Klaro
KLARO GmbH is a Bayreuth-based German manufacturer of decentralized SBR wastewater treatment plants (4 to 10,000 PE) for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers across 80+ countries, operating as the wastewater competence center of the privately held GRAF Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersBayreuth, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Klaro does
KLARO GmbH, headquartered in Bayreuth, Germany, designs and manufactures decentralized wastewater treatment plants based on Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology for sites that lack access to municipal sewage infrastructure. The company serves a heterogeneous customer base across residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal use cases — including single-family homes, hotels, breweries, dairies, shipyards, schools, worker camps, and small municipalities — with a product range spanning 4 to 10,000 population equivalents across five core platforms: KLARO (4-1,500 PE), KLARO One (4-600 PE), KLARO One UP (up to 12 PE above-ground), KLARO Container (mobile, up to 1,380 PE), and KLARO MAX (custom, up to 10,000 PE). Supporting the core systems is a modular add-on ecosystem of retrofit kits, switch cabinets, sewage tanks, airlift.blue pressure air-lift pumps, aeration units, WebMonitor remote monitoring, nitrogen removal, phosphate precipitation, UV disinfection, sand filtration, and the blue.cycle water reuse module, alongside grease and light-fluid separators for commercial applications.
The underlying technology relies on time-controlled, fully biological treatment with no mechanical parts in the wastewater stream, proprietary patented siphon solutions to prevent sludge discharge, and pressure air-lift pumps based on the Mammut principle. KLARO holds DIBt general building approvals across all major German discharge classes (valid through November 2029), EN12566-3 certification, PIA nutrient elimination and underload/holiday/bathtub-shock certifications, and DWA A221-compliant sampling infrastructure — forming the regulatory backbone that gates market access.
KLARO operates as the wastewater competence center of the privately held GRAF Group, leveraging GRAF's plastic tank manufacturing (Carat series) and international distribution network to reach 80+ countries with a 35-person specialist team. The business model is hardware sales on a quote-based, multi-year contract structure with enterprise field sales supported by an online self-sizing calculator, trade fair presence, and a Fachpartner installer network. Training services and WebMonitor subscription-style monitoring represent nascent service revenue streams layered on top of the dominant hardware bill-of-materials economics.
Klaro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Klaro
- Legal name
- KLARO GmbH
- Website
- https://klaro.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KLARO GmbH is a Bayreuth-based German manufacturer of decentralized SBR wastewater treatment plants (4 to 10,000 PE) for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers across 80+ countries, operating as the wastewater competence center of the privately held GRAF Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Klaro industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wastewater Treatment Equipment
- NAICS
- Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized/Package Wastewater Systems (Small/Remote) (EUANADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Effluent Polishing & Filtration (MBR/UF/RO/GAC) (EUANADAL), Advanced/Nutrient Removal (BNR/ENR: N, P) (EUANADAC)
Keywords
Where Klaro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bayreuth
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Klaro business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Sales: KLARO generates revenue primarily through the sale of small wastewater treatment plants and systems, ranging from compact units for single-family homes to large municipal systems up to 10,000 PE. Products include KLARO (4-1,500 PE), KLARO One (4-600 PE), KLARO One UP (up to 12 PE), KLARO Container (mobile, up to 1,380 PE), and KLARO MAX (up to 10,000 PE).
- Retrofit Kit and Component Sales: Sale of retrofit kits, replacement parts, and components including airlift systems, aeration units, sampling equipment, air hoses, and control cabinets for existing wastewater treatment systems.
- Separator Systems: Sale of grease separators and light fluid separators for commercial applications including commercial kitchens, workshops, car washes, and vehicle fleets.
- Training and Education Services: KLARO offers training programs for customers and partners, including both in-person and online training sessions on wastewater treatment technology.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | KLARO - Two-stage wastewater treatment plant (4-1,500 PE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | KLARO One - Fully aerated plant (4-600 PE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | KLARO One UP - Above-ground compact system (up to 12 PE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | KLARO Container - Mobile plant (up to 1,380 PE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | KLARO MAX - Large volume systems (up to 10,000 PE) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Retrofit Kits and Components |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Klaro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KLARO GmbH designs, manufactures and sells small decentralized wastewater treatment plants based on SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) fully biological technology, ranging from 4 PE single-family units up to 10,000 PE municipal systems, plus supporting components such as retrofit kits, switch cabinets, sewage tanks, separators (grease and light fluid), and remote-monitoring (WebMonitor) systems. The portfolio is complemented by containerized mobile plants for temporary/camps and extension modules for nitrogen removal, phosphate precipitation, UV disinfection and water reuse.
Product overview
Klaro GmbH offers a comprehensive portfolio of SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) wastewater treatment systems as its core technology platform. The product lineup spans five main systems: KLARO (two-stage, 4-1,500 PE), KLARO One (single-stage fully aerated, 4-600 PE), KLARO One UP (above-ground compact, up to 12 PE), KLARO Container (mobile modular units in sea containers, up to 1,380 PE), and KLARO MAX (custom large-scale systems, up to 10,000 PE). Supporting the core systems are modular add-on components including retrofit kits (Rüstsatz), switch cabinets (Schaltschränke), sewage tanks (Klärbehälter), airlift pumps (airlift.blue), aeration units (Belüftungseinheit), remote monitoring (WebMonitor), nitrogen removal, phosphate precipitation (P-Modul), UV disinfection, sand filtration, and the blue.cycle water reuse system. Additional product lines include grease separators and light fluid separators. The systems are complemented by extension modules (Erweiterungsmodule) that enable advanced treatment requirements including nitrogen removal (D+ and C-dosing achieving Nges < 5-10 mg/l), phosphate precipitation (Pges < 1 mg/l), UV disinfection, sand filtration, and wastewater reuse capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KLARO One: Fully aerated wastewater treatment plant for 4-600 PE
- KLARO One UP
- KLARO Container
- KLARO MAX
Products and services
- KLARO Two-Stage Wastewater Treatment Plant Two-stage, fully biological wastewater treatment plant using SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) process for 4 to 1,500 population equivalents. Available as new installation or retrofit into existing tanks; serves domestic, commercial and municipal customers.
- KLARO One Fully Aerated Wastewater Treatment Plant Single-stage, fully aerated biological wastewater treatment plant with aerobic simultaneous sludge stabilization, handling 4 to 600 PE without a pre-clarification tank or tight partition wall; suitable for single-family homes through larger applications.
- KLARO One UP Above-Ground Compact Plant Above-ground, compact SBR wastewater treatment plant for up to 12 PE, designed for above-ground installation in mountain regions, houseboats, or mobile applications using HDPE tanks.
- KLARO Container Mobile Wastewater Treatment Plant Mobile wastewater treatment plant housed in 10, 20, or 40-foot sea containers with modular Container.One, Container.One+, Container.Pro and Container.Xtra variants, handling up to 1,380 PE using plug-and-play installation for temporary or permanent deployment.
- KLARO MAX Large-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant Large-scale wastewater treatment plant for volumes above 150 m³/day, handling up to 10,000 PE; custom-designed with single- or dual-stream configurations for industrial and municipal applications.
- KLARO Rüstsatz (Retrofit Kit) Complete set of components for retrofitting existing tanks with KLARO SBR technology; includes airlift pumps, membrane aerators, sampling equipment, and air hoses, compatible with concrete, plastic, or GFRP tanks.
- KLARO Switch Cabinets (Schaltschränke) Control cabinets for wastewater treatment plants, available as indoor (I-Schrank) or outdoor (A-Schrank) variants; include control systems, compressors, and stepper motors for various plant sizes.
- KLARO Klärbehälter (Sewage Tanks) Clarification tanks in concrete (monolithic, ring construction, cast-in-place) or plastic (Carat, Carat XL, Carat XXL) variants, available in multiple sizes and chamber configurations.
- KLARO WebMonitor Web-based remote monitoring, remote maintenance, and remote control system for wastewater treatment plants; enables operators and service companies to monitor plant performance via internet with SMS/email alerts and automatic monthly data storage.
- KLARO Fettabscheider (Grease Separators) Grease separators for reliable separation of fats and oils from wastewater in commercial kitchens, canteens, and butcher shops.
- KLARO Leichtflüssigkeitsabscheider (Light Fluid Separators) Light fluid separators for safe separation of light liquids such as petrol or engine oils from workshops, car washes, or vehicle fleets.
- KLARO Training and Education Programs Training programs for customers and partners on KLARO wastewater treatment technology, delivered in-person and online.
Quantifiable outcome
- CSB removal efficiency: 96.1% (31 mg/l outflow)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Klaro
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Klaro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Klaro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GRAF GroupcoreKLARO is the wastewater competence centre of the globally active GRAF Group. GRAF is a leading manufacturer of plastic tanks (Carat series) used in KLARO systems. The partnership provides KLARO with manufacturing capabilities, tank supply, and global distribution network through the GRAF Group infrastructure.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Klaro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ATB Umwelttechnologien GmbH: German manufacturer of small/decentralized SBR wastewater treatment plants covering comparable capacity ranges (single-family home to small community). Direct competitor to Klaro in the German and broader European small-WWTP market, with similar SBR-based product architecture and DIBt approval-driven go-to-market.
- WPL Limited: UK-based specialist in packaged and containerized biological wastewater treatment plants for residential, commercial, and municipal applications. Comparable to Klaro on product format (factory-built packaged WWTPs), target customers, and project-based decentralized treatment model.
- Premier Tech Water & Environment: Large North American and international provider of decentralized wastewater treatment systems and Ecolite/Polyethylene tanks. Comparable to Klaro on the residential-to-small-municipal decentralized WWTP segment, with overlapping retrofit and packaged-plant offerings and a broader international footprint.
- ClearFox (PPU Umwelttechnik): German manufacturer of containerized and packaged biological wastewater treatment plants (Container, SBR, MBR) for construction sites, camps, and industrial customers. Closely comparable to Klaro's KLARO Container product line on form factor, mobile deployment, and target end markets.
- Kingspan Environmental (Klargester): UK-based packaged wastewater treatment plant business within Kingspan's Water & Energy division, selling Klargester branded small WWTPs and grease separators. Direct overlap with Klaro on residential and small-commercial decentralized treatment product portfolio and on grease/light-fluid separator lines.
- Biolan Oy: Finnish manufacturer of small-scale wastewater treatment solutions, dry toilets, and greywater systems for off-grid residential, vacation-home, and remote-site applications. Highly comparable to Klaro on small-footprint decentralized treatment, including holiday-home / irregular-use scenarios where Klaro markets 6-month standstill tolerance.
Regional players
- Topkey Environmental Technology: Chinese manufacturer of small packaged wastewater treatment plants and decentralized SBR systems primarily serving the Chinese and broader Asian market. Comparable product format and use cases to Klaro's KLARO One and KLARO One UP lines, but operating in a different regulatory and competitive geography.
Broad incumbents
- Nijhuis Industries: Dutch-based, internationally active water and wastewater treatment company offering mobile, containerized, and fixed treatment plants (SBR, MBR, MBBR) for municipal and industrial customers. Overlaps with Klaro on containerized and packaged WWTP offerings, but with a much broader portfolio including industrial process water and a wider capacity range.
- Veolia Water Technologies: Global leader in water and wastewater treatment, providing decentralized, packaged, and containerized treatment solutions alongside its core municipal and industrial business. Comparable to Klaro on technology categories (SBR, MBR, packaged plants) and end markets, but operates at vastly larger scale and across a much broader water-services portfolio.
- Xylem Inc. Global water technology major with packaged wastewater, pumping, and treatment product lines (including the former Flygt and Wedeco brands) addressing municipal, industrial, and residential customers. Overlaps with Klaro on decentralized WWTP, aeration, pumping, and remote-monitoring adjacencies (Xylem Vue, sensor networks), but at significantly greater scale and with a digital-services overlay.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Klaro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Klaro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Klaro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Klaro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Klaro
What does Klaro do?
KLARO GmbH designs, manufactures and sells small decentralized wastewater treatment plants based on SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) fully biological technology, ranging from 4 PE single-family units up to 10,000 PE municipal systems, plus supporting components such as retrofit kits, switch cabinets, sewage tanks, separators (grease and light fluid), and remote-monitoring (WebMonitor) systems. The portfolio is complemented by containerized mobile plants for temporary/camps and extension modules for nitrogen removal, phosphate precipitation, UV disinfection and water reuse.
Is Klaro a public or private company?
Klaro is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Klaro founded?
Klaro was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Klaro based?
Klaro is headquartered in Bayreuth, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Klaro make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Wastewater Treatment Plant Sales are the primary driver. The others are retrofit Kit and Component Sales, separator Systems and training and Education Services.
Who are Klaro's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ATB Umwelttechnologien GmbH, WPL Limited, Premier Tech Water & Environment, ClearFox (PPU Umwelttechnik), Kingspan Environmental (Klargester) and Biolan Oy. Topkey Environmental Technology is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Nijhuis Industries, Veolia Water Technologies and Xylem Inc..
Does Klaro have an API?
No public API is recorded for Klaro.
What industry is Klaro in?
Klaro's product category is Wastewater Treatment Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANADAE, Decentralized/Package Wastewater Systems (Small/Remote), with a secondary code of IMAHAEAJ, Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems). Its NAICS code is 22132 and its SIC code is 4941.