c trace

What c trace does

c-trace GmbH, headquartered in Bielefeld, Germany, and founded in 2005, is a vertical software and hardware vendor exclusively serving the waste management industry. The company combines industry-specific software (c-ware) with proprietary hardware systems including RFID container identification, legally certified dynamic bin weighing, vehicle telematics, and GPS tracking, plus 38 million deployed RFID transponders across customer containers. AI-enabled modules c-detect (computer vision for biowaste contamination detection) and c-gap (video evidence for missed-bin claims) extend the platform beyond traditional logistics tooling.

The business sells primarily to municipalities and public waste management operators, with a secondary segment in commercial and industrial waste collection companies needing pay-by-weight billing and order management. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales via owned subsidiaries in Germany, the UK (Cambridge), Poland (Poznań) and the Netherlands, with channel partners in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Australia, and New Zealand. Revenue is generated through modular software licensing (annual subscriptions, cloud or on-premise), one-time hardware sales, professional services for container distribution and chip retrofitting, and recurring technical support.

Revenue of approximately EUR 21 million (LTM as of October 2024) is generated with ~120 employees, a 23% EBIT margin, and consistent 15%+ annual growth over three years. Approximately 80% of sales originate in Germany, where the company holds a leading position in waste and recycling IT solutions. In October 2024, TOMRA (Oslo-listed) acquired 80% of the company, with an option on the remaining 20% held by co-founders Torsten Olschewsky, Michael Eikelmann, and Helmut Ziegler (retired April 2024); in November 2025, c-trace acquired Smartsquare GmbH to expand software engineering capacity.

Name

c trace

Legal name

c-trace GmbH

Website

https://c-trace.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

c-trace GmbH provides integrated software, hardware (RFID, weighing, telematics), and AI modules for municipal and commercial waste management operators across Europe, with ~120 employees, EUR 21M LTM revenue, and majority ownership by TOMRA since October 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Software

NAICS

Waste Collection (5621), Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)

akta.pro primary industry

C&D Waste Collection, Hauling & Container Services (Roll-off/Dumpsters) (EUAIAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

C&D Waste Collection & Hauling (BPALAJAA), Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAD), C&D Recycling Brokerage, Compliance & Reporting (LEED diversion, documentation) (EUAIAHAM)

Keywords

• Waste management software
• RFID container identification
• Vehicle telematics systems
• Dynamic bin weighing
• Municipal waste logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Bielefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: c-ware waste management software sold as modular licensing model with cloud hosting or local installation options. Generates recurring revenue from software maintenance and updates.
2. Hardware Systems: Sale of RFID chips/transponders, weighing systems (dynamic and static), vehicle identification systems, and telematics hardware. One-time hardware sales with potential for replacement/upgrades.
3. Implementation and Consulting Services: Professional services for system integration, consulting, project management, and custom development. Includes container distribution services and container chip retrofitting projects.
4. Technical Support and Maintenance: After-sales support services including telephone technical support, remote maintenance, and on-site assistance for software and vehicle technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

c-trace provides integrated IT solutions for the waste management industry, combining modular c-ware software, vehicle telematics, RFID-based container identification, dynamic weighing systems, and AI-powered modules (c-detect, c-gap) to digitize and optimize waste collection logistics for municipalities and commercial waste operators. The platform covers route planning, order management, billing, fleet tracking, container management, and regulatory compliance across the recycling value chain.

Product overview

c-trace offers a modular platform architecture combining software, vehicle systems, and AI-powered modules for digital waste management. The core platform is c-ware software, which handles administration, planning, order management, and billing for municipal and commercial waste collection. This integrates with vehicle telematics systems providing RFID identification, dynamic weighing, GPS tracking, and navigation. AI capabilities include c-detect for contaminant detection in biowaste and c-gap for missed bin detection. Container management services provide distribution and chip retrofitting. The company serves municipalities, commercial waste collectors, and industrial operations across Europe, with subsidiaries in Germany, UK, Poland, and Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• c-ware: Industry-specific waste management software solution for administration, planning, and order management in waste collection, street cleaning, and winter road services.
• c-detect
• c-gap
• FollowMe
• c-order

Products and services

• c-ware Industry-specific waste management software platform for municipal and commercial waste collection, street cleaning, and winter road services. Modular system covering administration, planning, order management, telematics integration, bin management, and billing.
• c-detect AI-based contaminant detection system using computer vision for biowaste collection. Automatically detects contamination (e.g., plastics) in organic waste bins via camera on collection vehicle, enabling evidence-based resident notification and load rejection decisions.
• c-gap Video evidence system for automatic detection of unpresented bins during waste collection. Camera on vehicle records kerbside bins and automatically identifies missing containers to justify or refute missed collection claims.
• Vehicle and Telematic Systems Fleet management solutions including RFID identification systems, dynamic and static weighing systems, GPS tracking, onboard computers, and real-time vehicle-to-office data transmission. Supports rear loaders, side loaders, front end loaders, and other vehicle types.
• RFID Chips Transponders for unique container identification via RFID technology. Makes waste containers uniquely identifiable and links to address data for ownership assignment. Standardized per EN 14803 and DIN 30745, with millions deployed.
• Dynamic Bin Weighing System Legally certified weighing system for trade waste collection. Weighs bins 30 times during lifting for gross weight and again during lowering for tare weight. Provides accurate 1kg increments for two-wheeled bins, 5kg for four-wheeled bins up to 500kg.
• Waste Management Telematics Systems Comprehensive fleet management solution linking all vehicle systems and data streams. Provides route planning, real-time vehicle tracking, order management, bin management, district planning, and reporting through office software integration.
• FollowMe Driver assistance and visual navigation system for collection rounds. Guides drivers with tour guidance, particularly helpful for new or temporary drivers without local knowledge.
• c-order Order management system for commercial and industrial waste collection. Includes user-friendly menu navigation, GPS navigation function, photo function, signature function, and connections to weighing and identification systems.
• Container Management Service for container distribution, collection, and RFID chip retrofitting. Includes own project management team, drivers, and helpers for large-scale bin projects with planning software, hotline services, and public relations support.
• Consulting Advisory and project management services for municipal and commercial waste management implementations. Covers process analysis, system integration, ERP interface concepts, and staff training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dynamic weighing achieves legal-for-trade certification with 1kg accuracy for two-wheeled bins and 5kg for four-wheeled bins
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Klikotronics BelgiëminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner based in Antwerp, Belgium serving Belgian market with c-trace product distribution and support.
• Klikotronics B.V.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner based in Veenendaal, Netherlands serving Dutch market with c-trace product distribution and support.
• OSCH S.A.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner in Vianden, Luxembourg distributing c-trace products in the Luxembourg market.
• ETICOLminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner in Bailly, France serving French market with c-trace product distribution.
• EKO Plus d.o.o.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner in Štore, Slovenia serving Slovenian market with c-trace product distribution and support.
• waste|to|me™minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in Arrentela, Portugal serving Portuguese market with c-trace product distribution.
• SULO MGB Australia Pty LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal partner in Somersby, NSW, Australia serving Australian market with c-trace products through distributor relationship.
• SULO (N.Z.) LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal partner in Auckland, New Zealand serving NZ market with c-trace products.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Compology: US-based provider of container sensors and waste data analytics for haulers and waste generators. Comparable to c-trace's container-focused technology (RFID, weighing, telematics) but with a stronger pure-play sensor and data analytics angle.
• Enevo: Finland-origin waste sensor and analytics company providing fill-level monitoring and route optimization. Adjacent to c-trace's telematics and route optimization capabilities, with a different hardware-first approach to the same customer problem.

Direct peers

• Rubicon Technologies: US waste management technology platform offering software, telematics, and customer engagement tools for haulers and municipalities. Comparable in providing an integrated software-plus-technology stack targeting the same digitalization pain points c-trace addresses in Europe.
• Routeware: US-headquartered provider of waste collection routing software, onboard computers, RFID, and weighing technology for municipal and private haulers. Directly comparable to c-trace's telematics, weighing, and container identification stack serving similar customer workflows.
• AMCS Group: Ireland-based global provider of waste management software and telematics, including route optimization, weighing, RFID identification, and back-office billing. Closest direct competitor to c-trace's c-ware platform and telematics offering across municipal and commercial waste operators.
• HaulHub Systems: US provider of waste management and recycling software with electronic ticketing, route optimization, and reporting modules. Comparable as a software-led waste logistics platform targeting municipalities and haulers, similar to c-trace's c-ware offering.
• Waste Logics: UK-based waste management software platform covering skip hire, commercial collections, weighing, and route planning. Closest UK competitor to c-trace's UK/Ireland operations and directly comparable in commercial C&I waste management functionality.
• ReCollect Systems: Canadian provider of waste management software focused on municipalities, with collection calendars, routing, and customer-facing apps. Overlaps with c-trace's municipal customer portal and waste collection software functionality.

Broad incumbents

• TOMRA Collection: The parent group's collection-sortation technology division. Relevant as both parent and adjacent product portfolio (reverse vending, sorting, sensor-based sorting) that increasingly bundles with c-trace digital offerings under a unified TOMRA strategy.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Global waste management services operator with in-house digital solutions for collection, fleet, and billing. Comparable as a large incumbent in the same customer industry that also invests in waste IT, though from the operator rather than pure-vendor angle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-trace-gmbhh

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about c trace