The German multi-service groupie RWE (water, energy) will buy up to 70% of its subsidiary RWE UMWELT (turnover of EUR 888 million in 2004), number one on the waste processing market in Germany, to the RETHMANN group (turnover annually of EUR 1.8 bn, with almost 16000 employees). The remaining 30% will be sold off "in the course of the next three months". The total value of RWE UMWELT is estimated to be worth around EUR 800 million by 1 January 2005, according to the parent company.