Our history

From pioneer to Europe’s specialist for real green heat

ÖkoFEN was founded in 1989 by engineer Herbert Ortner.
The driving force behind the company's founding was the situation in the 1980s – the period after the first oil crisis. Herbert Ortner could not understand why billions were being spent on heating oil when the CO2-neutral fuel, wood, was right there on the doorstep. These were the natal hours of our passion for biomass heating systems, powered firstly by wood chips.

Production began in a cowshed belonging to Herbert Ortner’s parents-in-law. Back then the team was very small – Herbert Ortner, his wife and two employees who still work at ÖkoFEN today. Herbert was salesman. installer, customer service engineer and managing director all in one. Many people scoffed: “Ortner must be bonkers, working in a cowshed, welding heaters together.” But slowly, step by step, the company grew.

At first ecological research and development of wood as an energy source gave our idea a name and then slowly grew into a company that is now the leading supplier of sustainable heating systems in Europe. 
In addition to pellet heating systems and storage facilities for pellets, ÖkoFEN also offers the world's first heat pump with CO2 data control and simple installation solutions for your home.

 

 

1989

The beginning of a vision

Herbert Ortner sets out to make renewable heat a viable option for the family home. He resigns his post as Managing Director of the heater factory in Lembach and begins the biomass heating adventure in his parents-in-law’s converted cowshed. The aim was to defy the worldwide oil crisis in his densely forested homeland and to supply residential dwellings with heat from environmentally friendly, convenient wood-fired boilers rather than fossil heating systems.

 

 

1997

The pioneering achievement

Herbert Ortner succeeds in winning over partners in the timber industry, allowing ÖkoFEN to present the world's first type-approved pellet boiler – the ÖkoFEN Pellematic – at the “Energiesparmesse” energy saving trade fair in Wels. This pioneering achievement attracts a great deal of attention and marks the beginning of rapid market development. The new level of convenience offers customers an alternative to heating with oil. Series production of the Pellematic also begins in this year. The timber industry follows suit, turning what was previously worthless sawdust into a high grade fuel and creating substantial added value.

 

 

2004

Pellet condensing technology

The technology continues to evolve at a pace and ÖkoFEN presents the world's first pellet heating system with condensing technology. The Pellematic Plus marks the development of another pioneering pellet boiler, which allows the maximum output to be obtained from the fuel. Condensing technology enables utilisation of the latent heat of condensation present in the flue gas, since this is fed back into the heating system.

 

It soon became clear to me that condensing technology is an absolute “must” for modern pellet heating systems. We simply had to succeed in keeping heating with pellets in pace with the times.

ÖkoFEN founder Herbert Ortner

 

2006

Culmination of the first growth phase

A total of around 6600 pellet boilers are sold during the course of this year. Furthermore, the heating centre is introduced as a new product segment. This provides the ideal solution if there is no space in the building for a heating system or pellet store, or the existing rooms need to be used for other purposes.

 

 

2007

Expansion despite crisis

The unwavering belief in the success of the idea drives ÖkoFEN incessantly onwards. Despite a major market slump due to short-term supply bottlenecks with pellets, two facilities in Austria are expanded in order to be prepared for the future. The company HQ is relocated to Niederkappel. The new site consists of a 6500m² production hall and an 800m² administration building. In addition, component production is expanded in Purgstall.

 

It was not always easy to plan capacity correctly. We have always focussed on respectful and appreciative relations with our employees here at ÖkoFEN.

ÖkoFEN founder Elfriede Ortner

 

2008

Like a phoenix from the ashes

After the serious crisis, ÖkoFEN records the best year in the company’s history. To meet market requirements, the Pellematic line is updated with a 56kW version and the comfort ash box. The product range is also extended with the Pellesol solar collector and the Pellaqua buffer cylinder.

ÖkoFEN's German head office in Mickhausen near Augsburg is inaugurated. The building comprises 3000m² of production space and 800m² for offices.

 

 

2010

Non-stop innovations

Together Stefan, Herbert and Elfriede Ortner lead the “innovation factory”. In the form of the Pellematic Smart, ÖkoFEN presents the world’s first heating system for low-energy buildings and “passive houses”, which combines heat from pellets and solar panels together with the heating hydraulics in the smallest of spaces. This year also sees development of the improved Flexilo Compact and the Pelletronic Touch heating controller. These enable convenient pellet storage and heating system operation of the highest standard.

 

 

2012

Generate electricity with pellets

The latest vision of the pellet specialist is the ÖkoFEN_e project. Alongside heat for living areas, development of a combined heat and power system also aims to generate green electricity with pellets in future for households and for charging electric vehicles. Power generation is made possible by a Stirling engine integrated in the pellet boiler.

 

 

2015

Pellematic CONDENS – A new dimension in pellet condensing technology

The concept of condensing technology has continuously been developed at ÖkoFEN. The revolution took place in 2015 when the backpacked system was optimally integrated into the boiler. The highly efficient condensing boilers were also equipped with the advantage of unlimited return temperature. Today, ÖkoFEN condensing boilers have hardly measurable emissions and convince with impressive efficiencies of up to 107.9%.

 

 

2017 - myEnergy365

the dream of energy freedom comes true

myEnergy365 from ÖkoFEN is the answer to the question of how to generate electricity and heat independently and ecologically in your own home. The energy system combines a photovoltaic system and a storage battery with the power-producing pellet heating system. The result is year-round independence in electricity and heat. This concept impresses the specialist world and becomes the spearhead of today’s pellet heating technology.

 

We are proud to be able to offer the world's only opportunity to supply a building with all its energy needs from renewable sources. After refilling the pellet store once, no more energy needs to be purchased for the rest of the year.

ÖkoFEN Managing Director Stefan Ortner

 

2018

A record-breaking year

Thanks to highly efficient, convenient products and an increasingly conscious awareness of climate change, 2018 proves to be best year so far in the company’s history with sales of approx. 7500 pellet boilers. This is followed by expansion of the company’s facility in its anniversary year 2019.

 

 

2019

A pioneering story - 30 years of ÖkoFEN

ÖkoFEN Forschungs- und Entwicklung GesmbH, based in Lembach im Mühlkreis, was founded on 27 October 1989. Herbert Ortner quit his secure job at that time and began to develop and manufacture environmentally friendly heating systems with three employees in the former cowshed of his parents-in-law. Step by step, the company grew and developed into Europe's specialist for pellet heating systems.

 

 

We are proud to be able to offer the world's only opportunity to supply a building with all its energy needs from renewable sources. After refilling the pellet store once, no more energy needs to be purchased for the rest of the year.

ÖkoFEN Managing Director Stefan Ortner

 

2020

Feuer neu erfunden

With the new ZeroFlame® technology, ÖkoFEN achieves dust emissions close to zero - without any filter technology. Thanks to the specially ingenious technology, the flame disappears almost completely during combustion and reduces paticulate matter to a minimum. With the cleanest ÖkoFEN pellet heating system ever, ÖkoFEN has achieved a milestone. ZeroFlame® puts an end to the much-discussed issue of particulate emissions when heating with pellets.

2021

Getting even better

n order to enable as many people as possible to switch to a pellet heating system, ÖkoFEN continuously presents product innovations. Easier - faster - more digital. The Smartlink combi storage tank shortens the installation time by a whole day, with the Flexilo Outdoor the pellets can be stored outdoors: This is especially necessary for new buildings and those moving to a new building without storage facilities in the building. The new online platform with the myPelletronic 2.0 app is a major milestone in simplifying customer service and preparing for future intelligent applications.

2022

Grow beyond us

After the record year 2018, the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 are also characterized by new highs. As a result, the continuously increasing production volume requires more space; not only at the headquarters in Niederkappel, Austria. The national branch in France is bursting at the seams. It will be newly built and will open in early 2022. A third logistics hall and extensions for offices and training rooms are being built in Mickhausen, Germany. ÖkoFEN is investing a total of 42 million euros in the expansion of the building.

2023

GreenFOX® - the innovation from ÖkoFEN

Sometimes it's time to broaden your horizons. With the market launch of "GreenFOX 9/14", the air-to-water heat pump with the so-called "FuturePlus", we are venturing into new territory. But it wouldn't be ÖkoFEN if this heat pump didn't come with a world first: the unique, self-developed "GreenMode" makes it possible for the first time to use primarily green electricity with a heat pump and thus heat with low energy consumption and low CO2 emissions all year round.

 

We put pioneering spirit into every system that bears our name.

ÖkoFEN CEO Stefan Ortner and ÖkoFEN founder Herbert Ortner