SF Soepenberg

What SF Soepenberg does

SF-Soepenberg GmbH is a privately held German Mittelstand company founded circa 1959–1960 and headquartered in Hünxe, North Rhine-Westphalia, with a secondary Dutch operating subsidiary (Soepenberg Fertilizers BV) in Deventer. The company produces and distributes high-quality fertilizers manufactured from secondary raw materials — i.e., industrial by-products and residues — converting waste streams from manufacturing, food processing, and municipal wastewater into agricultural inputs. The group operates across three customer segments: modern agriculture (farmers across Europe, including FiBL-registered organic farming operations), industrial companies (by-product recycling, tank storage rental, and site-revitalization services), and fertilizer manufacturers (supply of secondary raw materials for downstream production). Brand-named products include the Struvit, Crystallo, and sMartPhos-SF recycled fertilizers, the NaK-Solution liquid organic-mineral K fertilizer, and the broader solid- and liquid-fertilizer portfolio with Cultan loss-free application technology.

Name

SF Soepenberg

Legal name

SF-Soepenberg GmbH

Website

https://soepenberg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SF-Soepenberg GmbH is a privately held German fertilizer manufacturer that produces high-quality crop nutrients from industrial by-products and recycled phosphorus, serving modern farmers, fertilizer producers, and industrial waste generators across Germany and the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fertilizers

NAICS

Phosphatic Fertilizer Manufacturing (325312), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing (325314)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Phosphorus Products (Low-Salt, High-Availability P, Polyphosphates) (AFABACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrient Recovery from Sludge (Struvite, Ammonia/Phosphorus Recovery) (EUANAHAD), NPK/Compound & Blended Fertilizers (Granular Blends, Bulk Blending) (AFABABAD)

Keywords

• Recycled fertilizers
• Phosphorus recovery
• Industrial by-product recycling
• Secondary raw materials
• Precision farming services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hünxe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fertilizer Production and Sales: Production and distribution of high-quality fertilizers from secondary raw materials, including solid fertilizers (lime to root fertilization), liquid fertilizers (enriched with trace elements or via Cultan technology), and biological/organic fertilizers. Many products are FiBL registered and recognized by various agricultural associations.
2. Industrial By-Product Recycling Services: Development of complete concepts for reuse and professional application of industrial by-products. Services include by-product and recycling models, permit acquisition support, and application consulting. Also includes revitalizing unused industrial sites.
3. Tank Storage Rental: Rental of tank storage capacity (50 m³ to 3,500 m³ tanks) at Hünxe and Braunschweig locations. Additional covered storage space rental for solids at Hünxe and Mieste. Provides rapid response to industrial customers in emergency situations such as accidents.
4. Logistics and Transport Services: Own transport company with fleet of trucks transporting liquids to solids, from containers to general cargo. Organizes logistics of sacks, IBCs, and big bags. Own jetty on Mittelland Canal and Wesel-Datteln Canal for waterway shipment receiving.
5. Agricultural Services (Precision Farming): Site-specific fertilization services using precision farming machinery, helping modern agriculture increase field productivity across varying soil properties.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SF Soepenberg produces and distributes high-quality fertilizers manufactured from secondary raw materials and industrial by-products, including solid fertilizers (lime to root fertilization), liquid fertilizers (often via Cultan technology and enriched with trace elements), and biological/organic FiBL-registered products (Struvit, Crystallo, sMartPhos-SF, NaK-Lösung). The company operates proprietary phosphorus recovery technology (iPhos) and complementary services in processing (pelletizing/granulating), large-scale tank and covered storage, logistics/transport, industrial by-product recycling concepts, and site-specific precision farming.

Product overview

SF Soepenberg is a fertilizer company specializing in sustainable products made from secondary raw materials and industrial by-products. The core offering includes proprietary phosphorus recycling technology (iPhos), recycled fertilizers (Struvit, Crystallo, sMartPhos-SF), liquid and solid fertilizers (including NaK Solution), and agricultural services (Precision Farming). Supporting operations include processing, pelleting/granulating, tank storage (32,000 m³), covered storage (11,000 m²), and logistics. The company also develops industrial by-products recycling concepts and participates in research projects for phosphorus recovery. All services support the circular economy approach of converting industrial waste into agricultural value.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iPHOS: Phosphorus recycling process developed by SF-Soepenberg GmbH for recovering phosphorus from wastewater and sewage sludge
• Crystallo
• sMartPhos-SF
• Struvit

Products and services

• iPhos (iPHOS) phosphorus recovery procedure Proprietary procedure for phosphorus remobilization and recovery from sewage sludge and wastewater, producing a recyclable, near-heavy-metal-free fertilizer containing phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium in the form of struvite; treated sludge contains less than 2% P in dry matter, exempting it from costly downstream P-recycling requirements.
• Struvit (magnesium ammonium phosphate fertilizer) Phosphorus fertilizer recovered from food industry wastewater and municipal wastewater, containing phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium essential for plant growth.
• Crystallo recycling fertilizer Recycling fertilizer product used in agricultural applications as an alternative to mineral fertilization.
• sMartPhos-SF phosphorus recycling fertilizer Phosphorus recycling fertilizer product developed for sustainable agricultural use.
• NaK-Lösung (NaK Solution) liquid organic-mineral fertilizer Liquid organic-mineral K fertilizer used to upgrade digestate from biogas plants or slurry; contains 3% K2O and 0.8% Na per tonne; improves drought resistance in sugar beets and sodium supply in grassland.
• Solid fertilizer range (lime to root fertilization) Range of solid fertilizers produced from secondary raw materials, spanning lime to root fertilization, offering solutions for every crop.
• Liquid fertilizers with Cultan technology Liquid fertilizers enriched with crop-specific trace elements or applied loss-free using Cultan technology.
• Precision Farming services Location-specific fertilization services using modern agricultural machinery for precision farming; optimizes fertilization and yield while minimizing operating costs across varying soil conditions.
• Industrial processing services (crushing, sieving, separating, grinding, moistening) On-site processing capabilities for products including crushing, sifting, separating, grinding and moistening of dusty or lumpy materials at Hünxe and other locations.
• Pelletizing and granulating service Production of pellets in 6 mm or 8 mm diameter; pre-treatment with additives, cleaning or mixing with other raw materials using own pelletizing installation.
• Tank storage rental Rental of tank storage capacity totaling 32,000 m³ across Hünxe and Braunschweig locations, with tank sizes ranging from 50 m³ to 3,500 m³; provides rapid response to industrial customers in emergency situations such as accidents.
• Covered storage for solids (overdekte opslagruimte) Rental of 11,000 m² of covered storage space for solids at Hünxe and Mieste locations.
• Logistics and transport services Company-owned transport fleet handling liquids to solids, containers to general cargo; organizes small-quantity distribution for sacks, IBCs and big bags; supports waterway shipments via own jetties on Mittelland Canal (Braunschweig) and Wesel-Datteln Canal (Hünxe).
• Industrial by-products recycling concepts Individual solution concepts for reuse and professional application of industrial by-products; full-service offering from permit acquisition to application; also revitalizes unused industrial sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sewage sludge P content reduced to under 2% in dry matter through iPhos process, exempting it from mandatory downstream P-recycling
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CiNURGi (INTERREG Baltic Sea Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince November 1, 2023, Soepenberg has been part of the CiNURGi research project, an INTERREG Baltic Sea initiative focused on optimizing the iPhos phosphorus recycling process. The project brings together partners across the Baltic Sea region to advance phosphorus recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge.
• P-Net (Phosphor-Netzwerk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerP-Net is a phosphorus network project focused on phosphorus recovery activities in wastewater and sewage sludge. Soepenberg participated in a visit from the Niedersächsisches Umweltministerium (Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment) at the struvite plant at Kläranlage Steinhof, demonstrating the feasibility and market opportunities of struvite fertilizers in agriculture.
• Deutsche-Phosphor-Plattform DPP e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoepenberg participated at the Öko-Feldtage trade fair at the Deutsche-Phosphor-Plattform booth, presenting products and phosphorus recycling solutions. Active collaboration in promoting sustainable phosphorus use in agriculture.
• Universität BonnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoepenberg participated in a study by the University of Bonn which demonstrated that methane emissions can be reduced cost-effectively through certain fertilizer application methods.
• BMBF RePhoR (Regionales Phosphor-Recycling)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoepenberg participated in the BMBF-funded RePhoR program status conference, co-leading the World Café discussion round 'P-Recyclates: Requirements, Needs and Markets' alongside HGoTech GmbH. This BMBF-funded initiative advances regional phosphorus recycling in Germany.
• Julius Kühn-Institut, Thünen InstitutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoepenberg collaborated with researchers from the Julius Kühn-Institut and Thünen Institut during the Feldtag Nettlingen field day, presenting long-term field trials on the use of compost and recycling fertilizers as alternatives to mineral fertilization.
• HGoTech GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoepenberg co-presented with HGoTech GmbH at the BMBF RePhoR status conference, leading a joint discussion session on phosphorus recyclate requirements, needs, and markets.
• Kölner Kanal- und Kläranlagen-KolloquiumminorOthersSoepenberg presented its phosphorus recovery process at the Cologne Canal and Sewage Treatment Plant Colloquium, a key industry event for wastewater and canal management professionals.
• Agrobusiness Niederrhein e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSoepenberg exhibited at the Internationale Grüne Woche at the stand of Agrobusiness Niederrhein e.V., representing the Lower Rhine region. Ongoing partnership for trade fair presence and regional agricultural representation.
• Feldtage Nettlingen (with RAPOOL-RING GmbH, Kommunalservice Hans Vornkahl GmbH)minorOthersSoepenberg participated in the Feldtage Nettlingen field day alongside RAPOOL-RING GmbH and Kommunalservice Hans Vornkahl GmbH, presenting field trials on organic fertilization and recycling products.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies: North-American leader in struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) recovery from municipal and industrial wastewater using its Pearl process. Direct competitor to Soepenberg's iPhos/Struvit offering for nutrient recovery from sewage sludge and food-industry wastewater.
• COMPO EXPERT: Germany-based specialty fertilizer manufacturer (slow-release, fertigation, foliar, biostimulants) serving professional agriculture and horticulture. Comparable in target customer (modern farmers) and product category (specialty/sustainable fertilizers), overlapping with Soepenberg's recycled-fertilizer portfolio.
• Van Iperen International: Dutch specialty fertilizer producer and distributor offering liquid and foliar fertilizers, biostimulants, and precision-fertilization services across Europe. Comparable as a Netherlands-headquartered specialty fertilizer peer serving the same Benelux/DACH agricultural customer base.
• EasyMining Sweden: Swedish cleantech company commercializing phosphorus and nitrogen recovery processes from sewage sludge ash and wastewater (Ash2Phos, ammonium technologies). Direct competitor to Soepenberg's iPhos in the European P-recycling space.
• Triferto Fertilizers: Netherlands-based fertilizer distributor specializing in NPK, water-soluble, and specialty fertilizers across Western Europe. Comparable direct sales and distribution model in the same regional market as Soepenberg Fertilizers BV.

Broad incumbents

• ICL Group: Israel-based global specialty fertilizer and specialty chemicals producer (potash, phosphate, specialty plant nutrition). Overlaps with Soepenberg in phosphate-based and specialty fertilizer categories and has publicly invested in circular-nutrient initiatives.
• K+S AG: Germany-headquartered global potash and salt major producing fertilizers, plant care, and industrial products. Broader portfolio and global scale than Soepenberg, but competes in the same German agricultural fertilizer market and increasingly in circular nutrient solutions.
• Veolia Environnement: Global water, waste, and energy services major with nutrient-recovery operations at wastewater treatment plants (struvite, biosolids management). Competes with Soepenberg's iPhos service for municipal nutrient-recovery contracts at scale.
• Yara International: Norwegian global nitrogen and specialty fertilizer leader with growing investments in circular-economy fertilizers and recycled nutrients. A scaled incumbent adjacent to Soepenberg's sustainable/circular fertilizer positioning.
• Suez: Global water and waste management major with phosphorus-recovery and biosolids-to-fertilizer offerings. Competes with Soepenberg for industrial wastewater and municipal sludge reuse opportunities in European markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/soepenbergGmbH
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/s-f---soepenberg-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/sf_soepenberggmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 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 SF Soepenberg