Interzero
Interzero is a Berlin-based circular economy services provider serving over 80,000 European B2B customers with EPR packaging licensing, plastics recycling (Europe's largest sorting capacity), waste management, take-back systems, and circular consulting, operating across eight countries under ALBA Group ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Interzero does
Interzero, headquartered in Berlin and founded in 1990 (originally as Interseroh, rebranded around 2023), is a circular economy services provider operating as a privately held subsidiary of the ALBA Group. The company serves over 80,000 business customers across eight European countries - Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Spain - with approximately 2,000 employees and annual revenue of nearly €1 billion. Its service portfolio spans seven interlocking lines: (1) circular solutions consulting for closing material and logistics loops; (2) plastics recycling utilizing Europe's largest light packaging sorting capacity plus regranulate production; (3) EPR packaging licensing under Germany's dual system (Interzero Recycling Alliance) and equivalent regimes across Europe; (4) disposal and waste management with reverse logistics; (5) take-back systems for batteries, electronics, printer cartridges, and other regulated streams; (6) reuse including automotive parts via the Encory joint venture with BMW Group; and (7) advisory services for PPWR compliance. Physical infrastructure includes a PET recycling plant in Liebenau, five light packaging sorting facilities in Germany, the Competence Centre for Recycled Plastics, the REPASACK kraft paper sack recycling line, reusable pooling depots, and a Cell Recycling Competence Center in Salching.
The business model combines high-margin regulated revenue (EPR licensing fees, sold online via the Lizenzero portal) with volume-driven service and materials revenue (recyclate sales, take-back system service fees, consulting, and waste management contracts). Distribution is multi-channel: direct enterprise field sales for large customers including ALDI, Lufthansa, BMW, Ritter Sport, Marc Cain, and Coveris; self-service online portals (Lizenzero, WEEE Portal, Ecoservice24, Abfallexpress, Sammeldrache, gebrauchte-technik.de) for SMB licensing; and channel partners as part of the dual system. Proprietary technology elements include a fire protection system for sorting plants that has been incorporated into BDE industry recommendations and an 18-year Life Cycle Assessment data series with Fraunhofer UMSICHT underpinning customer-facing 'resources SAVED' certificates. German Sustainability Award (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis) 2024 validates the brand positioning. May 2026 disclosed an IT security incident under investigation.
Interzero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Interzero
- Legal name
- Interzero Holding GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://interzero.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Interzero is a Berlin-based circular economy services provider serving over 80,000 European B2B customers with EPR packaging licensing, plastics recycling (Europe's largest sorting capacity), waste management, take-back systems, and circular consulting, operating across eight countries under ALBA Group ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Interzero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental and Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Collection (5621), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA), Certified Compliance & Reporting Services (R2/e-Stewards, Audit, ESG) (BPALAIAL), Enterprise Hardware Recycling (Servers, Storage, Networking) (BPALAIAI)
Keywords
Where Interzero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Interzero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Recycling and Waste Management Services: Fees for comprehensive waste management, disposal, and recycling services for businesses, including customized waste concepts, reverse logistics, and container services.
- EPR Licensing and Compliance: Fees for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging licensing services across Europe, including participation in the dual system (Interzero Recycling Alliance), transport packaging, sales packaging, WEEE, and battery compliance. Revenue generated through licensing fees charged to producers and distributors.
- Plastic Recyclate Sales: Sale of recycled plastic materials (regranulates) produced from sorted and processed plastic waste, including PP-regranulate, PET recyclates, and other plastic recyclates for use in new product manufacturing.
- Take-Back Systems: Management and operation of take-back systems for packaging, IT equipment, smartphones, printer cartridges, lithium-ion batteries, e-cigarettes, and fluorescent tubes. Revenue generated through service fees.
- Circular Solutions Consulting: Advisory services for packaging optimization, packaging design for recyclability, EU PPWR compliance, and process optimization to help businesses close material loops.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Interzero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Interzero is a European circular economy service provider offering businesses comprehensive recycling, waste management, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) licensing, take-back systems, and consulting services. The company operates recycling facilities producing plastic recyclates (PET, PP regranulates), provides packaging licensing across Europe through the Interzero Recycling Alliance dual system, and helps enterprises comply with EU packaging and sustainability regulations.
Product overview
Interzero is a circular economy service provider offering comprehensive zero waste solutions under the 'zero waste solutions' tagline. The portfolio consists of multiple interconnected service lines: (1) Circular Solutions (Kreislauflösungen) including textile pathways, raw materials management, process optimization, product design, and take-back logistics; (2) Plastics Recycling with Europe's largest sorting capacity, encompassing collection, sorting, recovery, and regranulate production; (3) Licensing and EPR compliance services with online portals (Lizenzero, WEEE Portal, Ecoservice24, Abfallexpress, Sammeldrache); (4) Disposal and Waste Management; (5) Take-Back Systems for batteries, electronics, packaging and other materials; (6) Reuse services including the Encory joint venture for automotive parts; and (7) Consulting for packaging optimization and regulatory compliance (PPWR). Physical infrastructure includes PET recycling plants, light packaging sorting facilities, the Competence Centre for Recycling Plastics, REPASACK kraft paper sack recycling, reusable pooling depots, and mobile counting centers. The company also offers the 'resources SAVED' impact measurement certification in partnership with Fraunhofer UMSICHT. With approximately 2,000 employees serving over 80,000 customers across Europe, Interzero generates nearly one billion euros in revenue.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Circular Solutions (Kreislauflösungen) Comprehensive circular economy solutions for businesses including textile recycling pathways, raw materials management, process optimization, product design consulting, and take-back and logistics systems to close product, material, and logistics loops.
- Plastics Recycling (Kunststoffrecycling) Full-service plastics recycling including high-tech sorting, recovery and marketing of recyclables, and production of regranulates. Operates Europe's largest sorting capacity for plastics.
- EPR Licensing and Compliance (Lizenzierung und EPR) Extended Producer Responsibility compliance services including licensing for transport packaging, sales packaging, Europe-wide packaging licensing, dual system participation (Interzero Recycling Alliance), and EPR compliance for textiles, WEEE, and batteries.
- Disposal and Waste Management (Entsorgungs- und Abfallmanagement) Holistic disposal concepts and circular solutions for businesses including customized waste management concepts, balers and raw materials management, reverse logistics, container services, and waste consulting.
- Take-Back Systems (Rücknahmesysteme) Extended take-back systems for one-way deposits, packaging containers, REPASACK kraft paper sacks, product residues, printer cartridges, IT and communication equipment, smartphones, lithium-ion batteries, e-cigarettes, and fluorescent tubes.
- Reuse Services (Wiederverwendung) Reuse services including material recycling loops, server and network technology reuse, printer cartridge reuse, and automotive parts reuse through Encory joint venture.
- Consulting (Beratung) Advisory services including packaging optimization, packaging assessment, packaging development, laboratory services, and PPWR (EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) compliance guidance.
- Lizenzero Online Shop Online self-service portal for licensing sales packaging and transport packaging, enabling customers to license packaging in compliance with EPR regulations across Europe.
- WEEE Portal Online portal for Extended Producer Responsibility compliance related to electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE).
- Recyclables Trading and Products (Wertstoffhandel und Produkte) Trading of recyclable materials and sale of recycled products including regranulates (PET, PP) for sustainable product design and manufacturing.
- resources SAVED Certification Scientific impact measurement study conducted with Fraunhofer UMSICHT that quantifies resources saved and greenhouse gas emissions avoided through recycling activities. Customers receive annual certificates documenting their environmental contribution.
- Encory Joint venture offering direct recycling of battery cell production scrap and automotive parts reuse. Operates the Cell Recycling Competence Center for mechanical recycling of battery materials without energy-intensive chemical treatment.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.2 million tonnes of GHG saved in 2023; 1.04 million tonnes in 2024, compared to primary production (Fraunhofer UMSICHT)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Interzero
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Interzero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature8 records
Interzero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Danish Technological Institute (DTI)coreDanish Technological Institute leads the InFACT Project (Infrastructure for the Flexible Plastic Packaging Circular Transition), a collaborative initiative with a €3.2M budget through 2028, funded by Innovation Fund Denmark via the Trace program. Interzero is one of 16 global companies participating in the project to develop solutions for recycling flexible plastic packaging into new food packaging, helping industry meet EU PPWR recyclability and recycled content targets by 2030.
- Nestlé Danmark A/ScorePart of the 16-company InFACT Project consortium working on flexible plastic packaging circularity. Nestlé joins Interzero and other partners to develop food-grade recycled content solutions for packaging.
- BKI Foods A/SminorDanish food company participating in the InFACT Project for flexible plastic packaging circularity.
- Hilton Foods Denmark A/SminorDanish food company participating in the InFACT Project for flexible plastic packaging circularity.
- TotalEnergiesminorGlobal energy company participating in the InFACT Project for flexible plastic packaging circularity.
- GEM Co.coreGEM Co. is listed alongside Interzero as an infrastructure partner in the global electronics take-back and closed-loop PCR market. Interzero and GEM Co. support OEMs (Apple, HP, Dell) with take-back infrastructure and recycling processing for post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics.
- BMW Group (via Encory JV)coreEncory is a 50-50 joint venture between BMW Group and Interzero Group. Encory commissioned the Cell Recycling Competence Center in Salching, Germany to scale direct recycling of battery cell production scrap. BMW retains full IP rights for the direct recycling methodology; Encory builds and operates the facility. Interzero provides operational expertise in circular solutions and logistics.
- Global Footprint NetworkcoreCollaboration with Global Footprint Network to measure Interzero's impact on Earth Overshoot Day. The network calculated that Interzero's services push Earth Overshoot Day back by 7 minutes and 12 seconds, and that for every dollar of value generated, Interzero reduces global ecological overshoot by 32 square metres.
- ALBA BERLINminorInterzero has a sustainability partnership with ALBA BERLIN basketball team. The partnership focuses on climate protection and raising awareness for circular economy and sustainability among fans and the public.
- Fraunhofer UMSICHTcoreLong-standing research partnership with Fraunhofer UMSICHT for the 'resources SAVED by recycling' study. The institute conducts Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to quantify Interzero's environmental savings — greenhouse gas emissions avoided and primary raw materials conserved.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Interzero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Remondis: One of the largest privately-held recycling, services, and water companies globally, headquartered in Germany. Direct competitor in German and European EPR, sorting, and materials recovery markets with comparable service portfolio to Interzero.
- Veolia Environmental Services: Global environmental services and waste management major operating recycling, EPR, and circular economy services across Europe. Comparable to Interzero as a broad incumbent in waste management and materials recovery.
- Suez Recycling and Recovery: International waste management and recycling company with significant European operations in collection, sorting, and materials recovery. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same environmental services category.
Direct peers
- Prezero (Schwarz Group): Environmental services arm of the Schwarz Group (Lidl, Kaufland) operating recycling plants, EPR systems, and packaging recovery across Europe. Closely comparable to Interzero's sorting, EPR licensing, and plastic recycling business.
- Duales System Deutschland (Der Grüne Punkt): Germany's leading dual system operator for packaging licensing and light packaging recovery. Most direct competitor to Interzero's Interzero Recycling Alliance dual system in the German EPR market.
- Landbell Group: European provider of EPR compliance, packaging licensing, WEEE, and battery take-back services. Direct competitor in the cross-border EPR licensing segment where Interzero also operates.
- GreenDot (GreenDot Group): European EPR compliance provider offering packaging, WEEE, and battery take-back services. Direct competitor in EPR licensing and producer responsibility services.
Regional players
- Stena Recycling: Swedish-based recycling company with European operations in metals, electronics, and hazardous waste recycling. Comparable in recycling infrastructure and circular economy services, primarily Northern European.
- Reciplas / FCC Environment: Spanish environmental services group within the FCC Group, operating waste collection, treatment, and recycling in Spain and Europe. Comparable as a regional recycling and waste management peer in the Iberian market where Interzero also operates.
Emerging players
- TOMRA Systems: Norwegian provider of sensor-based sorting technology for recycling and waste streams. Comparable as a technology enabler for plastic sorting, even though TOMRA is a technology supplier rather than a direct recycling service competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Interzero social profiles
Digital presenceInterzero compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Interzero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Interzero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Interzero subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Interzero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Interzero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Interzero
What does Interzero do?
Interzero is a European circular economy service provider offering businesses comprehensive recycling, waste management, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) licensing, take-back systems, and consulting services. The company operates recycling facilities producing plastic recyclates (PET, PP regranulates), provides packaging licensing across Europe through the Interzero Recycling Alliance dual system, and helps enterprises comply with EU packaging and sustainability regulations.
Is Interzero a public or private company?
Interzero is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Interzero founded?
Interzero was founded in 1990. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Interzero based?
Interzero is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Interzero make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Recycling and Waste Management Services are the primary driver. The others are EPR Licensing and Compliance, plastic Recyclate Sales, take-Back Systems and circular Solutions Consulting.
Who are Interzero's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Remondis, Veolia Environmental Services and Suez Recycling and Recovery. Direct peers are Prezero (Schwarz Group), Duales System Deutschland (Der Grüne Punkt), Landbell Group and GreenDot (GreenDot Group). Regional players are Stena Recycling and Reciplas / FCC Environment. TOMRA Systems is listed as an emerging player.
Does Interzero have an API?
No public API is recorded for Interzero.
What industry is Interzero in?
Interzero's product category is Environmental and Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAMAF, Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support), with a secondary code of EUAIAKAA, Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply). Its NAICS code is 562920.