EQT Future has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Desotec, a Belgian-headquartered leader in circular mobile filtration solutions, marking one of the most significant recent transactions in Europe’s environmental services sector. Blackstone-managed funds, which previously held control of the company, will remain minority investors. The deal also brings in two prominent German family offices, Athos and Merckle, who will co-invest alongside EQT Future.
Founded in 1990, Desotec operates what is regarded as the world’s largest fleet of mobile reactivated carbon filters, enabling industrial clients to eliminate pollutants, including VOCs, PFAS, and hydrogen sulfide, from air, water, and soil. Its circular Filtration as a Service model integrates mobile filter rentals, logistics, and in-house carbon reactivation, offering a cost-efficient path for customers to comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations while minimizing waste and emissions. The company serves more than 2,000 customers across Europe and North America and has built a business grounded in recurring revenue and high retention.
EQT Future aims to expand Desotec’s presence across Europe, particularly in markets where filtration solutions remain underpenetrated, while fast-tracking its scale-up in North America. Desotec entered the region in 2023, and while the mobile filtration market remains early in its development there, demand is rising as industries seek sustainable approaches to air and water quality management and adopt circular compliance-driven technologies.
Blackstone and EQT intend to support Desotec’s strategic growth as it broadens its environmental impact footprint. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending customary approvals.
KEY QUOTES
“We are truly excited to acquire a majority stake in DESOTEC, a company that EQT has known for almost a decade, in partnership with management and Blackstone. DESOTEC combines an attractive business model with measurable environmental impact. EQT sees significant potential to continue scaling DESOTEC’s circular filtration platform in North America and further across Europe, helping industries operate more sustainably. We are also pleased to welcome the Athos and Merckle family offices as co-investors alongside EQT Future in DESOTEC’s next phase of growth.”
Andreas Aschenbrenner, Partner, EQT Future Advisory Team
“DESOTEC’s purpose has always been clear – to protect the planet through cleaner air, water, and soil. Partnering with EQT Future will no doubt allow us to further strengthen our ability to accelerate growth in new regions, continue innovating our circular model, and support our customers and industries as they adapt to the world’s most ambitious environmental standards in a cost-effective, operationally flexible, and compliant manner.”
Mark Thys, CEO, Desotec
“We are proud to have joined DESOTEC on this journey, which saw the company enter the US market for the first time and become a truly global player. As a minority investor, we look forward to supporting DESOTEC’s continued growth and innovation alongside EQT.”
Juergen Pinker, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone
