An article by Carsten Bachert, Managing Director of WTA UNISOL GmbH
With innovative filter technology from Thuringia, WTA UNISOL GmbH is among the top 5 in the first round of the IHK Future Prize 2025 – and is thus setting a strong example for sustainable water treatment.
The challenges surrounding the global water supply are increasing noticeably. Climate change, increasing water scarcity and rising demands on wastewater treatment require not only political strategies, but above all technological solutions.
As a medium-sized company based in Gotha, this is precisely where we see our responsibility and our opportunity: with our stackable membrane technology, we are making a significant contribution to sustainable, efficient and future-proof water treatment – worldwide.
A scientific study from 2021 clearly shows that only around half of all global wastewater is currently being treated at all. At the same time, many of the 58,500 or so municipal wastewater treatment plants worldwide are already operating at the limits of their capacity. The consequences of this development are also becoming increasingly noticeable here in Thuringia – what once seemed like a distant future scenario has long since become reality.
In demand worldwide with innovation from Thuringia
In Germany, industry is one of the largest consumers of water – it uses almost a third of the total water requirement. This makes it all the more important to treat industrial wastewater in such a way that water can be reused – efficiently, economically and in an environmentally friendly way. This is exactly what our stackable membrane solution MYTEX.
Our technology enables efficient micro- and ultrafiltration. The self-supporting, modular membrane blocks can be stacked up to six meters high. This not only saves space, but also resources. Another major advantage is the quick maintenance: modules can be changed in less than 30 minutes – without the need for a crane or special tools. Conventional systems often require several hours of downtime for this.
Growth through cooperation and synergies
The merger with UNISOL Membrane Technology in February 2023 was a special milestone for us. Two strong partners have grown together into one company – with a clear international focus. While we at WTA primarily use our strengths in the European market, UNISOL brings established structures from the USA, China and India to the table. A cooperation in which “one plus one” really does add up to more than two.
Sustainability as a guiding principle
For us, sustainability also means taking responsibility. That is why we are increasingly relying on PFAS-free membranes made of polyethersulfone – a safe, environmentally friendly alternative to the widely used PVDF. Our customers therefore not only receive a technologically leading solution, but also an investment without the so-called “eternal chemicals”.
With a production capacity of over 250,000 m² of membrane area per year and fully automated production at the Gotha site, we are excellently positioned to meet the increasing demand – from municipal wastewater treatment plants to industrial process water treatment and demanding areas such as the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries.
Our contribution to Thuringia – and beyond
With our innovation from Thuringia, we are applying for the Future Prize of the Erfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce this year. Awards such as the Thuringian Foundation Innovation Prize and the Thex Award have already given us a boost. The IHK Future Prize would be a further milestone – not only for our company, but also for the innovative strength of Thuringia as a business location as a whole.
Our location is more than just an address: Our company headquarters are located in Fritz-Bothmann-Straße in Gotha – named after one of the region’s great industrialists. Fritz Bothmann was a visionary entrepreneur and founder of the Gothaer Waggonfabrik, which played a decisive role in shaping modern wagon and streetcar construction in Thuringia at the end of the 19th century. His ideas had a decisive influence on industrial development in Gotha – and continue to have an impact to this day.
We are proud to operate in an environment that has always been characterized by ingenuity, engineering skills and entrepreneurial courage. We also see our daily actions in this tradition: Developing solutions for the pressing challenges of our time – globally conceived, locally implemented. And that is exactly what we do. Every day. With full conviction.
Get to know us and discover the future of water filtration.
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