmark and manufacturing in Remscheid, Germany (operating on 100% green power with 98% polymer waste re-use). Founded in 1990 by Danish scientists Henrik Mortensen and Kurt Carlsen, the company has accumulated 2,000+ installations worldwide and remains founder-active alongside private equity ownership by Norwegian funds Longship and Summa since 2020.

The core technology centers on the patented HEX HP Filter Panel with hexagonal cell geometry that enables thinner filter strings and a larger open filtration area, paired with the patented Direct Driven Gear Wheel (DDGW) drive system offering 95% mechanical efficiency with no lubrication requirement. The product portfolio spans HEX Drum Filters (X24-series, F-series, SANI for well-boats, SHIP for maritime) targeting the 10-500 µm particle range with up to 90% removal efficiency, Ratz and T-Ratz Protein Skimmers for dissolved organics and ozone integration, AL2 Belt Filters for sludge dewatering up to 20% dry matter, and supporting intelligent controls (HEX IC, AquaPLC). All products are engineered for corrosion resistance using high-tech polymers, AISI316 stainless steel, and titanium for demanding saltwater and tropical aquaculture environments.

Revenue is generated primarily through bespoke hardware sales sold directly via enterprise field sales managers and biologist-engineers covering Norway, Germany, and Scandinavia, with quote-based pricing tied to configuration, flow capacity, and materials. Customers include commercial salmon and shrimp farms, RAS system designers, well-boat operators, and public aquariums (notably MOWI, Njord Aquashipping, White Panther, Searas/Leirvik, and Point Defiance Zoo). Engineering, commissioning, and long-term service constitute a supplementary services revenue stream. Go-to-market relies on direct sales supplemented by trade shows (Aqua Nor), LinkedIn presence, technical content marketing, and channel partners (notably Cflow Fish Handling for well-boat applications).

Name

CM Aqua

Legal name

CM Aqua A/S

Website

https://cmaqua.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CM Aqua designs and manufactures patented water filtration equipment, including HEX Drum Filters, protein skimmers, and belt filters, for commercial aquaculture operators, RAS designers, well-boat fleets, and public aquariums across more than 2,000 installations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Filtration Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Separation & Filtration Equipment (Filters, Centrifuges, Membranes) (IMAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Aquaculture filtration equipment
• Drum filters
• Protein skimmers
• Recirculating aquaculture systems
• Water treatment machinery

Headquarters

HQ city

Hørsholm

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HEX Drum Filters: Sale of patented HEX Drum filters in multiple series (X24-series, F-series, SANI, SHIP) designed for particle removal in aquaculture. Products are engineered equipment sold with varying capacities and materials suited to different water environments (freshwater, saltwater, tropical saltwater). Sold directly to aquaculture operators, RAS designers, and well-boat operators.
2. Ratz Protein Skimmers: Sale of protein skimmers including standard Ratz units and T-Ratz in-built systems for dissolved organics and fine particle removal in RAS facilities. Ozone-compatible units for organic oxidation and foam fractionation. Sold with engineering support for integration.
3. AL2 Belt Filters: Sale of belt filters for draining backflush water, sludge dewatering, and sea lice concentration. Primarily used in RAS installations and onboard de-lice vessels and well-boats.
4. Engineering and Technical Support Services: Remote support, on-site commissioning, and long-term service for all drum filter models. Engineering team advises on optimal installation, sizing, and integration of filtration equipment into new and existing RAS systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CM Aqua designs, manufactures, and sells mechanical water filtration and particle control equipment for aquaculture systems. The product portfolio includes HEX Drum Filters (X24-series, F-series, SANI, SHIP models) for particle removal in the 10-500 µm range, Ratz and T-Ratz Protein Skimmers for dissolved organics removal, and AL2 Belt Filters for sludge dewatering and sea lice concentration. Equipment is built using corrosion-resistant materials (high-tech polymers, AISI316 stainless steel, titanium) for both freshwater and saltwater applications, and is complemented by engineering, commissioning, and technical support services.

Product overview

CM Aqua offers a portfolio of water filtration and particle control products for aquaculture systems. The core offering includes HEX Drum Filters (X24-series, F-series, Model SANI, and Model SHIP) which provide mechanical filtration for particle removal in the 10-500 micron range with up to 90% efficiency. These are complemented by Ratz Protein Skimmers and the newer T-Ratz Protein Skimmers for dissolved organic removal and ozone integration. The AL2 Belt Filter handles backwash water dewatering. All products share the proprietary HEX concept with patented hexagonal filter panels, Direct Driven Gear Wheel (DDGW) drive systems, and intelligent control features. Products are manufactured at the company's factory in Germany using corrosion-resistant materials (high-tech polymers, AISI316 stainless steel, titanium) suitable for both freshwater and saltwater aquaculture environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HEX Drum Filter X24-series Corrosion-free drum filter made from high-tech polymers designed for saltwater aquaculture, featuring the Direct Driven Gear Wheel (DDGW) system for reliable 24/7 particle removal in the 10-500 micron range with up to 90% particle removal efficiency. Targeted at aquaculture operators running saltwater and tropical saltwater environments.
• HEX Drum Filter F-series Reliable suspended solids removal drum filter for fresh- and saltwater applications featuring Direct Driven Gear Wheels (DDGW) with 95% efficiency and up to 10,000 m³/h capacity in the F-series XL model. Made with corrosion-resistant AISI316 stainless steel and PE-100 materials. Targeted at large commercial fish farms and RAS facilities.
• HEX Drum Filter Model SANI Specialized drum filter for well boats and de-licing operations with shortest wash-down time and best drainage. Features roller lids for fully open top access and Storm-locks for handling waves and ship movement. Targeted at well-boat operators and de-lice vessel operators.
• HEX Drum Filter Model SHIP Durable drum filter for well boats designed to handle extreme water flow, rough sea conditions, and minimal maintenance. Made in AISI 316 corrosion-resistant materials with DDGW drive system. Targeted at maritime aquaculture logistics operators and well-boat builders.
• Ratz Protein Skimmer Protein skimmer for removal of dissolved organics, color, bacteria, and fine particles from aquaculture water streams. Compatible with ozone injection for boosting foam formation and optimal extraction of organics. Handles flows from 15 to 640 m³/h. Targeted at RAS operators seeking dissolved organics and off-flavor (geosmin, MIB-2) removal.
• T-Ratz Protein Skimmers In-build protein skimmers designed and built directly into the RAS layout from project start, with seamless hydraulic integration and no additional pumping capacity required. Handles several thousand m³/h based on project needs. Targeted at large-scale new-build RAS facilities requiring high-capacity dissolved organics removal.
• AL2 Belt Filter Corrosion-free belt filter for dewatering sludge and draining back flush water from filter systems. Made of PE material suited for saltwater applications. Can concentrate sludge up to 20% dry matter content when adding polymer. Targeted at RAS installations and onboard de-lice vessels and well-boats for sludge handling and sea lice concentration.
• Engineering and Technical Support Services Remote support, on-site commissioning, and long-term service for all drum filter models. Engineering team advises on optimal installation, sizing, and integration of filtration equipment into new and existing RAS systems. Targeted at aquaculture operators and RAS designers requiring engineering consultation and ongoing service support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% particle removal efficiency in the 10-500 μm range
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aas Mek VerkstedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian shipbuilder partnering with CM Aqua for filtration systems on advanced well-boats. CM Aqua supplies HEX SANI series drum filters and AL-2 Belt filters for well-boats being built for Njord Aquashipping, with systems engineered to match vessel designs.
• Integrated Aqua System (IAS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCM Aqua collaborated with Integrated Aqua System to develop the AquaPLC drum filter controller based on the intelligent control system for HEX Drum Filters. IAS uses HEX Microscreen Drum Filters as primary mechanical filtration for aquarium applications and has integrated CM Aqua's technology into the Pacific Seas Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
• Lift UpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian company developing automated back-to-barge pumping and filtration systems for mort and sludge collection in net-pen aquaculture. CM Aqua provided non-metallic X-version drum filters and AL2 AQUA belt filters for the Lift Up System, forming a joint filtration solution for organic waste collection reducing environmental footprint by 50%.
• Cflow Fish Handling AScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCflow Fish Handling AS acts as a distributor and integrator of CM Aqua HEX Drum Filters, particularly for well-boat and maritime applications. Cflow delivered complete fish handling systems for world-leading wellboats including Gåsø Høvding (world's largest wellboat) and the world's first hybrid wellboat, incorporating HEX F-series drum filters.
• Searas AS / Leirvik ASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSearas AS developed the OptiRAS closed movable RAS concept in partnership with Leirvik AS as builder and Bremnes Seashore as end customer. CM Aqua delivered HEX model X drum filters for the Ø20m prototype, with the concept targeting salmon growing from 130 to 750 grams using only 2 kWh/kg of produced fish.
• Njord AquashippingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNjord Aquashipping commissioned two advanced well-boats from Aas Mek Verksted featuring CM Aqua filtration technology. The vessels are designed for enhanced fish welfare and environmental sustainability in aquaculture operations, with HEX SANI drum filters and AL-2 Belt filters integrated for particle control and sea lice removal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sterner AS: Norwegian supplier of water treatment and biofilter systems for aquaculture and industrial water. Comparable as a Nordic-based competitor serving the same salmon RAS customers as CM Aqua.
• Billund Aquaculture: Danish RAS design and engineering firm competing in the same land-based salmon and shrimp RAS market as CM Aqua; both companies frequently co-specify each other's equipment on integrated projects.
• Faivre: French manufacturer of drum filters and aquaculture filtration equipment, one of CM Aqua's closest direct competitors in mechanical filtration for fish farming, with overlapping product range in both fresh- and saltwater applications.
• Innovasea: North American-based aquaculture technology company offering RAS systems, fish tracking, and water quality equipment. Comparable to CM Aqua as a supplier of integrated water management solutions for land-based fish farms.
• AKVA Group: Global leader in aquaculture technology with broad portfolio covering cages, feeding, sensors, and RAS equipment. Directly competes with CM Aqua in land-based salmon RAS filtration; notably, CM Aqua's current CEO Mikael Denhardt previously led projects at AKVA Group Landbased.

Emerging players

• MAT-KULING: Norwegian aquaculture equipment specialist focused on filtration and water handling for fish farms; smaller and more niche than CM Aqua but operating in the same Nordic salmon RAS market.
• OxyGuard International: Danish-based supplier of water quality measurement and treatment equipment for aquaculture. Adjacent in the fish-farming water management ecosystem but focused on instrumentation rather than mechanical filtration.

Others

• Cflow Fish Handling: Norwegian fish handling system integrator and CM Aqua channel partner; distributes HEX Drum filters onto well-boats including Gåsø Høvding. Listed as a peer because it is both a customer and an indirect route-to-market comparable in the well-boat segment.

Broad incumbents

• Hydrotech (Veolia Water Technologies): Veolia-owned drum filter brand with broad municipal and industrial water treatment exposure; overlaps with CM Aqua's drum filter technology but serves a much wider market beyond aquaculture.
• Xylem: Global water technology company with broad filtration, pumping, and treatment portfolios. While primarily municipal/industrial, Xylem's water treatment capabilities overlap with the broader category in which CM Aqua operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cm-aqua
• Xx.com/cmaquadk
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmaqua.dk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 CM Aqua