INGEDE

What INGEDE does

INGEDE (Internationale Forschungsgemeinschaft Deinking-Technik / International Research Association for Deinking Technology) is a Munich-headquartered, German-registered industry association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) founded in 1989 and celebrating 35 years of operation in 2024. The organization is a non-profit, membership-based body comprising leading European paper manufacturers, with adjacent participation from publishers, printers, and chemical/pigment suppliers, all coordinated to advance paper recycling research, deinking technology, and recyclability standards. Its core technical focus is deinking—the process of removing printing inks from recovered paper fibers to produce bright recycled paper—encompassing recyclability assessment, deinkability testing of printing inks (including digital printing), and the study of how printing colors, adhesives, and paper coatings affect recycling outcomes.

INGEDE's product and service portfolio centers on knowledge assets rather than commercial products: INGEDE Methods (industry-standard testing protocols for recyclability and deinkability), the annual INGEDE Symposium (international knowledge-sharing and networking event), Ecolabels and Methods documentation referencing the EN 643 European standard for recovered paper grades, the INGEDE News newsletter, and AGRAPA model projects (municipality-level collection pilots). Underlying research is conducted primarily through long-standing partnerships, notably with Papiertechnische Stiftung (PTS) for laboratory studies on chlorinated compounds and ink composition, and with academic partners including TU Darmstadt's Institute for Paper Manufacturing. The organization has driven cross-value-chain initiatives such as the development of chlorine-free yellow pigments to replace chlorinated diaryl yellow pigments that impede recycling.

INGEDE's business model is funded through membership dues from leading European paper manufacturers, supplemented by revenue from symposia and events; pricing is not publicly disclosed consistent with its non-commercial association status. Its go-to-market is community-led: direct member engagement, annual symposiums, press releases (in German and English), newsletter distribution, and earned media coverage through industry outlets (PrintWeek, WAN-IFRA, RISI, etc.). Customer segments span paper manufacturers (primary, who depend on recycled fiber as an indispensable raw material), publishers and printers (secondary, engaged via the AGRAPA self-commitment framework to use recycled content and recycling-friendly inks), and regulatory/standards bodies that draw on INGEDE's technical expertise for policy and standards development.

Name

INGEDE

Legal name

INGEDE e. V.

Website

https://ingede.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

INGEDE is a Munich-based, 1989-founded German industry association of leading European paper manufacturers that advances paper recycling research, develops industry-standard deinkability testing methods, and hosts the annual INGEDE Symposium for industry coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Member Dues and Industry Association Funding: INGEDE is funded by membership dues from leading European paper manufacturers who join the association to collectively advance paper recycling research and standards.
2. Symposia and Events Revenue: Annual INGEDE Symposium and other events serve as revenue-generating knowledge-sharing platforms for the paper recycling industry, featuring research presentations, networking, and industry dialogue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

INGEDE (Internationale Forschungsgemeinschaft Deinking-Technik / International Research Association for Deinking Technology) is a membership-funded industry association of leading European paper manufacturers that advances paper recycling and deinking technology. It coordinates collaborative research, develops and publishes the INGEDE Methods for evaluating paper recyclability and deinkability, references the EN 643 European standard for recovered paper grades, and convenes the annual INGEDE Symposium as a knowledge-sharing platform for the paper recycling value chain.

Product overview

INGEDE (Internationale Forschungsgemeinschaft Deinking-Technik / International Research Association for Deinking Technology) is a professional association of leading European paper manufacturers focused on promoting paper recycling and deinking technology. Founded in 1989, the organization develops industry standards for paper recycling, publishes INGEDE Methods for evaluating recyclability and deinkability, organizes the annual INGEDE Symposium, and provides technical documentation through its ecolabels and methods resources. INGEDE is not a product company but rather a research and standards organization that supports the paper recycling industry through expertise, testing methods, and stakeholder education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INGEDE Methods Industry-standardized testing methods developed by INGEDE to evaluate the recyclability and deinkability of paper products, including how printing inks, adhesives, coatings, and other components perform during the paper recycling process. Used by paper manufacturers, converters, printers, and material suppliers across Europe.
• INGEDE Symposium Annual international symposium bringing together paper recycling industry experts, researchers, and stakeholders to discuss deinking technology, recyclability of paper products, and related topics. Generates revenue through event registration and serves as the association's flagship networking and knowledge-sharing forum.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3.5 million marks invested in research by member companies over a six-year period
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Papiertechnische Stiftung (PTS)coreTechnology or IntegrationPTS (Paper Technology Foundation) in Munich conducted research on behalf of INGEDE, including studies on chlorinated compounds in deinking residues and printing ink composition. PTS serves as a key scientific partner for INGEDE's research agenda.
• AGRAPA (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Graphische Papiere)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGRAPA is the working group of graphic paper manufacturers, publishers, and printers that co-signed the self-commitment to increase graphic paper recycling rates to 60% by 2000. INGEDE works with AGRAPA on research, information events, and policy development for paper recycling.
• Axel Springer VerlagcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxel Springer Verlag partnered with INGEDE on a pilot project to develop and test chlorine-free yellow pigments for printing inks that would not impede paper recycling. Axel Springer hosted printing trials at their Ahrensburg facility as part of this collaboration.
• Otto VersandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOtto Versand participated in the INGEDE-led pilot project on chlor-free printing inks, providing print templates with high color requirements for testing, given that catalogues represent some of the most demanding print products.
• Pigment and Printing Ink ManufacturerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder INGEDE's coordination, pigment and printing ink manufacturers collaborated on developing chlorine-free yellow pigments as alternatives to chlorinated diaryl yellow pigments that cause problems in paper recycling. These manufacturers worked to formulate inks suitable for rotogravure printing.
• WAN IFRAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWAN IFRA (World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers) has published coverage of INGEDE research and symposium events, serving as a media partner for disseminating paper recycling knowledge to the global news publishing industry.
• Verband der Druckfarben-Industrie (VdD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of printing ink manufacturers collaborated with INGEDE on research regarding printing ink composition and its impact on paper recycling, particularly investigating alternatives to chlorinated pigments in yellow printing inks.
• bvse (Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman secondary raw materials and waste management association has published INGEDE press releases and news, serving as a distribution channel for paper recycling research findings to the broader waste management and recycling industry.
• VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Chemical Industry Association collaborated with INGEDE on research investigating claims about aromatic amines forming during paper recycling, working with the dyes and organic pigments technical committee to conduct laboratory investigations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Papiertechnische Stiftung (PTS): German paper research foundation that conducts research on INGEDE's behalf, including studies on printing ink composition and deinking residues. PTS is the principal scientific execution partner and operates in the same deinking/recyclability research domain.
• VdD (Verband der Druckfarben-Industrie): German printing ink manufacturers' association that collaborates with INGEDE on ink composition research and the chlorine-free pigment initiatives. VdD represents the upstream chemical side of the recycling-friendly printing challenge INGEDE addresses.
• bvse (Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung): German federal association of secondary raw materials and waste management. INGEDE already partners with bvse for distribution of press releases, and bvse represents the waste paper collection side of the value chain INGEDE's manufacturer members depend on.
• CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries): Brussels-based European trade association representing the paper industry. Like INGEDE, CEPI coordinates industry-wide research, sustainability initiatives, and policy advocacy for European paper manufacturers, making it the closest sector-level peer.

Broad incumbents

• European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC): European trade body representing recycling industries, including paper recyclers. EuRIC overlaps with INGEDE in policy advocacy for paper recycling but covers the broader recycling sector (metals, plastics, textiles, paper).
• TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry): North American professional association for the pulp and paper industry that publishes standards, technical papers, and runs industry events. TAPPI overlaps with INGEDE in deinking and recyclability standards but operates at a much broader scope globally.
• Bureau of International Recycling (BIR): Global recycling industry federation covering paper, metals, plastics, and e-waste. BIR is comparable to INGEDE in its role as a convening body and standards advocate but operates at a multi-material, global level rather than paper-specific.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Global non-profit promoting responsible forest management, with standards that intersect paper sustainability and recyclability. FSC's chain-of-custody certification overlaps with INGEDE's recyclability assessment mission.

Regional players

• PRO Europe (Packaging Recovery Organisation Europe): European umbrella organization for producer responsibility schemes on packaging, including paper-based packaging. PRO Europe influences paper recycling infrastructure policy in Europe in ways adjacent to INGEDE's mission.
• Two Sides: Industry initiative promoting the sustainability of print and paper, with activity in Europe, North America, and other regions. Comparable to INGEDE in its paper sustainability messaging and value-chain engagement with publishers and printers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ingede

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 INGEDE