Sensatec
Sensatec GmbH is a German in-situ environmental remediation company founded in 2005, treating PFAS, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, and heavy metals in soil and groundwater. It serves industrial, government, and mining clients across Central Europe and Africa using proprietary microbial cultures and licensed gas-injection technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersKiel, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sensatec does
Sensatec GmbH is a German in-situ environmental remediation company founded in Kiel on May 1, 2005, by Dr. Stephan Hüttmann, who spun the business out of the environmental division of Groth und Co. The company specializes in groundwater and soil remediation for PFAS, chlorinated solvents (CHC/LCKW), petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH/MKW), heavy metals, and other organic and inorganic pollutants. Sensatec serves industrial companies, property owners and developers, government and municipal authorities, and mining companies, claiming to be among the market leaders in Central Europe for in-situ remediation with over 400 completed reference projects and approximately 150 active remediation projects. Operating geography spans Germany, the broader Central European market, and Africa through a wholly-owned Sensatec Africa subsidiary and a Sensatec Tanzania Ltd. joint venture.
The company's technology stack combines proprietary biological, chemical, and physical remediation processes with in-house biotechnology production. Core technologies include an exclusive license for the Bioxwand gas injection process (used at Europe's largest installation at Berlin-Friedrichshagen, treating 10,000 m³/d of drinking water), the proprietary TSE high-pressure injection method for difficult geological formations, ISCO and ISCR chemical treatment, patented horizontal injection methods for under-building remediation, and biological remediation using SENSABAC microbial cultures including Germany-only Dehalococcoides-containing cultures. Sensatec operates its own process engineering laboratory in Kiel and a molecular biology laboratory in Berlin, commercializing CENSUS, the QuantArray product family (Chlor, BGC, NSZD, Petro), and Next Generation Sequencing services. Special plant engineering is produced in-house.
Sensatec generates revenue through four streams: project-based environmental remediation services, special plant engineering hardware, feasibility studies and laboratory analyses, and sales of biotechnical products. Go-to-market is direct enterprise B2B field sales with project-specific quotes; no public pricing is disclosed. The company co-founded the Brownfield Solutions initiative with Geobality, HPC International, and LogReal Immobilien to provide integrated contamination-to-redevelopment solutions, and maintains research collaborations with UFZ Leipzig-Halle, TZW Karlsruhe, Kiel University (CAU), and TU Dresden. The company is privately held, founder-led, with no evidence of institutional or private equity ownership.
Sensatec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sensatec
- Legal name
- Sensatec GmbH
- Website
- https://sensatec.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sensatec GmbH is a German in-situ environmental remediation company founded in 2005, treating PFAS, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, and heavy metals in soil and groundwater. It serves industrial, government, and mining clients across Central Europe and Africa using proprietary microbial cultures and licensed gas-injection technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sensatec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Remediation Services
- NAICS
- Remediation Services (56291), Remediation Services (562910), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Groundwater Remediation (Pump & Treat, Air Sparging, PRBs) (EUAIALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- In-Situ Treatment Services (ISCO/ISCR, bioremediation, thermal) (BPALAKAD), Chlorinated Solvent & VOC Groundwater Remediation (e.g., PCE/TCE) (BPALAKAC), Petroleum Hydrocarbon (UST/LUST) Remediation (BPALAKAB), Site Assessment & Remedial Investigation (Phase II/III, Sampling & Characterization) (EUAIALAA), Site Remediation & Contaminated Soil Handling (IMAFAKAG)
Keywords
Where Sensatec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kiel
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sensatec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Environmental Remediation Services: Project-based environmental remediation services including groundwater and soil remediation, PFAS treatment, and contaminated site cleanup
- Special Plant Engineering: Custom equipment and plant construction for remediation operations from own production facilities
- Feasibility Studies and Analysis: Laboratory analyses and feasibility investigations for remediation projects using proprietary microbial cultures
- Biotechnology Products: Cultivation and sale of high-performance microbial cultures for pollutant degradation and food-grade biotensides
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Sensatec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sensatec provides in-situ environmental remediation services for contaminated groundwater and soil, treating PFAS, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and other organic and inorganic pollutants. Core methods include biological remediation with proprietary in-house cultivated microbial cultures (SENSABAC), chemical oxidation/reduction (ISCO/ISCR), the exclusively licensed Bioxwand gas injection process, and the patented TSE high-pressure injection method. Supporting offerings comprise molecular biology and process engineering laboratory analyses, Geoprobe drilling/sounding, custom-built special plant equipment, and R&D collaborations with research institutions.
Product overview
Sensatec is an environmental remediation company offering integrated in-situ remediation solutions as a unified service portfolio rather than a software platform. The core offerings span five interconnected service areas: (1) Environmental Damage Remediation services including PFAS, organic, and inorganic pollutant cleanup using specialized plant engineering; (2) Laboratory Analysis services for feasibility studies and molecular biology testing including CENSUS, QuantArray products (Chlor, BGC, NSZD, Petro), and NGS; (3) Biotechnical Products including SENSABAC microbial cultures and bioaugmentation cultures for site-specific remediation; (4) Drilling and Exploration services using Geoprobe technology; and (5) R&D collaboration with scientific institutions. Key remediation technologies include ISCO, ISCR, Bioxwand (exclusive license), TSE injection method, and biological processes. The company operates its own process engineering and molecular biology laboratories and produces specialized microbial cultures from its biotechnology center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- In-situ Environmental Damage Remediation Comprehensive in-situ remediation services for PFAS, organic and inorganic pollutants in groundwater and soil, executed with specialized plant engineering from own production. Targeted at industrial, government, mining, and brownfield redevelopment clients.
- SENSABAC Microbial Cultures High-performance microbial cultures cultivated in-house for aerobic and anaerobic pollutant degradation, including the only Dehalococcoides-containing culture manufactured in Germany for anaerobic chloroethene degradation. Sold as a biotechnical product for in-situ bioremediation projects.
- TSE Injection Method High-pressure injection technique for placing biological or chemical remediation agents in subsurface conditions where standard distribution is not possible, including solid rock, clay, and marl structures. Offered as a service/technology for in-situ remediation projects.
- Bioxwand Gas Injection Process Exclusively licensed gas injection process for building oxygen gas depots in aquifers through fine-bubble gas distribution, enabling continuous oxygen injection into passing groundwater for treatment of BTEX, vinyl chloride, chlorobenzenes, PAH, TPH, and ammonium compounds.
- BioSolidEncap Solid Encapsulation Solid encapsulation technology for long-term delivery of remediation agents into contaminated subsurface areas, enabling sustained-release biological or chemical treatment.
- ISCO (In-situ Chemical Oxidation) Rapid chemical oxidation processes using concentrated oxidants (peroxide-based agents, permanganates, persulfates, percarbonates) for destruction of subsurface contaminants in groundwater and soil.
- ISCR (In-situ Chemical Reduction) Chemical reduction processes using nano-iron and micro-iron products for degradation of chlorinated solvents and chromium reduction in contaminated subsurface environments.
- PFAS Remediation Technology Technologies for PFAS separation and leaching from contaminated soil, as well as PFAS immobilization in groundwater and soil using high-performance adsorbents; includes in-situ applications, on-site pile technology, and solid injection techniques.
- Biological Remediation Service Aerobic and anaerobic biological remediation services including bioaugmentation with specialized microbial cultures, biostimulation via groundwater circulation, and reagent infiltration/injection for degradation of TPH, MtBE, CHC, and PAH contaminants.
- Geoprobe Drilling and Sounding Service Direct-Sense and Direct-Push sounding/drillings using Geoprobe technology for precise exploration and characterization of environmental damages prior to and during remediation projects.
- CENSUS Molecular Biology Analysis Molecular biology analysis service providing comprehensive characterization of microbial communities and their pollutant degradation capabilities for contaminated-site assessment.
- QuantArrayChlor Quantitative PCR-based analytical product for quantification of chlorinated compound-degrading microorganisms and functional genes, supporting CHC groundwater remediation projects.
- QuantArrayBGC Analysis of biogeochemical processes and functional genes related to secondary environmental reactions during remediation projects.
- QuantarrayPetro Quantitative analysis of petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms for TPH contamination site assessment and monitoring.
- QuantarrayNSZD Analysis service for natural attenuation potential and processes in contaminated sites, supporting enhanced natural attenuation (ENA) program design.
- Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Comprehensive DNA sequencing service for microbial community analysis, functional gene quantification, and enhanced natural attenuation potential assessment at contaminated sites.
- Process Engineering Laboratory (Feasibility Studies) Feasibility studies for environmental remediation projects conducted in the company's own process engineering laboratory, including site-specific microbial and chemical degradation performance testing and process-critical reaction analysis.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully completed over 400 reference projects
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sensatec
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Sensatec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Sensatec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- GeobalitycorePioneer for innovative bioremediation applications; co-founder of Brownfield Solutions initiative providing comprehensive contamination solutions from investigation through property sale
- Brownfield Solutions InitiativecoreAlliance of Geobality (bioremediation), Sensatec (remediation services), HPC International (scientific/legal support), and LogReal Immobilien (property marketing) offering all-from-one-hand contamination solutions
- AIT Austrian Institute of TechnologymajorAustria's largest non-university research institution; specialist in central infrastructure topics; bridge between research and technological commercialization
- UFZ Leipzig-HallemajorResearch partner from renowned research institution developing innovative and particularly efficient technologies for environmental remediation
- TZW KarlsruhemajorResearch partner developing innovative remediation technologies in cooperation with Sensatec
- Kiel University (CAU)majorAcademic research partner for development of innovative remediation procedures
- TU DresdenmajorAcademic research partner for development of innovative remediation procedures
- HPC InternationalcoreScientific and legal accompaniment partner within Brownfield Solutions initiative
- LogReal ImmobiliencoreReal estate marketing partner within Brownfield Solutions initiative for sale of remediated properties
- Sensatec AfricacoreWholly-owned subsidiary providing environmental remediation services for contaminated industrial and mining sites across the African continent in close cooperation with parent Sensatec GmbH
- Sensatec Tanzania Ltd.majorJoint venture for environmental remediation projects specifically for mining companies in Tanzania, cooperating closely with local Tanzanian partners
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
Sensatec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Arcadis: Global design, engineering, and environmental services firm with a large European remediation practice. Competes for industrial site remediation and brownfield redevelopment projects that Sensatec serves, but at significantly larger scale and with broader service portfolio.
- CDM Smith: Global engineering and construction firm with environmental and water remediation practice. Provides comparable groundwater and soil remediation services to municipal and industrial clients, including PFAS treatment solutions.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure and environmental services firm with large European remediation practice. Competes in PFAS remediation, brownfield redevelopment, and industrial site cleanup — direct overlap with Sensatec's service lines but at much larger scale.
- WSP (Golder): Global professional services firm with environmental remediation capabilities through the Golder Associates acquisition. Offers comparable site assessment, remediation, and environmental consulting services, especially in European mining and industrial markets.
- ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Global environmental consulting firm providing site investigation, remediation, and compliance services to industrial and government clients. Operates in the same European markets as Sensatec with overlapping capabilities in contaminated site management.
Direct peers
- Tauw Group: European environmental consulting and remediation firm headquartered in the Netherlands with German operations. Provides comparable site investigation, in-situ remediation, and environmental consulting services to industrial and public-sector clients across continental Europe.
- Bioclear: Dutch in-situ bioremediation specialist focused on biological groundwater and soil remediation, including chlorinated solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons. Closely comparable to Sensatec in technology (biological/ISCR), customer base (industrial and government), and European geographic focus.
- IUT GmbH: German engineering firm specializing in groundwater and soil remediation, particularly in-situ thermal and biological treatment. Closely comparable to Sensatec in technology focus, German customer base, and in-situ remediation specialization.
Regional players
- Healix Umwelt: German in-situ bioremediation specialist with comparable biological and chemical remediation capabilities. Direct competitor in the German market for groundwater and soil remediation services to industrial and municipal clients.
Emerging players
- Microbial Insights: US-based molecular biology services provider for environmental remediation, including QuantArray products that overlap with Sensatec's CENSUS/QuantArray offering. Strategic partner to Sensatec but also a potential technology competitor in molecular diagnostics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sensatec social profiles
Digital presenceSensatec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sensatec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sensatec subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Sensatec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sensatec M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sensatec
What does Sensatec do?
Sensatec provides in-situ environmental remediation services for contaminated groundwater and soil, treating PFAS, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and other organic and inorganic pollutants. Core methods include biological remediation with proprietary in-house cultivated microbial cultures (SENSABAC), chemical oxidation/reduction (ISCO/ISCR), the exclusively licensed Bioxwand gas injection process, and the patented TSE high-pressure injection method. Supporting offerings comprise molecular biology and process engineering laboratory analyses, Geoprobe drilling/sounding, custom-built special plant equipment, and R&D collaborations with research institutions.
Is Sensatec a public or private company?
Sensatec is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sensatec founded?
Sensatec was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sensatec based?
Sensatec is headquartered in Kiel, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Sensatec make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Environmental Remediation Services are the primary driver. The others are special Plant Engineering, feasibility Studies and Analysis and biotechnology Products.
Who are Sensatec's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Arcadis, CDM Smith, AECOM, WSP (Golder) and ERM (Environmental Resources Management). Direct peers are Tauw Group, Bioclear and IUT GmbH. Healix Umwelt is listed as a regional player. Microbial Insights is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sensatec have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sensatec.
What industry is Sensatec in?
Sensatec's product category is Environmental Remediation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIALAD, Groundwater Remediation (Pump & Treat, Air Sparging, PRBs), with a secondary code of BPALAKAD, In-Situ Treatment Services (ISCO/ISCR, bioremediation, thermal). Its NAICS code is 56291 and its SIC code is 8734.