About us

Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT in Sulzbach-Rosenberg Germany is a Pioneer of the energy and raw material revolution. We contribute to a sustainable energy and raw material supply through business-oriented innovations and research in energy and plant technology, biological process engineering and recycling management.

The institute focuses on the development of processes and plants for the conversion of biogenic residues into valuable, storable products (e.g. synthetic fuels, biochar and gas), for the recycling of composite materials (e.g. electronic scrap or CFRP) and for waste management concepts for municipalities and countries. Our Centre of Energy Storage focuses on digital innovations in decentralised energy conversion and storage systems.

Our researchers accompany clients from industry and the public sector from the process idea to the pilot plant and the finished product.

Facts and Figures

The Sulzbach-Rosenberg branch of the institute in the Nuremberg metropolitan region employs over 100 people and has a budget of more than EUR 10 million. The institute has been a member of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft since July 1, 2012.

Fraunhofer UMSICHT Oberhausen

Fraunhofer UMSICHT in Oberhausen was founded in 1990 and develops technical innovations in the fields of environmental, materials, process and energy technology. The aim of the institute is to promote sustainable management, environmentally friendly technologies and innovative behavior in order to improve people's quality of life and promote the innovative capacity of the economy.

In 2023, the workforce at both sites comprised 596 employees, most of whom were trained in natural sciences and engineering. Of these, 376 are permanent staff, plus 20 trainees and 200 students, pupils and interns.

In 2023, the institute generated a turnover of more than EUR 53 million. 

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Germany, is one of the world’s leading organizations for applied research. It plays a major role in innovation by prioritizing research on cutting-edge technologies and the transfer of results to industry to strengthen Germany’s industrial base and for the benefit of society as a whole. Since its founding as a nonprofit organization in 1949, Fraunhofer has held a unique position in the German research and innovation ecosystem.

With nearly 32,000 employees across 75 institutes and legally independent research units in Germany, Fraunhofer operates with an annual budget of €3.6 billion, €3.1 billion of which is generated by contract research — Fraunhofer’s core business model. Unlike other public research organizations, base funding from the German federal and state governments is merely the foundation for the annual research budget. This serves as the basis for groundbreaking precompetitive research that will become important for the private sector and society in the years ahead. Fraunhofer’s distinctive feature is its large share of industry revenue, guaranteeing close collaboration with the private sector and industry, and the consistent focus of Fraunhofer’s research on the market. In 2024, industry revenue accounted for €867 million of its budget. Fraunhofer’s research portfolio is augmented by competitively acquired public-sector funding, pursuing the right balance between public-sector and industry revenue.