What Rematec GmbH does

Rematec GmbH is a German specialty recycling company that recovers value from industrial solvent, paint sludge, powder coating, and water-based cleaning fluid waste streams. The firm is a 100% subsidiary of Chemische Werke Kluthe GmbH, within the Kluthe Group, and was established as an independent legal entity in 2009 after consolidating recycling activities that originated in the parent group in 1956. Rematec operates two purpose-built German facilities — Werk Wieblingen in Heidelberg (commissioned 2007, with dichloromethane treatment license) and Werk Mügeln in Saxony (operational since 1991) — anchored by five patented processes (Resolve-T Verfahren®, Isodry Verfahren®, Hydrosolve Verfahren®, Purification & Fractionation, and Thermal Recovery) and a 2023-commissioned thin-film evaporator system at Heidelberg described as the world's most modern of its kind.

The technology stack is rooted in chemical engineering rather than digital systems: distillation, vacuum drying, fractionation, and thin-film evaporation are deployed to recover usable solvents, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, ketones, glycol ethers, halogenated hydrocarbons, and thinners from waste streams. The patented methods achieve full organic solvent yield from solid-contaminated mixtures without producing cracking byproducts that impair distillate quality, and the Isodry process returns all three fractions (solvent, water, dry matter) to the economic cycle. The Hydrosolve process is tailored to water-based hydro-purging agents generated in automotive painting lines.

The business model combines B2B toll processing (Lohnfertigung) with self-marketing of recovered chemical products, both at individually negotiated pricing under multi-year contracts. Customers include industrial manufacturers, the painting/varnishing trade (serviced through the Rema®-System container collection network), and automotive OEMs. Distribution is primarily regional (Germany with European reach), executed via direct enterprise sales, dedicated account managers, a Rema® container collection system, and partner logistics (notably Eberhard Logistics for CO2-neutral transport). The firm is accredited under ISO 14001:2015, ISO 9001:2015, Entsorgungsfachbetrieb, WHG, ESRG, and ZER.QMS, and reports approximately 80,000 tonnes of CO2 saved annually versus virgin material production.

Name

Rematec GmbH

Legal name

REMATEC GmbH

Website

https://rematec-recycling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rematec GmbH is a German specialty recycler, wholly owned by Kluthe Group, that recovers solvents and raw materials from industrial paint sludge and solvent waste using five patented processes across two German facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Recycling Services

NAICS

Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211), Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers (423930), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Solvent Recovery & Hazardous Waste Recycling/Reclamation (Distillation, Reuse) (BPALAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solvent Recovery & Recycling Services (BPALAHAC), Closed-Loop & Toll Reprocessing Services (Contract Recycling) (IMANAMAJ)

Keywords

• Solvent recycling services
• Paint sludge recycling
• Industrial waste recovery
• Chemical material recycling
• Powder coating recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Solvent and Paint Recycling Processing Services: The company processes customers' waste solvents, paint sludges, old coatings, and powder coatings through its patented recovery processes. Revenue is generated through processing fees charged to industrial customers. On request, Rematec can perform toll processing (Lohnfertigung); alternatively, Rematec markets the recovered products independently, with this reflected in customer pricing.
2. Recycled Product Sales: Rematec recovers and refines raw materials (solvents, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, ketones, glycol ethers, thinners) from waste streams and sells these recycled products back into the market, closing the material loop. Revenue is generated from the sale of recovered economic goods including alcohols (ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, methanol), aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, ketones, glycol ethers, halogenated hydrocarbons, and thinners.
3. Thermal Recovery Services: Thermal recovery of liquid waste with a calorific value of at least 5000 kJ/kg, including used oils and processing oils. This is a complementary revenue stream from waste that cannot be materially recycled.
4. Open Distilled Spirit Warehouse Operations: Rematec operates an open distilled spirit warehouse and a manufacturing plant for energy products, which also contribute to the product portfolio of recovered materials sold to customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

REMATEC GmbH is an industrial recycling company that processes hazardous waste streams from industrial manufacturers and painting/coating operations — specifically used organic solvents, paint sludges, old coatings, powder coatings, and water-based cleaning fluids — using five patented processes (Resolve-T, Isodry, Hydrosolve, Purification & Fractionation, and thermal recovery) at its Heidelberg-Wieblingen and Mügeln facilities. The company either performs toll processing (Lohnfertigung) for customers or independently markets the recovered raw materials (alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, ketones, glycol ethers, halogenated hydrocarbons, thinners) back to industrial buyers, operating a closed-loop material recovery cycle via its Rema® container collection system.

Product overview

Rematec GmbH is a specialized recycling company offering a comprehensive portfolio of solvent, powder coating, and paint sludge recycling solutions. The company operates two recycling facilities in Germany (Heidelberg-Wieblingen and Mügeln) and offers four patented processes: Resolve-T Verfahren® for solvent recovery with simultaneous drying, Isodry Verfahren® for recovering value materials from old coatings and paint coagulates, and Hydrosolve Verfahren® for water-based cleaning fluids. These processes produce recycled chemical products including ketones, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, glycol ethers, halogenated hydrocarbons, and thinners. The company also provides the Rema® System, a partnership-based collection system for systematic waste collection, and thermal recovery services for liquid waste with calorific value of at least 5000kJ/kg. Rematec is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chemische Werke Kluthe GmbH and has saved approximately 80,000 tons of CO2 per year through its recycling operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rema® System: A partnership-based system for systematically collecting paint and solvent residues in special disposal containers - simply, clearly, cleanly and space-savingly.

Products and services

• Resolve-T Verfahren® (Resolve-T Procedure) Patented recovery process for organic solvents from solid-solvent mixtures (paint sludge); combines distillation of heavily polluted solvents with direct subsequent drying of remaining solids, achieving full yield without cracking products that impair recovered distillate color or odor.
• Isodry Verfahren® (Isodry Procedure) Patented process for recovering recyclables from old coatings, old paints, and paint coagulates (water- and solvent-based); uses hydrophilic additives and vacuum drying to separate solvent, water, and dry matter fractions, returning all three to the economic cycle.
• Hydrosolve Verfahren® (Hydrosolve Process) Patented process for recovering raw materials from water-based cleaning fluids (hydro-purging agents) used in automotive water-based painting systems; separates paint particles via special chemicals, filters them, and incorporates the water-solvent mixture into surface treatment products.
• Purification & Fractionation of Organic Solvents Service process for solvent purification involving separation of solid and liquid substances followed by fractional distillation to separate solvents from one another; offered as toll manufacturing (Lohnfertigung) or with Rematec independently marketing recovered products.
• Thermal Recovery Service Thermal recovery of liquid waste streams (including used oils and processing oils) with calorific value of at least 5,000 kJ/kg, used for waste that cannot be materially recycled via the other processes.
• Rema®-System (Collection System) Partnership-based collection system in which paint and solvent residues are systematically collected in specialized disposal containers; enables simple, clean, and space-saving waste collection per German Recycling Management Act, with filled containers collected by Rematec for processing.
• Recycled Solvent Products (Ketones, Alcohols, Hydrocarbons, Esters, Glycol Ethers, Halogenated Hydrocarbons, Thinners) Portfolio of recycled industrial solvent products including ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone), alcohols (ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, methanol), aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters (butyl acetate, ethyl acetate), glycol ethers (butylglycol, methoxypropanol), halogenated hydrocarbons (methylene chloride/dichloromethane), and paint thinners; sold back to industrial customers to close the material loop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 80,000 tonnes of CO2 saved per year through recycling of solvents, powder coatings, and paint sludges compared to virgin material production
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kluthe Group (Chemische Werke Kluthe GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRematec GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary (100% subsidiary) of Chemische Werke Kluthe GmbH. The Kluthe Group is a manufacturer of chemicals that developed its own R&D department in 1980 dedicated to recovering recyclables and raw materials from residues and waste. The recycling business was consolidated into the independent company REMATEC GmbH in 2009. Rematec provides waste recycling solutions for the Kluthe Group's chemical products and their customers, forming a closed-loop manufacturer-recycler relationship.
• Conticoatings (Kluthe Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConticoatings is a brand/company within the Kluthe Group. It is listed alongside Kluthe Gruppe in the website navigation and its products (coatings, paints) are linked to Rematec's recycling services. The Rema® system is promoted via the Conticoatings website (www.conticoatings.com), creating a product-recycling ecosystem across the group.
• Eberhard LogisticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEberhard Logistics is listed as a disposal specialist company partner with CO2 neutral logistics operations. Their profile of services and disposal specialist company certificate are available for download through Rematec's website, indicating they handle transportation/logistics for Rematec's waste collection services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Remondis: German waste management company with broad recycling services including solvent and chemical waste handling. Direct geographic competitor in the German industrial market with overlapping service offerings and customer relationships.
• Veolia: Major French environmental services group with hazardous waste management and solvent recovery capabilities across Europe. Experiences direct overlap with Rematec in industrial solvent recycling markets but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple waste verticals.
• RENEWI: Netherlands-based European waste management company focused on recovering valuable materials from waste streams. Operates materials recovery facilities across Europe with comparable circular economy positioning and industrial customer base.
• Clean Harbors: North America's largest hazardous waste management company that offers solvent recycling among its broader environmental services portfolio. Competes in similar industrial waste services but as a much larger, geographically diversified incumbent.
• Biffa: UK-based waste management company with industrial waste collection and recycling services. Adjacent in service offerings though focused on different geography and broader municipal and commercial waste streams.
• Suez: French environmental services group (now part of Veolia) with hazardous waste treatment and materials recovery operations across Europe. Broad incumbent with overlapping industrial waste services and significant European footprint.

Direct peers

• Heritage-Crystal Clean: US-based solvent recovery and parts cleaning company that collects spent solvents, regenerates them, and sells them back to industrial customers. Very direct peer operating in the same fundamental solvent recycling business model with comparable processing technology and recycled product sales.
• Tradebe: Spanish-headquartered European hazardous waste management company with significant solvent recovery and recycling operations. Direct competitor in European industrial waste solvent markets with comparable service offerings and customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@rematec-recycling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rematecrecycling

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Rematec GmbH