Serious Waste Management

What Serious Waste Management does

Serious Waste Management Limited is a UK-based, privately-held specialist waste management company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Burton-on-Trent. The company focuses narrowly on two related service lines: sewage management (tankering, servicing, maintenance, and installation of septic tanks, cesspools, sewage treatment plants, and pump stations) and grease management (grease trap installation, cleaning, maintenance, fatberg removal, and advanced Grease Recovery Units including Big Dipper GRU and Trapzilla systems). Underlying technology comprises purpose-built specialist tanker vehicles, mechanical separation equipment, and proprietary service delivery processes; the offering is delivered as a physical field service rather than a software or platform product.

The firm operates an enterprise-led go-to-market model with direct field sales and account management targeting multi-site operators, supported by a complimentary site-survey lead-generation channel. Its revenue is generated primarily through recurring managed-service contracts (scheduled tankering, maintenance, and compliance visits) supplemented by one-time installation revenue. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with each engagement scoped after an on-site assessment.

Serious serves a broad customer base spanning hospitality pub chains (Stonegate Group across 4,500+ venues, Admiral Taverns across 1,600 pubs, Marston's Inns across 1,500+ locations, Mitchells & Butlers, Butcombe Inns), utilities (Scottish Water, Biffa), logistics (UPS), industrial (Aviagen, Tarmac), conservation and animal welfare (RSPB, Forestry Scotland, Twycross Zoo, Blue Cross), and childcare (Busy Bees), alongside a domestic long-tail of off-mains homeowners. The company is differentiated by an extensive accreditation portfolio (Achilles UVDB Silver Plus, SafeContractor, CHAS+, ISO 45001, Avetta, Acclaim) that pre-qualifies it for enterprise and public-sector procurement, and by multi-site coverage spanning 12+ UK cities and regions. No external funding, M&A activity, or parent ownership is identified; the firm appears to operate as an independent, founder/privately-held business.

Name

Serious Waste Management

Legal name

Serious Waste Management Limited

Website

https://weareserious.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burton-on-trent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Sewage Services: Recurring revenue from sewage tankering, system servicing, maintenance, and installation services. Commercial clients typically require ongoing maintenance contracts with scheduled servicing visits.
2. Grease Management Services: Revenue from grease trap installation, cleaning, maintenance, and tankering services for commercial kitchens and food businesses. Typically contracted on scheduled maintenance basis.
3. System Installation: One-time revenue from installation of sewage systems including septic tanks, cesspools, sewage treatment plants, and pump stations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Serious Waste Management provides specialist sewage and grease management services to commercial, hospitality, industrial, retail, and domestic customers across the UK. The sewage division handles tankering, servicing and maintenance, and installation for septic tanks, cesspools, pump stations, and treatment plants. The grease division covers grease trap installation, servicing, tankering, fatberg removal, and Grease Recovery Units for commercial kitchens. Services are dispatched via purpose-built specialist vehicles, with tailored pricing based on a complimentary site survey.

Product overview

Serious Waste Management provides a unified service offering combining sewage management and grease management solutions. The sewage division offers system servicing, maintenance, tankering, and installations covering Sewage Treatment Plants, Pump Stations, Septic Tanks, and Cesspools. The grease management division provides trap installation, servicing, tankering, and fatberg removal, supporting systems including Big Dipper GRU Automatic Grease Traps, Trapzilla Grease Traps, Grease Recovery Units, and passive grease traps (above and below ground). The company also offers complimentary site surveys as a lead-generation service. Services are delivered to domestic, commercial, hospitality, retail, and industrial sectors across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sewage System Servicing & Maintenance Regular maintenance and servicing for private sewage systems including septic tanks, cesspools, pump stations, and treatment plants to prevent costly repairs and system failures. Targeted at homeowners, hospitality operators, and commercial facilities.
• Sewage Tankering Specialised vehicle-based removal of sewage waste, sludge, and wastewater from sewage treatment plants, pumping stations, septic tanks, and cesspools. Targeted at commercial and domestic customers requiring scheduled or emergency emptying.
• Sewage System Installations Comprehensive sewage installation services for hotels, restaurants, pubs, commercial properties, and multiple residential units. Targeted at hospitality and commercial customers needing new or replacement private sewage systems.
• Grease Traps Servicing & Maintenance Comprehensive grease trap cleaning and maintenance to keep commercial kitchen grease systems operating at optimal performance. Targeted at commercial kitchens, restaurants, pubs, and food preparation businesses.
• Grease Trap Installation Design and installation of grease trap systems for commercial kitchens and food establishments across the UK. Targeted at hospitality, commercial food service, and retail food operators.
• Grease Traps Tankering Grease trap emptying and cleaning service to ensure compliance, minimise odours, and prevent drainage issues. Targeted at commercial kitchens, restaurants, pubs, and food preparation sites.
• Fatberg Removal Specialist services for understanding, preventing, and clearing fatbergs - massive blockages formed from fats, oils, grease and non-flushable items in drainage systems. Targeted at commercial premises, utilities, and property managers.
• Big Dipper GRU Automatic Grease Trap High-performance automatic grease recovery unit that separates and removes grease automatically, ideal for busy commercial kitchens. Targeted at hospitality and commercial food service operators.
• Trapzilla Grease Trap Advanced grease management technology designed to handle heavy-duty commercial use and high volumes of grease waste. Targeted at high-volume commercial kitchens and food service operators.
• Sewage Treatment Plants Package treatment plants that use aeration to treat wastewater to a higher standard, producing effluent clean enough to discharge into watercourses or ditches. Targeted at commercial properties and off-mains residential developments.
• Pump Stations Pump station installation, maintenance and repairs to ensure reliable wastewater flow and prevent blockages and breakdowns. Targeted at commercial properties and multi-unit residential premises.
• Septic Tanks Underground tanks that separate waste with solids settling to the bottom and partially treated effluent discharging to a drainage field. Targeted at off-mains residential properties and small commercial premises.
• Cesspools Sealed underground tanks that collect and hold sewage with no outlet, requiring regular emptying by licensed waste carriers. Targeted at off-mains residential and small commercial premises without drainage fields.
• Grease Recovery Units Units designed to prevent blockages, maintain clean drainage systems, and ensure full compliance with environmental standards. Targeted at commercial food preparation businesses and kitchens.
• Below Ground Passive Grease Traps Subterranean passive grease traps for businesses requiring underground installation solutions. Targeted at commercial sites with space constraints or aesthetic requirements above ground.
• Above Ground Passive Grease Traps Passive grease trap systems installed above ground, offering simple yet effective grease management. Targeted at commercial kitchens and food service sites seeking easy-access grease capture.
• Free Site Survey Complimentary grease and sewage site survey to assess existing systems, identify potential issues, and recommend practical, cost-effective solutions. Targeted at prospective commercial, hospitality, and domestic customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Prevents expensive repairs and emergency interventions through regular maintenance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stonegate GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Stonegate Group, one of the UK's largest pub operators with over 4,500 managed, leased, and tenanted venues. Serious provides comprehensive sewage and grease tankering, service and maintenance, and installation services to ensure venues run smoothly and efficiently.
• Admiral TavernscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner relationship with Admiral Taverns, a leading pub company operating 1,600 community pubs across the UK. Services include sewage tankering, grease trap management, service and maintenance, and installation of waste management systems across all sites.
• Scottish WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Scottish Water, one of Scotland's most respected water service providers managing extensive wastewater networks. Serious provides sewage tankering, regular service and maintenance, and emergency response services to support Scottish Water's wastewater operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lanes Group plc: One of the UK's largest independent drainage and wastewater service providers, offering tankering, CCTV surveys, and sewer maintenance to utilities, commercial, and domestic customers. Directly comparable to Serious in service mix, customer type, and operational model.
• Metro Rod: UK-wide drainage services franchise providing emergency unblocking, CCTV surveys, and planned maintenance for commercial and domestic customers. Comparable as a multi-site drainage and wastewater service operator serving similar end markets.
• Drain Doctor: National plumbing and drainage franchise network serving residential and commercial customers with emergency response and maintenance. Comparable service offering and franchise-driven geographic model.
• Clearway Drainage Services: UK drainage and wastewater services provider offering tankering, jetting, and grease management to commercial and industrial clients. Directly overlaps Serious's core tankering and grease trap service lines.
• Pro Drainage Solutions: UK drainage contractor offering tankering, jetting, and CCTV surveys to commercial and residential customers. Comparable specialist service profile and operational scope.

Broad incumbents

• Biffa plc: One of the UK's largest waste management companies offering general waste collection, recycling, and some specialist services. Notable as both a broad incumbent competitor and a listed Serious client.
• Veolia UK: Global environmental services group with extensive UK operations across waste, water, and energy. Operates sewage treatment infrastructure and waste collection with overlap in commercial grease and wastewater service categories.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery UK: Major UK waste management operator providing collection, recycling, and treatment services to municipal and commercial customers. Comparable as a scaled operator in overlapping waste service categories.

Emerging players

• Grease Guardian: Specialist provider of automated grease removal units and servicing for commercial kitchens. Directly competes with Serious in the grease trap installation and maintenance vertical.

Regional players

• Severn Trent Water: Major UK water and wastewater utility operating in the Midlands region overlapping Serious's core territory. Comparable as a regulated provider of wastewater services to commercial and industrial customers, though operating under a different utility model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seriouswm
• Facebookfacebook.com/seriouswm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seriouswm

Compliance10 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 Serious Waste Management