Between high expectations, political debates, and current market setbacks, hydrogen remains one of the key future technologies for industry and energy supply. For Bürkert, the technology is not only a long-term business opportunity but also an important building block on the path toward a regenerative economy. In this interview, CEO Georg Stawowy explains why the company is deliberately taking a long-term perspective and where he sees opportunities in the global hydrogen market.
Mr. Stawowy, I would like to talk to you about the hydrogen sector. You emphasized that this is very important for Bürkert. How do you see your company positioned here for the future?
Georg Stawowy: Thank you very much. The idea was to offer something that is really interesting. Of course, we earn our money with products and systems, but when I go to trade fairs, I see that visitors and your readers have limited attention spans when it comes exclusively to products. That’s why it’s important to me to design press events in such a way that they convey background knowledge and shed light on topics, such as the topic of “regenerative economy” in this case. The strategy process took a lot of time and effort, and we felt that now was the right moment to present it. I’m delighted that it has been so well received.
Yes, it was also an emotional topic that invites discussion. I would like to talk to you about the hydrogen sector. You emphasized that this is very important for Bürkert. How do you see your company positioned here for the future?
Georg Stawowy: We had intensive internal discussions about which future topics we wanted to prioritize. Hydrogen was definitely a controversial issue. There are other markets, such as the semiconductor industry, that are significantly larger and more dynamic. But we made a conscious decision to focus on hydrogen because this market does not yet have a dominant technical design. This opens up opportunities to be a frontrunner rather than just following behind. I have personally been following this topic since the 1990s because I found the technology fascinating. For a long time, nothing happened. Through my father, who worked in the steel industry, I understood how great the potential is – especially in the decarbonization of steel production. It was clear to me that if green hydrogen is used there, it will be a real lever.
I later heard a lecture by a Fraunhofer expert who said: The hydrogen that we can realistically produce over the next 20 years could be completely absorbed by the steel industry – leaving not a single gram for cars. That shows the scale of the problem. For me, hydrogen is therefore not a question of drive systems, but of energy storage and distribution.
We don't have a problem with energy generation - the sun, wind and tides provide more than enough. The challenge is storage and transport. And that’s where hydrogen offers an ingenious solution. Even if the efficiency is low in some applications. That’s why I’m convinced that hydrogen – like water – will find its way.
Nevertheless, the mood in the industry is currently rather subdued. Some projects have been halted or postponed. How do you assess the situation?
Georg Stawowy: Yes, the mood is indeed gloomy at the moment. But that’s part of the process. I remember the so-called Gartner Hype Cycle: a technology first experiences enormous euphoria, then disillusionment, before finally establishing itself. I believe that with hydrogen, we are currently in this valley of disillusionment.
But if you take a broader view, you can see that ambitious hydrogen targets have been announced in India, largescale projects are underway in the Middle East, and the world’s largest electrolyzer factory is being built in China. This shows that the technology is growing globally—even if it sometimes seems otherwise here in Germany.
Does that mean that we now have to position ourselves early on so as not to miss the opportunity – similar to what happened with electric mobility?
Georg Stawowy: That’s a valid question. Speaking as an entrepreneur, I would say that it’s not always wise to be the very first. As a frontrunner, you run the risk of investing a lot of money without the technology catching on immediately. So it’s not wrong to wait and see how markets develop.
But we have to stay ahead, regardless of whether the hype is rising or falling. When the tipping point comes, customers will ask, “Who can we trust to do this? Who has experience, who has tested applications?” It will then matter who has had products on the market for three years. Those who enter the market at that point will struggle.
Is Bürkert already developing special products for hydrogen, or are existing solutions being adapted?
Georg Stawowy: Both. Hydrogen is a challenging medium—highly reactive, prone to diffusion, and working pressures are constantly increasing. This requires new design approaches and materials. Of course, you could say that a valve opens and closes, and the principle remains the same. But the details make all the difference.
It’s about material fatigue, embrittlement, seals – that’s where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Customers want to see that we really understand the medium. They don’t expect a cross-selling solution, but one that is specifically designed for hydrogen.
So we are specifically developing new products. This is quite controversial internally because the market is still small at the moment and will not generate a large increase in sales in the short term. But as a family-owned company, we can afford to invest for the long term and wait for the right moment. Whether that will be in three, five, or ten years—no one can say. It takes patience.
You talk about patience—many people currently see setbacks instead. ArcelorMittal recently withdrew from the “Green Steel” project, despite promised subsidies. Does this send a signal?
Georg Stawowy: Setbacks like this are part of the process. But for us, hydrogen fits perfectly into our corporate strategy. When we talk about regenerative economy, we also need to support industries that make a positive contribution.
That’s why we are investing in Green Elephant Biotech, for example, a company that is working on personalized cancer therapy. This adds value to society – just like hydrogen. It’s about promoting technologies that benefit the environment and people in the long term.
So hydrogen also fits conceptually into your sustainability strategy?
Georg Stawowy: Absolutely. After the combustion process, water remains— which is the symbol of a closed cycle. It fits perfectly into the model of regenerative economy. I don’t expect rapid development, but I am certain that it will take off at some point. Photovoltaics also took decades—today, you see solar panels on roofs everywhere.
Despite the elimination of subsidies, the photovoltaics market has continued to develop. How important are subsidy programs for hydrogen?
Georg Stawowy: Of course, more subsidies would be helpful—you always want more support. Without the right political framework, the automotive industry, for example, would not have made such significant progress on emissions. EU emissions standards have significantly reduced CO₂ emissions, and that was a politically driven initiative.
I believe that politicians should provide targeted support for technologies once they have decided to invest in them. If they don’t, we run the risk of being overtaken again by other regions – such as China in the field of photovoltaics.
You said that we need to think globally when it comes to hydrogen. Does Bürkert already have international customers in this area?
Georg Stawowy: Yes. Our largest single customer is actually based in the US—a company that equips forklifts with fuel cells. This is not a classic automotive application, but it is still mobility that uses hydrogen. Other customers are active in hydrogen production through electrolysis, a field that is developing dynamically. Thanks to our broad portfolio, we support customers worldwide – from European countries such as Spain and Denmark to Australia – in selecting the right products quickly and efficiently.
Basically, we generate most of our sales outside Germany anyway. We offer our solutions worldwide and follow the market wherever it emerges. I find what is happening in India particularly exciting – ambitious hydrogen programs are currently being developed there.
Does this mean that Bürkert will develop and produce more locally in the future, depending on the region and market requirements?
Georg Stawowy: Exactly. We follow the principle of “local for local.” This also applies to product development. I want our regional units to be able to act independently. If a German colleague says, “Hydrogen isn’t worth it,” but an Indian colleague is convinced that it’s important there, then he or she should be allowed to act—independently of headquarters.
Technical preferences vary from region to region – Rockwell controls are standard in the US, while Siemens is the norm in Europe. The same applies to the hydrogen market. That’s why we need a decentralized development network that can respond to local needs. This will greatly benefit the hydrogen sector.
