Marches Biogas

What Marches Biogas does

Marches Biogas is a UK-based specialist engineering firm focused exclusively on anaerobic digestion (AD), founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ludlow, Shropshire. The company provides end-to-end services for AD facilities, including process, mechanical, and electrical design; design-and-build construction; commissioning and decommissioning; ongoing biological, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation support; process safety consulting (DSEAR surveys, HAZOP studies, facility safety audits); regulatory and permitting support; and operator training. It has built over 30 AD plants ranging from 50 kWe to large-scale facilities and reports more than 30 years of cumulative commissioning and decommissioning experience. Customers include water and wastewater utilities (Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Severn Trent via NMCN), agricultural AD operators, industrial and food-and-beverage operators (Unilever at Gloucester), and a long tail of on-farm and food-waste AD facilities, with project delivery stated to extend across the UK, US, Europe, and the rest of the world.

Core technical capabilities include an in-house biological monitoring laboratory, a proprietary AD Tank Contamination Test and Analysis methodology, the Lithium Trace Test for digester mixing assessment, full 3D mechanical modelling, and a chemical hydrogen sulphide scrubber in development. Engineering staff hold specialist certifications including CompEx, WAMITAB Level 4, SMSTS, IPAF, PASMA, and 18th Edition IET Wiring. The company also operates a Talent LMS-hosted e-learning platform offering self-paced AD training modules.

The business model is predominantly project-based professional services (design, build, commissioning, decommissioning, and one-off consulting), complemented by recurring managed-service contracts (biological monitoring, mechanical/electrical maintenance, safety checks, regulatory support) and subscription-based e-learning. Pricing is project-specific and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held, was acquired by Irish engineering firm Glanua in 2024, and holds ISO, CHAS Elite, and Achilles UVDB Silver+ certifications.

Name

Marches Biogas

Legal name

Marches Biogas

Website

https://marchesbiogas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marches Biogas is a UK-based specialist engineering firm providing end-to-end anaerobic digestion services, including design, build, commissioning, decommissioning, and ongoing operational support. It serves water utilities, agricultural AD operators, and industrial clients, and was acquired by Glanua in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anaerobic Digestion Engineering Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Biogas/RNG Plant Development, EPC & Project Delivery (EUAAAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) & Biogas/RNG Production (Organics Feedstocks) (BPALAEAC), Anaerobic Digestion (Wet/Dry AD) & Biogas Production (EUAIAEAD), Anaerobic Treatment & Resource Recovery (Biogas/Co-digestion) (EUANADAH), Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Power (Agricultural & Industrial AD) (EUACAIAD)

Keywords

• Anaerobic digestion engineering
• Biogas plant construction
• Digester commissioning services
• Biogas process safety
• AD operational support

Headquarters

HQ city

Ludlow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design and Engineering Services: Process, mechanical, and electrical design services for anaerobic digestion facilities. Provided as individual work packages or part of larger contracts. Includes principal designer duties.
2. Design and Build (Construction): Principal contractor services for extensions to existing AD facilities, new plant builds, and refurbishment of key plant components. Includes build quality assurance and site management.
3. Commissioning and Decommissioning: Commissioning of complete AD facilities or specific plant components, including development of site-specific feed plans. Decommissioning services with full method statements and risk assessments.
4. Operational Support Contracts: Ongoing support services including biological monitoring, mechanical and electrical maintenance, safety checks (quarterly, six-monthly, or annual), process assessments, operational audits, and troubleshooting.
5. E-Learning Training Modules: Online training modules for AD operators, students, and consultants covering anaerobic digestion fundamentals and operational aspects. Accessed through a learning management system.
6. Classroom and On-Site Training: Operator training delivered through classroom sessions at company offices, practical sessions at local sites, or training at client locations. Covers fundamentals of AD, health and safety, DSEAR awareness, biological monitoring, and troubleshooting.
7. Regulatory and Permitting Support: Environmental permitting applications, environmental audits, development of environmental management systems (EMS), and assistance with Digestate Quality Protocol and PAS110 certification processes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marches Biogas provides end-to-end engineering services for anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities, covering process, mechanical, and electrical design, principal contractor design-and-build, commissioning, decommissioning, and ongoing operational support. The company also delivers biological and feedstock analysis from an in-house laboratory, DSEAR/HAZOP process safety assessments, regulatory and PAS110 permitting support, and operator training (classroom and e-learning) to water utilities, agricultural AD operators, and industrial food waste processors.

Product overview

Marches Biogas is a specialist anaerobic digestion engineering company offering a comprehensive suite of services for AD plant design, construction, commissioning, operation, and support. The company was founded in 2009 and acquired by Glanua in 2024. Services include Design Services (process, mechanical, electrical), Process Safety (DSEAR surveys, HAZOP studies), Design & Build, Commissioning & Decommissioning, Training and E-Learning modules, Mechanical/Electrical/Instrumentation Support, Safety Checks, Plant Operation Studies, Process Enhancement & Innovation (including AD Tank Contamination Analysis), Regulatory & Permitting Support (including PAS110 certification), Biological Support, and Feedstock Support. The company has built over 30 AD plants ranging from 50kWe to large-scale facilities utilizing energy crops, farm slurries, food, and industrial wastes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Principle Biogas: A division of Marches Biogas that works closely with clients like Bagley Biogas on additional project developments.

Products and services

• Design Services Comprehensive design services for anaerobic digestion facilities including process design, mechanical design, electrical design, and principal designer duties, with each design phase peer reviewed to assess operability and minimize risks.
• Process Safety Services Facility safety surveys and health and safety advice including DSEAR Surveys, HAZOP Studies, Health and Safety Advice, and Facility Safety Audits for AD facilities.
• Design and Build Services Principal contractor services for extensions to existing AD facilities, new plant builds, or refurbishment of key plant components such as mixing, heating or feeding systems, with build quality assurance and a flexible work-package approach.
• Commissioning and Decommissioning Services Commissioning and decommissioning of anaerobic digesters and associated equipment, including site-specific feed plans, full method statements, risk assessments, and certification on completion.
• Training Services Operator training covering fundamentals of anaerobic digestion, health and safety, DSEAR awareness, daily tasks, preventative maintenance, biological monitoring, troubleshooting, feedstock quality and regulatory compliance, delivered via classroom, practical site sessions, or on-site training.
• E-Learning Modules Self-paced e-learning modules covering introduction to anaerobic digestion and inputs/outputs of AD plants, accessed through a dedicated learning management system.
• Mechanical, Electrical and Instrumentation Support Pro-active mechanical support with regular maintenance contracts, 24-hour reactive mechanical and electrical support, instrumentation calibration and servicing, online monitoring and alarms, and flare inspections, service and maintenance.
• Safety Checks Quarterly, six-monthly or annual safety checks for AD facilities to verify that safety process control systems, including high level switches, macerator interlocks, and other safety systems, remain functional.
• Plant Operation Studies Range of plant operational studies including Process Assessments, Operational Audits, Operational Trouble Shooting, and Lithium Trace Tests for assessing digester mixing efficiency and working capacity.
• Process Enhancement and Innovation Services R&D services dedicated to enhancement of the anaerobic digestion process via laboratory-scale trials, full-scale trial apparatus, process modifications, feedstock suitability determination, pre-treatment, nutrient management, and biological process enhancement, including the AD Tank Contamination Test and Analysis.
• Regulatory and Permitting Support Environmental permitting applications and compliance support including environmental audits, environmental management systems, quarterly and annual waste returns, Digestate Quality Protocol and PAS110 certification, and RHI sustainability calculations.
• Biological Support Services Biological and process monitoring services including in-house laboratory services, proactive biological support with regular sampling and reporting, reactive biological support for process issues, and supply of trace elements for anaerobic bacteria.
• Feedstock Support Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Gas production doubled at Queensferry WWTW following digester refurbishment with new mixing systems and process modifications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GlanuacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlanua, a Galway-based engineering company, acquired Marches Biogas to expand their UK operations and position the combined entity as a specialist in design, construction and operation of anaerobic digestion and biogas plants. Glanua is an industry leader in municipal and industrial sectors providing innovative and sustainable engineering solutions for water, wastewater and energy infrastructure across the UK and Ireland. This acquisition integrates Marches Biogas into a larger engineering group with expanded capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Glanua: Galway-based engineering group and parent company of Marches Biogas, providing water, wastewater and energy infrastructure across UK and Ireland. Comparable because it now owns Marches and shares the same end-market focus on AD/biogas engineering within municipal and industrial sectors.
• Hitachi Zosen Inova: Large international EPC contractor for anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, and renewable gas infrastructure. Comparable to Marches in serving water utilities and waste operators on AD projects, but with much greater scale and broader portfolio.
• SUEZ: Global water, waste, and environmental services group with significant AD and biogas operations in the UK and Europe. Comparable to Marches as a competitor for water utility AD contracts and as a customer-facing AD operator, though much larger and broader in scope.
• Veolia: Global environmental services group operating anaerobic digestion facilities, including wastewater AD, across the UK and Europe. Comparable to Marches because both serve water utility and industrial AD customers and compete for similar engineering and operational contracts.

Direct peers

• Biogen: UK-based anaerobic digestion operator and plant developer; Keith Knight and Russell Mulliner both previously held senior roles at Biogen (Greenfinch). Comparable because it operates, builds, and supports AD plants in the same agricultural and waste sectors as Marches.
• Clearfleau: UK specialist in food and beverage wastewater AD/biogas plants, including work with major food manufacturers. Comparable to Marches because it designs, builds, and commissions AD plants for industrial and food waste customers with a similar engineering-led delivery model.
• WELTEC Biopower: German manufacturer and EPC contractor of anaerobic digestion plants using agricultural and industrial organic waste. Comparable to Marches as a turnkey AD plant builder, though typically operating at a larger scale and with broader geographic reach.
• PlanET Biogas: German-Canadian AD plant manufacturer and project developer delivering turnkey biogas plants across agriculture, food waste, and waste water. Comparable to Marches as an AD EPC contractor targeting similar feedstocks and customer segments.
• Nature Energy (formerly Xergi): Denmark-based AD/biogas plant developer and operator with international project delivery. Comparable to Marches as an AD engineering and operations specialist serving agricultural and industrial organic waste feedstocks.

Emerging players

• CNP Technology: Engineering and technology supplier to the anaerobic digestion sector, providing process design and biological support services. Comparable to Marches because it operates in the same AD engineering niche, with overlapping services like biological monitoring and process optimisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MarchesBiogas

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Marches Biogas