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Change of management in Plant Construction at EnviTec Biogas AG

4 April 2024 – Stability and change have always been part of Plant Construction at Germany’s largest biogas producer EnviTec Biogas – and not just in the plant construction systems themselves but also as regards the makeup of top management in this foundational segment. Since early 2024, this international mid-sized enterprise from Saerbeck and Lohne, Germany, has relied on the expertise of Jakob Falkenstein, Maurice Markerink and CTO Jürgen Tenbrink. Following a transitional period, the new trio becomes the management team at EnviTec Plant Construction – EnviTec Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG - with effect from 1 April 2024. 

“We’re of course aiming to use this management structure to build on the achievements of the past few years while facing the new challenges and opportunities in the market with our technical expertise and entrepreneurial vision,” comments Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of EnviTec Biogas AG. CFO Jörg Fischer and Lars von Lehmden, who previously managed Plant Construction with Jürgen Tenbrink, will remain associated with the segment via the newly formed Advisory Board. Lars von Lehmden, who was previously responsible for national and international biogas sales and related processes in Plant Construction, will continue to manage business development for the USA in this segment as well as project development for international own-operation projects.

Continuing to develop partnerships

“The biogas market continues to develop apace and project volumes are increasing,” comments CTO and Plant Construction Managing Director Jürgen Tenbrink. EnviTec appointed Tenbrink as the company’s Technical Director in 2002. Since 2010, his directorial responsibilities have expanded to include research and development, quality assurance, purchasing and project execution. In his role as Plant Construction director, he will continue to be responsible for the areas of research and development, purchasing, gas upgrading, CO2 liquefaction_, electrical systems and process automation plus overall management of the company’s Saerbeck site from 2024. “Projects are tending to become more complex and more synergy effects are arising in relation to ancillary technologies like carbon dioxide and methane liquefaction,” Tenbrink continues. Most recently, he and his team developed and implemented EnviTec’s in-house control and visualisation system as well as remote dialling systems with increased security against cyberattacks for biogas and gas upgrading plants.

His management team colleague Maurice Markerink adds: “Biogas is a key driver for cutting greenhouse gases, as it is capable of generating negative emissions and helping to achieve targets for carbon emissions – especially in the agricultural sector.” Markerink himself joined EnviTec in 2008, where he initially assumed responsibilities in relation to international project development and was therefore the managing director of several biogas plants in the Own Investment segment at EnviTec Biogas AG. In 2017, he assumed a business development role at EnviTec Anlagenbau, where he defined a strategy for acquiring new business in overseas markets by the development and execution of new projects in the field of biogas, biomethane and bio-LNG. As part of the new management team for Plant Construction, Markerink will now be responsible for national and international sales as well as new business development activities.

A relatively new face at EnviTec, Jakob Falkenstein joined the company a year ago as Head of Project and Construction Management. With a professional background in metalworking, welding and mechanical construction, he can draw on extensive know-how in relation to plant construction. In his career to date, he has mainly focussed on industrial plant construction and power plant technology in the field of waste-to-energy plants. Falkenstein: “Over the last few years, we’ve got a lot of international projects off the ground in Indonesia, Scandinavia and the USA. And we’re now also seeing plenty of project enquiries from Eastern and Southern Europe.” Within the new management team, his primary responsibilities will be day-to-day operations – namely planning and construction, plus quality assurance and related accounting.

As market leader, EnviTec is looking to establish strong relationships with biogas plant owners, developers and investors, working with them to increase the number of biomethane plants worldwide and achieve emission reduction targets. The new management trio is also looking to develop new partnerships with the aim of establishing long-term, mutually beneficial business relationships. “This year and next year, we’ll be pursuing some initial projects in new markets like Indonesia, Poland, Spain and Sweden,” Markerink explains, noting that existing markets like the Baltic states, Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia are forecast to become key markets for biomethane conversion projects, for which EnviTec is able to provide its own EnviThan technology.

About EnviTec Biogas AG

EnviTec Biogas AG covers the entire value chain for the production of biogas, including the planning and turnkey construction of biogas plants and biogas upgrading plants as well as their commissioning. The company takes charge of biological and technical services on demand, and also offers operational management services. EnviTec operates 88 of its own plants, which currently makes it the largest biogas producer in Germany. EnviTec’s business activities also include the production and marketing of climate-neutral fuels (bio-LNG) for the transport sector as well as food-grade liquid carbon dioxide (LCO₂). The company is represented in 16 countries worldwide by its own companies, sales offices, strategic partners and joint ventures. In 2022, the EnviTec Group generated revenue of EUR 382.8 million and EBT of EUR 66.6 million. The Group currently employs around 640 people worldwide. EnviTec Biogas AG has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since July 2007.
 

Contact:

Katrin Hackfort

EnviTec Biogas AG

Phone: +49 (0)25 74 88 88-810

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