Velten, Germany / Borås, Sweden – April 2, 2025
In a strategic move to solidify its position as one of the industry leaders in trenchless pipe rehabilitation, the BKP Berolina Group has now reached an 85% majority stake in Pressure Pipe Relining Sweden AB (PPR Sweden), the Swedish manufacturer of the revolutionary CarboSeal® liner. This marks a significant milestone in the development of CarboSeal® as the premier and only solution for rehabilitating district heating pipes without excavation.
Previously, PPR Sweden was jointly owned by three stakeholders: Oxeon AB, BKP Berolina and PPR Deutschland GmbH. With this acquisition, BKP Berolina acquires all remaining shares that Oxeon held, while PPR Deutschland GmbH, CarboSeal’s sales company for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, retains its 15% stake. Oxeon will continue as a strategic supplier of the liner’s key component, the spread tow, thin ply carbon fibers, and as a close partner in the further development of CarboSeal® technology.
“This transition creates the right foundation to take CarboSeal to the next level,” says Andreas Martsman, CEO of PPR Sweden and co-founder of Oxeon AB. “CarboSeal® belongs with an experienced liner manufacturer, and no company is better suited for this than BKP Berolina, with over 25 years of expertise in the field.” Martsman will continue as CEO of PPR Sweden, ensuring stability and continuity in the company’s operations.
Henrik Blycker, CEO of Oxeon AB, echoes this sentiment: “By selling our shares in PPR, we provide PPR and CarboSeal® with a strong ownership structure for growth. Oxeon will remain a close partner in enhancing CarboSeal®’s performance with our carbon fiber reinforcements. With BKP as the majority owner, CarboSeal® is well-positioned for widespread acceptance and to assist more district heating companies in renewing their aging networks.”
The acquisition is also a major step forward for BKP Berolina, which has played a pivotal role in advancing CarboSeal® from concept to market-ready product under the leadership of Lars Quernheim, COO of BKP Berolina. “We have always seen the immense potential of CarboSeal®,” says Thomas Christiansen, CEO of BKP Berolina Group. “This majority stake acquisition puts us in the driver seat for CarboSeal®’s future – expanding its reach globally, optimizing production, and expanding innovation in trenchless technology.”
CarboSeal® is transforming the way infrastructure is maintained. It provides the world’s first trenchless solution for rehabilitating district heating pipes, renewing underground service lines from DN 100 to 800 with no or minimal excavation. By utilizing existing manholes or small entry points, entire pipeline networks can be renewed in a matter of days instead of months, eliminating the need for extensive roadwork and reducing environmental impact by at least 90%. The innovative carbon fiber and epoxy composite construction of CarboSeal® enables operating temperatures of 130°C – peaking at 175°C and operating pressures at 16 or 25 bar, making it a game-changer for district heating networks worldwide.
With successful installations already completed in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, South Korea, Sweden and the UK – and with Norway soon to follow – CarboSeal® continues to prove its effectiveness in real-world applications. The acquisition of PPR Sweden strengthens BKP Berolina’s ability to lead the charge in trenchless rehabilitation, ensuring the continued growth and success of CarboSeal® on a global scale.
The headquarters of PPR Sweden will remain in Borås, Sweden, while production of CarboSeal® will continue at BKP Berolina’s facility in Velten, near Berlin, Germany.