When an innovative scientific project was formed at the Chair of Fluid Mechanics at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, in 1995, it not only marked the birth of INVENT, but also the start of ambitious new developments for modern water and wastewater treatment. In 2025 INVENT looks back on the successes achieved with joy and honors them with a summer anniversary celebration to which around 300 employees, companions and partners from three decades of the company are invited.

"With a highly specialized, energy-saving product range and innovative process technology, we have set new standards for the biological wastewater treatment of the future. As a result, we are now one of the top 5 in the industry worldwide – a great success and at the same time a driving force for future innovations," says Dr. Marcus Höfken, founder and current CEO of INVENT, summarizing the company’s success story.

2024: Solid annual financial statements in challenging times
In the economic turbulence of the recent past, success cannot be taken for granted. INVENT is therefore all the more satisfied at the end of a year in which the German mechanical engineering industry registered a drop in turnover of over 7%. In contrast to the industry trend, INVENT was able to match the previous year’s record pre-tax profit. Incoming orders also remained at a stable high level in 2024 after the record year 2023 (over EUR 40 million).

Commitment to Germany as a business location
In times when there sometimes is too much talk about challenges and too little about opportunities, INVENT remains committed to Germany as a business location. The expansion of the production facility in Erlangen-Dechsendorf continued in 2024. The modern plant now offers optimal conditions for the production of the iFILT®-Diamond Filter, an innovative product in tertiary wastewater treatment that sets new standards with its performance, sophisticated energy and resource efficiency – especially in the fight against microplastics and trace substances. In addition, construction work began on a new production hall at the headquarters in Erlangen-Eltersdorf in 2025, which will expand production capacity and secure the location in the heart of Central Franconia in the long run.

International location decisions bring resilience in challenging times
INVENT is rooted in Germany and at home in the world. International expansion therefore remains a central component of the corporate strategy.

– INVENT subsidiaries were founded in Argentina and Uruguay in 2024 to strengthen access to the growth markets in South America.

– The USA remains a key market for INVENT, which is why the company plans to open its own production site in South Carolina in 2025. It will mark a new chapter in the North American strategy and guarantee optimal options for action locally, even in times of customs disputes.

Dr. Marcus Höfken: "North and South America are becoming increasingly important for us. The current developments confirm our decisions to expand our local sites. They allow us to act faster, more flexibly and with a greater focus on our customers.

A lasting mission: working for clean water worldwide with innovative solutions
In its commitment to global trade, INVENT is committed to a strong drive; it is the same mission that laid the foundation for 30 years of successful innovation: "Our goal remains to be a technological leader – and at the same time to be perceived as a powerful partner in the water industry worldwide. We want to contribute to solving water problems all over the world with highquality future technologies – and we are ready to be present wherever our solutions are needed," says Dr. Marcus Höfken.

For INVENT Umwelt- und Verfahrenstechnik AG, there is no doubt that the demand for innovative water and wastewater technology will continue to grow worldwide. The company’s course is therefore set, even in challenging times: INVENT remains focused on growth with a spirit of invention, a sense of responsibility and passion – in Europe, in America, worldwide.