Swiss compressor technology company Burckhardt Compression (Burckhardt) has signed an agreement to acquire Italian compressor manufacturer Fornovo Gas (Fornovo), strengthening its position in the European biogas market.

Expected to close within the next two months, the deal will see Burckhardt integrate Fornovo’s mid-sized reciprocating compressors into its existing compression solutions portfolio.

Fornovo employs around 120 people and generates multi-million CHF sales, with profitability in line with Burckhardt’s.

Fabrice Billard, CEO of Burckhardt, said, “Combining Fornovo’s capabilities with Burckhardt’s global presence will strengthen our position in applications supporting global energy security and the energy transition.”

Compressor technology supports the production and upgrading of biogas by enabling the movement and storage of biogas and biomethane generated through the anaerobic fermentation and purification of biomass.

The European Biogas Association (EBA) reported modest growth in biogas and biomethane production between 2023 and 2024, of 0.3 billion cubic metres (bcm).

The EBA also believes there is significant potential to scale biogas and biomethane markets if the right regulatory conditions are in place across Europe.