GKD wins the 2025 IHK Sustainability Award for its innovative CAPTURION filtration system

The award was presented on September 25 during a formal ceremony in Aachen. The jury praised the project as “a new benchmark in environmental protection and resource conservation.” Since September 2025, CAPTURION has been undergoing real-world testing in a pilot project in Düren.

Technology against microplastics in road runoff

The CAPTURION filtration system is based on findings from the URBANFILTER research project, conducted by TU Berlin and supported by the Audi Environmental Foundation.
The goal of the project was to develop modular filter solutions for stormwater drains that can retain not only street debris but also microplastics from tire wear.

GKD supported URBANFILTER with high-performance stainless steel meshes and introduced the concept of movable mesh elements in stormwater drains — an approach initially developed in the preceding RAU project. Building on the URBANFILTER prototypes, GKD further developed the CAPTURION system and contributed its own expertise in design and manufacturing.

TU Berlin tested CAPTURION at its in-house test facility according to the criteria of the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt). The results show retention rates of up to 97% for suspended solids (AFS) and up to 66% for fine particles (AFS63) — without any risk of clogging.

Sustainability as a driver of innovation

“With CAPTURION, we’re making a tangible contribution to preventing microplastics from entering waterways — right at the source,” says Markus Knefel, Product Developer at GKD.
“The award from the IHK Aachen affirms our approach of combining technical innovation with ecological responsibility.”

The IHK Sustainability Award is the first of its kind among the Chambers of Industry and Commerce in North Rhine-Westphalia and is presented every two years. The jury is composed of representatives from business, science, and research. The trophies were made from sustainable raw materials.

About CAPTURION (Short Profile)

CAPTURION is a year-round filtration system developed by GKD for use in stormwater catch basins.
It filters solids from road runoff, offers high retention capacity, and can be integrated into standard maintenance cycles without additional effort.
The system is compatible with a wide range of existing drainage infrastructures and reliably functions as a particle filter.

The filtration system was developed by GKD. Insights from prototype modules using GKD mesh provided for the URBANFILTER project were incorporated into the development process. The project was funded by the Audi Environmental Foundation and conducted by TU Berlin.