Membrane sales in Q4 2025 grew 22.1% versus the same period in 2024, marking a notable rebound from a slow start to the year.

Agfa-Gevaert attributed the late-year surge to increasing momentum in Asia, resulting in an overall year-on-year increase of 3.7%.

This comes as Asian manufacturers expand into the global electrolyser market.

In Q1 2025, Agfa-Gevaert had predicted consolidation among Western European electrolyser manufacturers after an 18% decrease in membrane sales.

After Q2 2025 sales remained flat, the company then criticised the EU’s hydrogen roadmap, saying that regulatory complexity in the Renewable Energy Directive III could cost the bloc market opportunities.

However, the company  still opened its large-scale membrane plant in Belgium in September.

In January, Chinese electrolyser producer Longi delivered its first system to Europe in a broader push to position itself as a supplier for European developers.

While Chinese systems could undercut Western-made technologies on capital costs, the International Energy Agency recently noted that once transport, tariffs, and local installation costs are factored in, installed costs approach broad parity with Western systems.