The hydrogen-focused competence center TechForH2 is gaining its first new partner since its launch in 2022. MannTek, based in Mariestad and specializing for nearly 30 years in safe coupling systems for complex liquids, now has its sights set on liquid hydrogen.
TechForH2 is a Chalmers-led competence center focused on technology for hydrogen propulsion in heavy vehicles. Since its inception in 2022, it has brought together industry and academia in a joint effort on hydrogen issues. MannTek’s entry as the first new partner since the center’s founding is a clear sign of the growing interest in hydrogen—particularly in its liquid form.
"We want to be where things are happening. The collaboration has already proven valuable, and we believe we can both learn a lot and contribute significant expertise in a growing industry," says Markus Bäckström, CEO and one of the founders of MannTek.
MannTek was founded 30 years ago in Mariestad, where it still maintains its headquarters. The company's core expertise lies in transferring liquids without spills, leaks, or explosion risks, even under extreme conditions. With solutions that enable both tight connections and rapid emergency disconnections, MannTek can contribute to building safe hydrogen distribution chains.
"MannTek is a welcome addition to the center. They have unique expertise in an area that is critical to the industry—how to transfer a complex substance like hydrogen between storage and vehicles. I believe both the other partner companies, academia, and MannTek themselves will benefit greatly from the knowledge exchange that their participation in TechForH2 will bring," says Tomas Grönstedt, Director of TechForH2.
Proprietary Technology Handles Everything from LNG to Hydrogen
MannTek has built its operations around proprietary technology for handling aggressive, expensive, and challenging liquids. Today, the company works with everything from perfume components to liquefied natural gas (LNG). As hydrogen increasingly begins to be used in liquid form, the transition is a natural one.
"We have developed transfer systems for LNG for many years for ships, airplanes, trucks, and the entire new gas infrastructure across Europe. We are now bringing that experience into the hydrogen world, which we believe will grow enormously as more people recognize hydrogen as a viable option for fossil-free transport," says Markus Bäckström, adding:
"When working with hydrogen in liquid form, it must be heavily cooled. Cooling hydrogen down to minus 253 degrees Celsius and still managing to connect it to a vehicle without any leakage is quite a challenge. But we have succeeded in solving that, and that’s where we can make a real difference. Now we look forward to taking hydrogen to the next level together with TechForH2," concludes Markus Bäckström.
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- Centrumföreståndare, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences