Pörner Group

Pörner Group is an Austrian, technology-oriented engineering and contracting organization serving the process industries. Its headquarters are in Vienna, and its operating structure consists of a network of medium-sized engineering and specialist plant-construction companies rather than a single large industrial conglomerate. The group works across refinery, petrochemical, chemical, gas, power-generation, pharmaceutical and general industrial projects, providing services that range from process development and licensing to engineering, procurement, construction support and plant delivery. The organization traces its origins to 1972, when Kurt Thomas Pörner established the Pörner Technical Bureau. It expanded early through the opening of a subsidiary in Linz in 1975. During the 1970s, Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft in Vienna acquired licensing rights for Biturox, a process originally developed by the Austrian oil company OMV for upgrading bitumen through selective air oxidation. Biturox became one of the group’s principal proprietary technologies and helped establish Pörner as an international supplier of process know-how. The first Biturox plant licensed by Pörner was supplied to NIOC in Isfahan, Iran. During the 1980s, the group grew alongside the expansion of European and international process industries, delivering larger refinery and environmental projects. Its geographic and sectoral footprint widened in the 1990s. A subsidiary was opened in Grimma, Germany, in 1992 with a focus on chemical-industry process plants, followed by the establishment of an Austrian subsidiary in Kundl serving pharmaceutical, energy-supply and industrial-building requirements. Pörner subsequently expanded its engineering platform through acquisitions and additional regional companies. In 2003 it acquired all shares in EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft, a Leipzig-based engineering company working with refinery, chemical, petrochemical and gas-sector clients. Pörner’s portfolio combines conventional process-industry technology with products intended to improve transport, resource use and emissions performance. Its named technologies include Biturox for bitumen upgrading; SDA Plus for solvent deasphalting; dewaxing and deoiling processes; Micronization for spray micronization; Aromex for BTX aromatics extraction; and formaldehyde and derivative technologies. The group also promotes newer or climate-oriented solutions, including bio-silicates made from rice hulls, its Bitumen Packing System, Power-to-X concepts and Fischer–Tropsch processes for synthetic fuels and related products. The Bitumen Packing System, introduced in 2005, enables bitumen to be cooled, packaged and transported by means other than conventional long-distance bulk shipment. The innovation received the Austrian State Prize for Consulting. In the same year, Pörner began acquiring Gazintek, purchasing 70 percent of the company and the remaining shares in 2007. Gazintek focused primarily on detailed engineering for the gas industry and was renamed Pörner Kyiv in 2021. The group also developed a presence in Romania for refinery-related process-plant engineering and maintained operations or representative offices in Germany, Ukraine, Russia and other markets. Pörner continued to develop environmental, digital and energy-transition capabilities. In 2015, its work on a desulfurization plant for Norilsk Nickel was nominated for Austria’s Engineering Consulting State Award, while the group introduced its Anlagenbau 4.0 concept for digitally supported project realization. In 2016 it granted its fiftieth Biturox license, to HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited in India, and formalized Pörner Group Russia as an independent subsidiary in Moscow. In 2019, EDL participated in a study with Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport concerning a demonstration facility for renewable jet fuel using direct-air-capture technology from Climeworks. Pörner opened a representative office in Burghausen in 2018 and established the Pörner Water competence center at its Vienna headquarters in 2020. The group’s specialist network also includes TAF Thermische Apparate Freiberg GmbH, a company focused on gasification and special mechanical and process-plant engineering for high-temperature or high-pressure applications. TAF became part of the group in 2011 and has operated as a subsidiary of Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft since 2022. Pörner marked its fiftieth anniversary in 2022. Its present identity is therefore built around independent engineering expertise, proprietary process technologies and the delivery of complex industrial facilities, with an increasing emphasis on water, alternative fuels, resource efficiency and other transition-related applications.

Pörner Group began in 1972 when Kurt Thomas Pörner established the Pörner Technical Bureau in Austria. The business expanded with its first subsidiary in Linz in 1975. During the 1970s, Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft in Vienna obtained licensing rights for OMV’s Biturox process, which upgrades bitumen through selective air oxidation. The first Biturox license was supplied to NIOC in Isfahan, Iran, giving the group an early international technology business in addition to its engineering activities. In the 1980s, Pörner benefited from the growth of refinery, chemical and environmental investment in Europe and abroad, completing larger projects for refineries and environmental facilities. The group opened a foreign subsidiary in Grimma, Germany, in 1992, concentrating on chemical-industry process plants. It later established a subsidiary in Kundl, Tyrol, serving pharmaceutical facilities, energy supply and industrial construction services. A major structural expansion took place in 2003, when Pörner acquired all shares in EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft, based in Leipzig. EDL added engineering capacity for refinery, chemical, petrochemical and gas-sector customers. In 2005 Pörner introduced its Bitumen Packing System, a method for cooling, packaging and transporting bitumen rather than relying solely on conventional bulk transportation. The product received the Austrian State Prize for Consulting. Pörner also began acquiring Gazintek in 2005, purchasing 70 percent initially and the remaining 30 percent in 2007. Gazintek concentrated on detailed gas-industry engineering and was later renamed Pörner Kyiv in 2021. The group continued to build a regional network, including a Romanian subsidiary focused on process-plant engineering for refineries and operations in Germany, Ukraine and Russia. In 2015 Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft was nominated for Austria’s Engineering Consulting State Award for planning a desulfurization plant for Norilsk Nickel. That year the group also developed its Anlagenbau 4.0 concept, presenting a more digitally oriented approach to plant construction and project execution. In 2016 Pörner granted its fiftieth Biturox license to HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited in India. Pörner Group Russia became an independent subsidiary in Moscow during the same year. A representative office was opened in Burghausen, Germany, in 2018. In 2019, EDL participated in a study with Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport on a renewable-jet-fuel demonstration plant based on direct air capture technology supplied by Climeworks. Pörner established the Pörner Water competence center at its Vienna headquarters on 1 March 2020. TAF Thermische Apparate Freiberg GmbH, a group member since 2011, specializes in gasification and special mechanical and plant-engineering solutions for elevated temperatures and pressures; from April 2022 it operated as a subsidiary of Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft. Pörner celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2022. Across its development, the group has retained a model based on specialist subsidiaries, proprietary process technologies and multidisciplinary engineering for process-industry customers, while adding bio-based materials, water, Power-to-X and synthetic-fuel capabilities to its traditional refinery and chemical portfolio.

• 2022

  Pörner Group celebrates fiftieth anniversary

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group marked fifty years since its foundation.

• 2020

  Pörner Water competence center created

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A new water-focused competence center was established at the Vienna headquarters.

• 2018

  Burghausen representative office opened

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner established a representative office in Burghausen, Germany.

• 2016

  Fiftieth Biturox license granted

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The fiftieth Biturox license was granted to HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited in India.

• 2015

  Engineering Consulting State Award nomination

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft was nominated for planning a desulfurization plant for Norilsk Nickel.

• 2007

  Gazintek fully acquired

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner completed its acquisition of Gazintek after buying the remaining shares.

• 2005

  Bitumen Packing System launched

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner introduced its Bitumen Packing System and received Austria’s State Prize for Consulting.

• 2003

  EDL Anlagenbau acquired

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner acquired 100 percent of Leipzig-based EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft.

• 1992

  German subsidiary established in Grimma

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner opened its first foreign subsidiary in Grimma, Germany, focused on chemical process plants.

• 1975

  First subsidiary opens in Linz

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Pörner expanded its Austrian operating network by opening a subsidiary in Linz.

• 1972

  Pörner Technical Bureau founded

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Kurt Thomas Pörner established the organization that later developed into Pörner Group.

• 1970

  Biturox licensing rights acquired

  [1]Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1970s, Pörner obtained rights to license OMV-developed Biturox bitumen-upgrading technology.

A specialized Austrian engineering and technology group for complex process-industry projects, combining proprietary process licenses with multidisciplinary plant engineering and contracting capabilities.

• Bitumen upgrading technology

  Biturox

  Biturox is a licensed process for upgrading bitumen through selective air oxidation. It is one of Pörner Group’s best-known proprietary technology offerings and has been licensed internationally for refinery applications. The process formed the basis of the group’s early technology business and remained a central part of its global process-technology portfolio, reaching its fiftieth license in 2016.

• Solvent deasphalting

  SDA Plus

  SDA Plus is Pörner’s named solvent-deasphalting technology for refinery and heavy-feed applications. It is presented as part of the group’s portfolio of licensable process technologies for separating and upgrading refinery streams.

• Refinery process technology

  Dewaxing and Deoiling

  Pörner supplies dewaxing and deoiling process technology for refining applications. These technologies address the treatment and upgrading of hydrocarbon streams and form part of the group’s broader refinery engineering and licensing offering.

• Spray micronization

  Micronization

  Micronization is Pörner’s process offering for spray micronization. It is included among the group’s specialized technologies supplied to process-industry customers and can be integrated into complete plant and engineering projects.

• BTX aromatics extraction

  Aromex

  Aromex is Pörner’s technology for extracting BTX aromatics—benzene, toluene and xylenes. It is directed at petrochemical and refinery applications where aromatics recovery is an important part of feedstock and product processing.

• Chemical process technology

  Formaldehyde and derivatives

  Pörner offers process technologies for formaldehyde and related derivatives. The offering supports the group’s role in chemical-plant engineering and extends its technology portfolio beyond petroleum refining and gas processing.

• Bitumen transport and packaging · 2005

  Pörner Bitumen Packing System

  Introduced in 2005, the Bitumen Packing System allows bitumen to be cooled, packaged and transported in solid or cold form instead of relying exclusively on long-distance bulk transportation. The system received Austria’s State Prize for Consulting and represents one of Pörner’s practical innovations in bitumen logistics.

• Bio-based materials

  Pörner Bio-Silicates

  Pörner Bio-Silicates are climate-oriented materials produced from rice hulls. They represent the group’s move into resource-based and potentially lower-impact technologies alongside its established process-plant and refinery activities.

• Energy-transition technology

  Power-to-X and Fischer–Tropsch processes

  Pörner provides Power-to-X concepts and Fischer–Tropsch process solutions for converting energy and synthesis-gas inputs into alternative fuels or other products. The group has linked these capabilities to emerging applications such as renewable-jet-fuel production and broader decarbonization of industrial energy systems.

• 2022

  Expansion of transition-oriented technology portfolioStrategy

  Background

  Pörner’s portfolio increasingly included bio-based materials, water engineering and Power-to-X applications alongside conventional process-industry work.

  Action taken

  The group continued presenting Bio-Silicates, bitumen logistics, Power-to-X and Fischer–Tropsch solutions as part of its technology offering.

  Aftermath

  Pörner’s positioning combined established refinery and chemical engineering with emerging lower-carbon and synthetic-fuel applications.

  Source

• 2020

  Pörner Water competence center establishedStrategy

  Background

  Water treatment and water-related process applications represented an additional area for engineering expertise.

  Action taken

  Pörner created a dedicated water competence center at its Vienna headquarters.

  Aftermath

  The center broadened the group’s engineering platform beyond its traditional refinery, chemical and gas focus.

  Source

• 2015

  Anlagenbau 4.0 concept developedStrategy

  Background

  Industrial plant construction was increasingly influenced by digital planning, coordination and project-management methods.

  Action taken

  Pörner developed its Anlagenbau 4.0 concept for improved project realization.

  Aftermath

  The concept became part of the group’s stated approach to modern engineering and plant delivery.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch of the Bitumen Packing SystemProduct launch

  Background

  Traditional bulk transport of bitumen can constrain logistics and requires the material to remain hot during transport.

  Action taken

  Pörner introduced a system for cooling, packaging and transporting bitumen by alternative means.

  Aftermath

  The innovation received Austria’s State Prize for Consulting and became a named Pörner technology offering.

  Source

• 2005

  Initial acquisition of GazintekM&A

  Background

  Pörner expanded its gas-industry engineering capabilities and regional network.

  Action taken

  The group acquired 70 percent of Gazintek’s shares, later purchasing the remainder in 2007.

  Aftermath

  Gazintek operated within the group and was renamed Pörner Kyiv in 2021.

  Source

• 2003

  Acquisition of EDL Anlagenbau GesellschaftM&A

  Background

  Pörner sought to expand its engineering capacity in refinery, chemical, petrochemical and gas projects.

  Action taken

  The group acquired 100 percent of the Leipzig-based EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft.

  Aftermath

  EDL became a significant member of Pörner’s network of specialist engineering companies.

  Source

1. 1Pörner Groupen.wikipedia.org