What Solo Resource Recovery does

Solo Resource Recovery is an Australian privately-held, family-owned waste management and industrial services company founded in 1932 and headquartered in Chinderah, New South Wales. The company operates across five Australian states (NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland) through nine regional offices and a 700+ workforce, servicing over 1.2 million bins per week. Its core offerings span council waste solutions (kerbside collection, recycling, green waste, FOGO, street tidy bins, bulk clean-up), business and commercial waste services (industrial bins, bulk bins, construction waste, medical waste, document destruction, liquid waste), and industrial services (vacuum excavation, vacuum loading, industrial cleaning and shutdowns, subsurface engineering).

Solo designs and manufactures its own waste collection vehicles and equipment at the Chinderah facility, including automated side-loading compactors, front-lift compactors, Roll-on Roll-off trucks, bins, and tankers. Cumulative manufacturing output includes 1,289 compactors, 188 front lifts, 19 pump trucks, and 4,142 trade waste bins. A proprietary In-Vehicle Management System (IVMS) integrates GPS, RFID, high-definition cameras, and sensor-based bin lift detection, feeding a cloud-based operations portal that provides real-time visibility to council clients and Solo's operations team. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 certifications.

Solo generates revenue through recurring scheduled collection fees, equipment hire, hardware sales from in-house manufacturing, and project-based industrial services. Pricing is quote-based per service. Distribution is sales-led: dedicated field representatives conduct onsite inspections, complemented by a national 1300 GO SOLO inside-sales line, council channel partnerships, and direct enterprise relationships. Customer segments include local councils and government (primary), business and commercial (primary), hospitality, residential households, and industrial and infrastructure operators. Recent strategic moves include a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle agreement with Pure Hydrogen (August 2024), a nappy recycling pilot with the South Australian Government, CSIRO, and Kimberly-Clark (2022), and battery recycling partnerships with B-cycle and MobileMuster (2023).

Name

Solo Resource Recovery

Legal name

Solo Resource Recovery

Website

https://solo.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Solo Resource Recovery is an Australian, family-owned waste management and industrial services company founded in 1932, servicing over 1.2 million bins per week across five states via council, commercial, and industrial contracts. It designs and manufactures its own collection vehicles and runs a proprietary IVMS platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Recycling Transfer & Consolidation (Single-Stream, Dual-Stream, Source-Separated) (EUAIABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Waste Transfer (Tires, Mattresses, Appliances) (BPALABAG), Asset Recovery, Surplus & Decommissioning Services (EUAIANAD), Universal Waste Management (Batteries, Lamps, Mercury-Containing) (BPALAHAL)

Keywords

• Waste collection services
• Industrial cleaning services
• Waste management technology
• Recycling and disposal
• Liquid waste removal

Headquarters

HQ city

Chinderah

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Collection Services: Scheduled and on-demand waste collection services for businesses, councils, and residential households. Services include kerbside collections, bulk bin services, industrial bin services, liquid waste removal, medical waste, document destruction, construction waste, and industrial services. Revenue is generated through recurring collection fees, bin rental charges, and disposal fees.
2. Industrial Services: Vacuum excavation, vacuum loading, industrial cleaning and shutdowns, subsurface engineering and maintenance, grease trap services, septic tank pump outs, and sludge treatment. Provided to commercial and residential clients across most regions of Australia.
3. Waste Equipment Hire and Manufacturing: Solo designs, builds, and hires waste management equipment including front lift bins (0.75-4.5 cubic metres), skip bins (5-75 cubic metres), compactors, waste collection vehicles, liquid tankers, and plastic mobile bins. Equipment is manufactured at the Chinderah NSW facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Solo Resource Recovery is an Australian waste management and industrial services company that provides scheduled and on-demand waste collection, recycling, liquid waste removal, document destruction, medical waste handling, and industrial cleaning services to local councils, commercial businesses, and residential households. The company also designs and manufactures its own waste collection vehicles and equipment at its Chinderah NSW facility, supported by a proprietary in-vehicle management system (IVMS) and cloud-based operations portal for real-time fleet and service monitoring.

Product overview

Solo Resource Recovery is a waste management company offering a comprehensive suite of services across council, business, and industrial sectors. The portfolio includes core waste collection services (Council Waste Solutions, Business Waste Solutions), specialized industrial services (Vacuum Excavation, Vacuum Loading, Industrial Cleaning), and a range of equipment products (Industrial Bins, Wheelie Bins, Bulk Bins, Construction Bins). The company provides ancillary services including Medical Waste, Document Destruction, Liquid Waste, and Business Recycling. Services are delivered across multiple Australian locations with varying availability, and the company also manufactures its own waste collection vehicles and equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Council Waste Solutions Kerbside waste collection, recycling, green waste, and FOGO services for Australian local councils, servicing approximately 1 million wheelie bins per week including domestic waste, recycling, green waste, food organics, street tidy bins, and bulk clean-up collections.
• Business Waste Solutions Customized commercial waste collection and management services for small, medium, and large businesses across Australia, providing scheduled or one-off waste collection solutions for general waste, recycling, and specialized streams.
• Vacuum Excavation Non-destructive digging using high-powered water steam and vacuum suction to safely evacuate materials around existing underground infrastructure, used by industrial facilities, construction sites, and infrastructure operators in Australia.
• Vacuum Loading High-velocity bulk capacity vacuum vehicles for removing gravel, sand, or sludge with wet and dry capacities up to 10,000 litres and liquid tanker capacity up to 24,000 litres, serving industrial and infrastructure clients.
• Industrial Cleaning and Shutdowns Industrial cleaning services for facilities including emergency and planned shutdowns using vacuum loading trucks for debris removal, grease trap services, septic tank pump outs, and sludge treatment across Australia.
• Liquid Waste Services Liquid waste removal including grease trap servicing, septic tank pump outs, holding tank cleaning, and treatment plant services for commercial and residential customers.
• Medical Waste Services Medical waste collection and disposal using 240L wheelie bins and specialized sharps containers in sizes from 1.5L to 120L, serving healthcare facilities.
• Document Destruction Secure document shredding and disposal services with sealed lockable bins, available on a scheduled or ad-hoc basis for businesses.
• Construction Waste Services Heavy steel bulk waste bins for construction and demolition waste in sizes from 8m3 to 65m3, handled in accordance with EPA regulations.
• Bulk Bin Services Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) and hook lift bins for bulk waste haulage including general waste, liquid waste, and transfer station materials in various sizes ranging from small to 75 cubic metre containers.
• Waste Equipment Hire Waste equipment hire including front lift bins (0.75-4.5m3), liquid tankers, skip bins (5-75m3), compactors, and Solo-manufactured collection vehicles manufactured in-house at Solo's Chinderah NSW facility.
• Industrial Bins Galvanised steel and plastic industrial bins in various sizes (660L to 4.5m3) with options for colour coding, hinged lids, and wheels for commercial waste handling.
• Wheelie Bins Commercial and domestic wheelie bins ranging from 60L to 360L for garbage, recycling, paper, glass, and medical waste collection.
• Business Recycling Services Bins and cages specifically designed for handling recyclable materials including cardboard, plastics, and commingled waste in sizes from 660L to 4.5m3 with scheduled or on-demand pick-ups.
• FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Collection Food and garden organic waste collection service for councils, supporting a circular economy by converting organic materials into compost for sustainable food production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 80% of hospitality waste can be recycled through Solo's waste management services.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pure HydrogencoreTechnology or Integration · 15 August 2024Solo entered into an agreement with Pure Hydrogen to acquire two hydrogen fuel cell powered waste collection vehicles — one rear-loading and one side loader — to be deployed in Adelaide and Northern New South Wales. Pure Hydrogen specialises in clean energy solutions. The HFC trucks emit zero CO2 emissions and offer quieter operation, reducing community disruption.
• B-cyclecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 June 2023Solo partnered with B-cycle, one of Australia's official battery stewardship programs, in a national battery recycling campaign. The campaign promotes safe battery recycling by taping terminals of used batteries with clear sticky tape before recycling. Free battery drop-off sites are available across Australia through this program.
• MobileMustercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 June 2023Solo partnered with MobileMuster, Australia's official mobile phone recycling program, as part of a national battery recycling campaign to promote safe disposal of batteries and reduce fire risks in waste collections.
• Mornington Peninsula ShireminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 June 2023Mornington Peninsula Shire partnered with Solo in an eye-catching battery recycling education campaign to prevent hazardous and flammable waste from entering kerbside collections, reducing fire risks for collectors and the community.
• Tweed Shire CouncilminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 June 2023Tweed Shire Council partnered with Solo in the battery recycling education campaign to address the risk of battery fires from incorrect disposal in kerbside bins.
• Great Southern Waste Technologies (GSWT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023Solo and Great Southern Waste Technologies partnered on a Study Tour to Sarpsborg, Norway, targeted at Local Councils in South-East Melbourne. The tour was designed to inform council decision-making regarding waste-to-energy technologies as a higher-order disposal option above landfill. The proposed tour would visit a fully operational Energos waste-to-energy plant, matching the technology proposed for GSWT's EPA-approved WTE development in Dandenong South.
• South Australian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2022The South Australian government partnered with Solo, CSIRO, and Kimberly-Clark on a nappy recycling pilot program. The government contributed $50,000 in development funds. The program aims to divert used baby nappies from landfill, processing them at a Peats Soil plant in Langhorne Creek, SA.
• CSIROcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2022CSIRO partnered with Solo on the nappy recycling trial, providing scientific expertise and monitoring. Dr Anu Kumar, Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO, assessed the trial results as a success with high-quality compost produced and no plastic fragments detected in post-processing surveillance.
• Kimberly-ClarkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2022Nappy manufacturer Kimberly-Clark partnered with Solo in the nappy recycling trial as part of the South Australian government-backed initiative to divert used baby nappy products from landfill.
• Peats Soil Processing PlantcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2022Peats Soil processing plant in Langhorne Creek, South Australia receives nappies collected by Solo. At the plant, plastic components are separated, organic material is extracted, and anaerobic digestion creates composting material that meets Australian quality requirements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cleanaway Waste Management: ASX-listed (CWY) Australia's largest waste management company providing municipal, commercial, industrial, and hazardous waste collection plus landfills and processing. The most direct head-to-head competitor in council and commercial waste services across Solo's operating regions.
• Toxfree Solutions: Australian hazardous waste management specialist (now part of the Cleanaway group). Comparable to Solo's medical waste, document destruction, and hazardous/regulated waste service lines.
• Remondis Australia: Australian subsidiary of German family-owned (Remondis) waste and recycling group, providing municipal, commercial, and industrial waste collection. Closely comparable as a family-controlled multi-state operator with international backing.
• Bingo Industries: Australian commercial and construction waste hauler, formerly ASX-listed and now part of the Cleanaway group. Direct competitor in commercial bins, skip bins, and construction & demolition waste haulage across NSW and Victoria.
• JJ Richards & Sons: Australian family-owned waste management company founded in 1932 with similar multi-state council, commercial, and industrial services. Closest comparable on company profile (private, founder-led, Australia-focused) and services mix.
• Instant Waste Management: Australian commercial and construction waste haulier operating bulk bins, skip bins, and wheelie bin collection. Directly comparable to Solo's Business Waste Solutions bin services across NSW, VIC, and QLD.
• Enviro Group Australia: Australian operator specializing in liquid waste, grease trap, septic, and industrial cleaning services. Directly comparable to Solo's Industrial Services / Liquid Waste segment across VIC, NSW, and other states.
• Citywide Service Solutions: Melbourne-headquartered municipal and commercial services provider offering waste collection, street cleansing, and facility management. Directly overlaps with Solo's Victorian council waste business and Mornington Peninsula operations.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Australia and New Zealand: Subsidiary of global waste and resource management group Veolia, providing collection, recycling, and industrial services across ANZ. Overlaps directly with Solo's council and commercial services but operates as part of a much broader municipal services portfolio.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery Australia: Australian arm of global waste and water utility Suez, focusing on recycling, resource recovery, and circular-economy services. Comparable on recycling/processing capabilities and overlap with Solo's resource recovery programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Solo_Resource

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Solo Resource Recovery