ATZ Entwicklungszentrum

What ATZ Entwicklungszentrum does

Fraunhofer UMSICHT Sulzbach-Rosenberg, also referred to as ATZ Entwicklungszentrum, is an applied research branch of Fraunhofer UMSICHT specializing in thermochemical process engineering for carbon conversion, biomass utilization, and recycling. Founded in 2012 as the Center for Energy Storage (initially a joint initiative with Fraunhofer IGB), the institute develops technologies that transform waste streams—including sewage sludge, agricultural residues, and plastic waste—into renewable fuels, green hydrogen, and biochar. Its proprietary TCR (Thermo-Catalytic Reforming) technology forms the operational core, demonstrated at industrial scale through a 500 kg/hour facility in Hohenburg, Bavaria, which has processed more than 500 tons of sewage sludge into over 50,000 liters of bio-oil.

The institute operates within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft network, a registered nonprofit association with 24,000+ staff and an annual research budget exceeding 2.1 billion euros. As a non-independent branch, it generates revenue through three primary streams: contract research for industrial partners, EU-funded research consortia (notably Horizon 2020), and technology licensing. Named commercial partners include chemical and consumer goods majors SABIC, Procter & Gamble, and Covestro, alongside energy companies ENGIE, ENI, and Bitburger Brauereigruppe. The TO-SYN-FUEL and FERTIMANURE Horizon 2020 consortia anchor its EU funding base, with project totals of approximately 14.5 million euros and 7.78 million euros respectively.

The service portfolio spans the full technology development lifecycle—from laboratory research through pilot and demonstration scale (operating pyrolysis facilities at 2, 10, 30, and 500 kg/hour)—to technology assessment and life cycle analysis. Beyond TCR, the institute offers high-temperature heat storage systems, electrochemical wastewater treatment using diamond electrodes (claimed 99% organic load reduction), and consulting including waste management planning and LCA studies. It maintains academic partnerships including a joint bioenergy chair with the University of Birmingham and a Fraunhofer Innovation Platform with the University of Bologna.

Name

ATZ Entwicklungszentrum

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT, Institutsteil Sulzbach-Rosenberg

Website

https://umsicht-suro.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ATZ Entwicklungszentrum is a Fraunhofer UMSICHT branch developing TCR (Thermo-Catalytic Reforming) technology to convert biomass and waste into renewable fuels, hydrogen, and biochar for industrial and municipal partners across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Process Engineering Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Petroleum Refineries (32411), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567), Petroleum Refining (2911), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Biofuel Plant EPC, O&M & Process Technology Providers (EUAAAHAK)

Keywords

• Thermochemical conversion technology
• Synthetic biofuel production
• Chemical recycling research
• Applied process engineering
• Circular economy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Sulzbach-Rosenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Research Funding (Horizon 2020): Collaborative research projects funded by the European Union under Horizon 2020 program, including TO-SYN-FUEL (14+ million EUR project) and FERTIMANURE (7.78 million EUR project). Fraunhofer UMSICHT coordinates these multinational research consortia.
2. Contract Research Services: Applied R&D services conducted for industrial partners including technology development, pilot plant operations, process optimization, and technology demonstration. Revenue generated through collaborative research agreements with companies.
3. Industry Partnerships and Licensing: Technology licensing and transfer arrangements with industry partners includingCovestro (PU recycling), SABIC (circular plastics), and Procter & Gamble (closed-loop recycling) for deploying proprietary technologies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ATZ Entwicklungszentrum operates as the Sulzbach-Rosenberg branch of Fraunhofer UMSICHT, conducting applied research and process engineering in carbon conversion technologies. The institute develops the proprietary TCR® (Thermo-Catalytic Reforming) process for converting biomass residues and waste into hydrogen-rich synthesis gas, bio-oil, and biochar, alongside chemical recycling technologies (iCycle®), high-temperature heat storage, low-emission combustion systems, and downstream fuel upgrading services. It supports clients from project conception through pilot and demonstration plant operation up to market introduction via contract research and EU-funded collaborative projects.

Product overview

Fraunhofer UMSICHT Sulzbach-Rosenberg operates as a research institute developing process engineering solutions centered on carbon conversion technologies. The core technology is the TCR® (Thermo-catalytic Reforming) system which serves as the foundation for multiple product lines including synthetic fuels production, biochar/biokohle generation, and chemical recycling. The institute offers a portfolio of interconnected solutions including pyrolysis demonstration plants at various scales (2-500 kg/hour), high-temperature heat storage systems, combustion technologies, and comprehensive services such as life cycle assessments (LCA), waste management planning, and technology assessment. Key product areas include energy storage research through the Center for Energy Storage, electronic waste recycling via iCycle®, and downstream processing capabilities for fuel upgrading. The offerings span research, pilot, and demonstration scales, supporting clients from project conception through plant commissioning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TCR®-Technologie: Thermo-catalytic reforming technology for converting biomass residues into sustainable energy carriers
• iCycle®
• Center for Energy Storage

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% lower CO2 footprint compared to fossil fuels - fuels meet EN228/EN590 standards
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• CovestroflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Collaboration on PU (polyurethane) recycling using smart pyrolysis technology. Joint development of chemical recycling solutions for polyurethane materials to enable circular economy in plastics industry.
• SABICflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2021Collaboration on closed-loop recycling pilot for single-use face masks. Fraunhofer provided pyrolysis oil from thermochemical recycling which SABIC converted to circular PP polymer using mass balance approach for TRUCIRCLE portfolio. Demonstrated circular economy solution for medical-grade plastics.
• Procter & Gamble (P&G)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2021Three-party closed-loop recycling pilot with Fraunhofer and SABIC. P&G collected used face masks from German facilities, Fraunhofer processed through pyrolysis, SABIC created circular polymer, P&G converted to non-woven fibers for new mask production. Project completed in 7 months.
• Fraunhofer CCPE (Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2021Cluster of Excellence combining competencies of six Fraunhofer institutes for circular plastics economy research. Fraunhofer UMSICHT contributes advanced recycling expertise including iCycle technology and pyrolysis processes.
• FERTIMANURE Consortium (20 partners from 7 EU countries)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2020EU funded project with 7.78 million EUR financing. Partners from Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Argentina. Focus on recovering nutrients from livestock manure to produce biobased fertilizers. Fraunhofer UMSICHT responsible for German pilot project implementing TCR technology for nutrient recovery from cattle manure.
• TO-SYN-FUEL Consortium (12 partners from 5 countries)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017EU Horizon 2020 funded project coordinated by Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Partners include: ENGIE Services Niederland NV, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, ENI S.p.A., University of Birmingham, ETA Florence Renewable Energies, LEITAT (Spain), Susteen Technologies GmbH, WRG Europe Ltd, Verfahrenstechnik Schwedt GmbH, HyGear Technology and Services BV, Slibverwerking Noord-Brabant NV. Project demonstrates waste biomass to synthetic fuels and green hydrogen using TCR technology.
• Fraunhofer IGB (Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Co-founded Center for Energy Storage in 2012. Joint research focus on integrated and decentralized energy conversion and storage technologies including high-temperature heat storage, pyrolysis, and methanol synthesis.
• OTH Amberg WeidencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg Weiden for innovative learning place, student education, and joint research activities.
• University of Bologna - Fraunhofer Innovation PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint innovation platform for research cooperation, technology transfer, and academic collaboration between Fraunhofer UMSICHT and University of Bologna.
• University of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch cooperation including joint chair in bioenergy at University of Birmingham. Prof. Dr. Andreas Hornung serves as both institute leader and university professor, enabling deep academic-industry integration.

Scale indicators17 records

Direct peers

• TNO: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, the Dutch counterpart to Fraunhofer. Comparable applied research business model with EU consortium leadership, patent licensing, and bioenergy/circular economy research programs targeting the same European customer base.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): German public research university with major biorefinery and bioliq® gasification-to-fuel programs targeting synthetic fuels from biomass. Comparable institutional model and overlapping focus on EN228/EN590 grade fuel production from waste feedstocks.
• Enerkem: Canadian-founded waste-to-fuels company using thermochemical gasification to convert non-recyclable waste into methanol, ethanol, and other chemicals. Direct competitor in the waste-to-fuel thermochemical conversion space, with demonstrated commercial-scale plants.
• Sunfire: German company commercializing power-to-liquid and hydrothermal liquefaction pathways to produce synthetic fuels from renewable sources and biomass. Direct peer in the thermochemical fuel conversion space targeting diesel, kerosene, and e-fuel end markets with overlapping customer base in the European chemical/energy sector.
• Plastic Energy: UK-headquartered commercial operator of pyrolysis plants converting end-of-life plastics into pyrolysis oil for circular polymer production. Direct peer in the thermochemical plastic recycling space, with partnerships including SABIC — the same customer UMSICHT works with.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish government-owned applied research organization performing contract R&D for industry across biomass conversion, biofuels, and circular economy. Closely comparable institutional model: public funding base, contract research revenue, demonstration plant operations, and EU consortium leadership.

Others

• Fraunhofer IGB: Sister Fraunhofer institute (co-founded the Center for Energy Storage in 2012) with shared competencies in interfacial engineering, biotechnology, and energy storage. Not a competitor but a close intra-network collaborator enabling joint project leadership across pyrolysis and energy conversion research.

Broad incumbents

• Neste: World's largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residues, with broad portfolio across renewable fuels and circular polymers. Targets the same EN228/EN590 compliant fuel markets and waste-to-fuels regulatory tailwinds that anchor UMSICHT's TCR roadmap.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/fraunhoferumsicht
• Facebookfacebook.com/UMSICHT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atz-entwicklungszentrum

Compliance2 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

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Frequently asked questions about ATZ Entwicklungszentrum