What Redwave does

REDWAVE, headquartered in Eggersdorf bei Graz, Austria, is the sensor-based sorting competence center of BT-Systems GmbH and designs, manufactures, and integrates industrial sorting equipment and turnkey plants for the recycling, waste treatment, and mining industries. The company serves enterprise customers in municipal and industrial recycling (glass, paper, plastic, metal, single-stream household waste, wood, textiles, RDF), mechanical and mechanical-biological waste treatment plants, and mining/mineral processing, with named deployments at operators including REMONDIS Polska, Stena Recycling, Loacker Recycling, Reiling Glas Recycling, SDI La Farga, Wastecycle, and Grundon Waste Management. REDWAVE sells through direct enterprise sales from its Austrian headquarters, a US subsidiary (REDWAVE Solutions US LLC in Alpharetta, GA), regional subsidiaries in Germany, Singapore, and China, and a network of exclusive regional sales partners covering 19 countries.

The core technology stack combines near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, high-resolution RGB and X-ray camera systems, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for chemical-composition-based separation, and all-metal detection in multi-sensor fusion platforms. The REDWAVE 2i machine fuses NIR, RGB, and metal detection with machine learning; REDWAVE XRF and XRF fine handle non-ferrous metal and glass sorting based on elemental composition (including separation of glass-ceramics and lead glass), with XRF fine capable of sorting from 4 mm; REDWAVE CX provides 3-way modular glass sorting; REDWAVE ROX handles heavy materials in mining and construction and demolition waste; REDWAVE TEX targets textile recycling; and REDWAVE Qi delivers automated quality control. REDWAVE mate is an AI-powered digital platform providing 24/7 real-time plant monitoring, remote service, and process optimization, and the October 2025 partnership with SMX (Nasdaq: SMX) embeds molecular-level material markers into REDWAVE's high-speed sorting lines, enabling industrial-scale verification of flame-retardant, carbon black, and food-grade plastics.

The business model is hardware-led and project-based: revenue is generated through sale of individual sorting machines (REDWAVE 2i, CX, XRF, XRF fine, ROX, TEX, Qi), design and integration of turnkey sorting plants for recycling, MBT/MT waste treatment, and mining, plus a recurring aftermarket layer comprising spare parts, maintenance, hotline support, and REDWAVE mate subscription services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company employed 51-100 staff as of the most recent data, and REDWAVE positions itself as a world market leader in XRF-based sorting with more than 150 XRF units installed globally.

Name

Redwave

Legal name

BT-Systems GmbH

Website

https://redwave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

REDWAVE, an Austrian competence center of BT-Systems GmbH, designs and manufactures sensor-based sorting machines and turnkey systems for recycling, waste treatment, and mining applications. It serves enterprise customers globally through direct sales, a US subsidiary, and regional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Recycling Sorting Equipment

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing (334517)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced/Optical Sorting & Quality Control Services (NIR, AI, Robotics) (BPALADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plastic Recycling Equipment & Technology Providers (Sorting, Washing, Extrusion) (EUAIAKAM), Bulking, Sorting & Pre-Processing Facilities (Screening, Shredding, Size Reduction) (EUAIABAJ)

Keywords

• Sensor-based sorting machines
• Waste recycling equipment
• Industrial sorting systems
• XRF sorting technology
• Turnkey recycling plants

Headquarters

HQ city

Eggersdorf Bei Graz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sorting Machine Sales: REDWAVE generates revenue primarily through the sale of sensor-based sorting machines and turnkey sorting systems for glass, paper, plastic, metal, construction waste, mining, and other materials. Products include standalone sorting machines (REDWAVE 2i, CX, XRF, XRF fine, ROX, TEX, Qi) and integrated conveyor belt solutions.
2. Turnkey Sorting System Integration: Design, engineering, and integration of complete turnkey sorting plants for recycling, waste treatment (MT and MBT plants), and mining applications, representing a significant portion of revenue from enterprise clients.
3. Aftermarket & Support Services: Technical hotline support, spare parts, maintenance services, and remote monitoring through REDWAVE mate software, generating recurring service revenue from installed base.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

REDWAVE designs, manufactures, and integrates sensor-based sorting machines and turnkey sorting systems for the recycling, waste treatment, and mining industries. Its portfolio uses near-infrared (NIR), high-resolution RGB/X-ray cameras, XRF, and multi-sensor fusion with embedded AI/ML to separate glass, paper, plastic, metal, textiles, construction waste, and minerals. The company also delivers complete mechanical (MT) and mechanical-biological (MBT) waste treatment plants, conveyor belt solutions, and the REDWAVE mate digital monitoring platform for installed-base service and optimization.

Product overview

REDWAVE is a competence center of BT-Systems GmbH offering intelligent sensor-based sorting technologies and turnkey systems for the recycling, waste treatment, and mining industries. The product portfolio centers on sensor-based sorting machines using technologies including near infrared, high-resolution camera systems, XRF (X-ray fluorescence), and combined multi-sensor systems. Key products include: REDWAVE mate (AI-powered digital support platform for plant optimization), REDWAVE 2i (intelligent sorting with sensor fusion), REDWAVE XRF/XRF fine (X-ray fluorescence for metal and glass sorting), REDWAVE CX (glass color sorting and impurity removal), REDWAVE ROX (heavy material sorting for mining and construction), REDWAVE TEX (textile recycling), and REDWAVE Qi (quality control and analysis). Supporting products include conveyor belt systems. The company provides turnkey sorting systems for glass, paper, metal, plastic, mixed household waste, construction waste, and mining applications, as well as waste treatment plants including mechanical and mechanical-biological treatment facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• REDWAVE mate: Digital support and AI-powered assistance for sorting plant operations, providing 24/7 availability and remote monitoring capabilities
• REDWAVE 2i
• REDWAVE XRF
• REDWAVE XRF fine
• REDWAVE CX
• REDWAVE ROX
• REDWAVE TEX
• REDWAVE Qi
• REDWAVE CX coin sorter

Products and services

• REDWAVE mate AI-powered digital support and monitoring platform for sorting plant operations, providing 24/7 real-time data, remote service access, and plant optimization for installed REDWAVE sorting systems.
• REDWAVE 2i Intelligent sensor-based sorting machine using multi-sensor fusion (NIR + RGB cameras + metal detectors) with machine learning and AI for high-purity material sorting across recycling streams, with up to 4-channel modular sorting capability.
• REDWAVE XRF X-ray fluorescence sorting machine for non-ferrous metals and glass, separating materials by chemical composition (e.g., lead glass and glass-ceramics) at sizes from 15mm to 180mm, with over 150 units installed globally.
• REDWAVE XRF fine XRF-based sorting machine for fine non-ferrous metals from 4mm to 25mm using an innovative band system instead of conventional chutes for superior precision with small, round, and fine materials.
• REDWAVE CX Sensor-based sorting machine for glass recycling featuring a unique modular 3-way design with equal distance to recognition points, high-performance color sorting and impurity removal, and modular upgradeability.
• REDWAVE ROX Sorting machine for heavy materials in mining and construction & demolition waste recycling, using color, brightness, transparency, material, and chemical composition detection with working widths up to 2,000mm and throughputs up to 200 t/h.
• REDWAVE TEX Sorting system for textile recycling processing whole garments and shredded textiles into multiple categories for reuse and recycling, using inline near-infrared analysis for material composition determination.
• REDWAVE Qi Automated quality control system analyzing representative sample quantities for grain size, weight, color distribution, and material composition, available in mobile and stationary versions for material quality assurance.
• Conveyor Belts (MGF, GGF, KGF) Conveyor belt solutions for recycling industry including MGF (trough belt conveyors), GGF (sliding belt conveyors), and KGF (chain belt conveyors) adapted for different materials in turnkey sorting plants.
• Turnkey Sorting Systems for Recycling and Waste Treatment Complete turnkey sorting plant design, engineering, and integration for glass, paper, metal, plastic, mixed household waste, construction waste, mining, and waste treatment (MT/MBT) applications, sold as integrated project solutions to enterprise recycling operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• XRF fine sorting machine capable of sorting non-ferrous metals from sizes as small as 4 mm, enabling recovery of fine metal fractions previously unrecoverable
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers21 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

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMX (Security Matters)coreTechnology or Integration · 9 October 2025REDWAVE partnered with SMX (Nasdaq: SMX), a molecular-level material identification technology company, to integrate SMX's verifiable identity markers into REDWAVE's high-speed industrial sorting lines. The technology was demonstrated before NAFRA (a European body representing flame-retardant interests) in October 2025, proving that flame-retardant plastics, carbon black plastics, and food-grade packaging can be detected, certified, and recycled at industrial scale. REDWAVE's REDWAVE detection lines serve as the physical infrastructure for SMX's molecular marker verification system, enabling real-time material certification in recycling supply chains.
• CETI (Centre d'Etudes et de l'Essai)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMX partnered with CETI in France for textile supply chain verification and traceability applications. REDWAVE is listed as part of the coordinated partnership network alongside CETI, indicating its REDWAVE TEX textile sorting technology is integrated into this textile traceability ecosystem.
• CARTIF (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMX partnered with CARTIF in Spain for circular economy projects and R&D applications. CARTIF models show compliance costs can be reduced by up to 40% through automated verification of material composition and recovery volumes using molecular-level identification. REDWAVE sorting lines are part of the Spanish circular economy deployment.
• A*STAR (Singapore)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMX partnered with A*STAR to develop the world's first national plastics passport system in Singapore, creating policy-grade infrastructure that gives materials a durable identity from manufacture to reuse. REDWAVE's sorting technology is part of the Singapore national-scale plastic circularity pilot.
• Tradepro (USA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSMX partnered with Tradepro for US recycled plastics verification and distribution, integrating molecular tagging into industrial recycling and rPET distribution in US markets. REDWAVE's sorting lines support this US distribution network.
• BT-Systems GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREDWAVE is the 'Competence Center' of BT-Systems GmbH, an Austrian industrial technology company. BT-Systems provides the corporate umbrella for REDWAVE's sorting technology business, including manufacturing, R&D, and group-level resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/redwavewaste
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sortingsystemredwave/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/redwave1
• Instagraminstagram.com/weare_redwave

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Redwave