On the outskirts of Burgos, in an industrial district near the city, a leading global player operates in a highly specialized niche of industrial technology. It stands as the largest group worldwide in the design of high‑pressure equipment for food and beverage processing. About a quarter of a century after its founder’s birth, the hyperbaric group has captured a 60% share of the world market in this precise sector.
More than half of the 600 plus high‑pressure compression systems currently used by food industry companies across five continents are produced in Burgos. This success story follows a company led by its CEO and founder, Andrés Hernando, which now aims to replicate that triumph by fully embracing the growing renewable hydrogen revolution and committing to decarbonize the global industry.
Hyperbaric intends to mirror its specialization approach by focusing on hydrogen. The goal is to develop the equipment essential for building the hydrogen value chain. The group designs and manufactures very high‑pressure equipment (above 1,000 bar) used to compress hydrogen, enabling storage, transport, and vehicle charging. The aim is to contribute to a robust hydrogen economy.
With this strategy, the company aspires to reestablish itself as a dominant international force in its niche. The strategic objective for 2027 is to become the European leader in high‑pressure hydrogen compression technology. The leadership team believes the future hinges on this energy vector, and the company is advancing research and production of green hydrogen compressors powered by renewable energy to achieve global leadership.
Green hydrogen is anticipated as a major energy shift in the coming years, designed to replace natural gas with emission‑free hydrogen in sectors where electrification is challenging, such as large‑scale industry and heavy transport. Global energy players are planning hundreds of green hydrogen projects that rely on renewable power to produce the gas.
growth plan
A transformative era is driving Spain to become a central hub for green hydrogen production and export, with governments and businesses seeking high‑value technology and domestic capability.
With hydrogen as the new pillar of growth, Hyperbaric has outlined a bold plan to lift sales and profitability in the coming years. By 2027, the group aims to double the previous year’s turnover, climbing from 63 million in revenue in 2022 to 158 million over five years. It also targets more than doubling its operating profit, rising from 21.1 million last year to nearly 50 million in 2027.
Last year’s results showed that almost all revenue came from high‑pressure equipment for food and beverage processing. The plans envision expanding into hydrogen compression equipment, potentially accounting for around 40% of revenue by 2027, with about 60 million in turnover from this line alone.
The growth is already underway: revenue from hydrogen‑related equipment contributed only 1 million euros in the prior year, and this year the figure is expected to reach 7 million euros. Within Spain, Hyperbaric counts Iberdrola, Enagás, Acciona, Coagener, Serveo, and Clantech among customers, with the Lhyffe group in France and Framatome in Germany also participating in related projects.
“The goal is to replicate in the hydrogen business what we have already achieved in food. We will focus on a niche market, such as compression equipment, which is essential for developing the entire hydrogen value chain,” explained the Hyperbaric CEO. The emphasis is on control. The task is to compress, not produce—the work is about enabling the energy flow.
share change
The company is now in a phase of solid financial health and stable ownership after recent structural changes. After refinancing its debt three months ago, leverage sits below three times EBITDA, a level the company believes supports the investments needed for expansion.
Last December saw a reshuffle in the group’s capital structure. The management team, led by Hernando, acquired a 55% majority stake in a deal valued at 267 million euros. The Alantra fund remains a shareholder but reduced its stake from 52% to 10%. The Industrial Technological Development Center (CDTI), associated with the Ministry of Science and Innovation, invested 16%, while the remaining 19% is owned by the Caja de Burgos Foundation, the Clemente and Gutiérrez families, and other private investors.
Produce everything in Burgos
The current plans focus on technology to compress hydrogen for storage and road transport, as well as compression for hydrogen fueling facilities. The company does not rule out later expansions into equipment for large‑scale hydroelectric projects or cross‑border corridors, should demand and policy support create opportunities.
“We are interested in trucking hydrogen because the pressure needed to compress it is substantial. The equipment must withstand high pressure, and we are competitive in that arena,” commented Hernando.
Hyperbaric’s roadmap envisions achieving the goal of becoming Europe’s leader in hydrogen compression equipment by concentrating all production at the Burgos factory, while remaining open to future new facilities in the United States or Asia, either independently or with local partners, as the renewable hydrogen market expands and green gas expectations are met.