Algar
Algar is a multi-municipal waste management concessionaire serving all 16 municipalities of Portugal's Algarve region (~481,000 inhabitants), operating integrated collection, treatment, energy recovery, and recycling infrastructure for B2G contracts and citizen services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersAlmancil, Portugal
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Algar does
Algar, Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos S.A. is a multi-municipal waste management concessionaire incorporated in Portugal on 20 May 1995 under Decree-Law No. 109/95. It operates as the exclusive concessionaire for integrated urban waste management across all 16 municipalities of the Algarve region, serving approximately 481,000 residents and 4,997 km². The company is a subsidiary of EGF — Empresa Geral do Fomento, S.A., which itself sits within the Mota-Engil Group, Portugal's largest infrastructure conglomerate. Algar is audited by Pricewaterhousecoopers & Associados, Lda.
The company operates 32 facilities comprising 2 landfills, 8 transfer stations, 12 ecocentres, 3 energy recovery plants, 3 green waste composting stations, 1 mechanical treatment plant, 1 mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant, and 2 sorting plants, supported by 3,900+ ecopontos (12,800 containers) across the region. Its technology stack combines mechanical sorting, biological treatment, biogas capture, and energy recovery. In 2024, the company deployed AI-powered robotic sorting arms and an AI-based ecoponto placement tool (co-developed with startup NILG.AI), and in 2025 launched a mobile app for the Linha da Reciclagem citizen service. Production outputs in 2025 included 732,000 tonnes of selectively collected and recovered materials, 145,000 tonnes of biowaste valorized (14% growth), 501 GWh of electricity produced (461 GWh exported to the national grid), and 32,000 tonnes of organic compost under the Nutriverde and NUTRITERRA brands.
Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) long-term municipal concession fees from 16 Algarve municipalities under multi-year contracts; (2) transaction-based waste treatment and disposal fees from municipalities and private entities (recyclables accepted free); and (3) product sales of exported electricity, recycled materials (paper, plastic, metal, glass), and organic compost (Nutriverde, Nutriverde Premium, Nutriverde Decor, NUTRITERRA). Tier-priced municipal rates and public 2026 tariff schedules are published. The company is ISO 9001/14001/45001 certified, and Nutriverde received the EU Ecolabel in 2026. The board is chaired by Miguel Santiago Aranda da Silva for the 2024–2026 triennium.
Algar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Algar
- Legal name
- Algar, Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos S.A.
- Website
- https://algar.com.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Algar is a multi-municipal waste management concessionaire serving all 16 municipalities of Portugal's Algarve region (~481,000 inhabitants), operating integrated collection, treatment, energy recovery, and recycling infrastructure for B2G contracts and citizen services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Algar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Management Services
- NAICS
- Waste Collection (56211), Compost Manufacturing (325315)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Anaerobic Digestion (Wet/Dry AD) & Biogas Production (EUAIAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Biogas Plants (Agricultural, Industrial & Municipal) (EUAAAEAA), Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Power (Agricultural & Industrial AD) (EUACAIAD), Compost Product Distribution, Retail & Landscape Supply (Bulk/Bagged) (BPALAEAI)
Keywords
Where Algar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Almancil
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Algar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Municipal Concession Fees: Revenue from long-term service contracts with 16 municipalities in the Algarve region for integrated waste management services including collection, treatment, and disposal
- Waste Treatment and Disposal Fees: Fees charged for treatment and disposal of urban waste, collected from municipalities and private entities delivering waste to facilities. Pricing varies by waste type; recyclables are accepted free of charge
- Product Sales (Energy, Recycled Materials, Organic Compost): Sale of produced electricity (exported to national grid), recycled materials (paper, plastic, metal, glass), and organic compost products (Nutriverde, Nutriverde Premium, Nutriverde Decor, Nutriterra)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Municipal waste treatment and disposal rates |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Annual | Private/citizen waste delivery rates 2026 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Organic compost products (Nutriverde) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Algar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Algar is a multi-municipal environmental services company that provides integrated urban waste management for all 16 municipalities in Portugal's Algarve region. It operates selective collection, mechanical and biological treatment, energy recovery from biogas, landfill disposal, recycling sorting, and produces EU Ecolabel-certified organic compost (Nutriverde, NUTRITERRA) and electric energy. The company operates 32 facilities across 4,997 km² serving approximately 481,000 inhabitants.
Product overview
Algar is a multi-municipal waste management company serving the Algarve region of Portugal, operating as part of the EGF Group and Mota-Engil Group. The company offers an integrated portfolio of waste treatment and recovery services comprising: selective collection infrastructure (ecopontos, door-to-door services via Algarlinha), material sorting and recycling processing (Triagem), mechanical and biological treatment including green waste composting (producing Nutriverde, Nutriverde Premium, Nutriverde Decor, and NUTRITERRA organic products), landfill disposal with biogas capture, and energy recovery. Key products include organic compost branded under Nutriverde, recycled materials, electric energy from waste treatment, and customer-facing services like the Linha da Reciclagem hotline and mobile app. The company serves 16 municipalities covering 481,000 inhabitants across 4,997 km².
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nutriverde: Organic compost produced from green waste, marketed by Algar for agricultural and gardening use.
- Nutriverde Premium
- Nutriverde Decor
- Nutriverra
- Algarlinha
- Linha da Reciclagem
Products and services
- Integrated Municipal Waste Management Concession
- Selective Collection Services
- Algarlinha Door-to-Door Collection Service
- Sorting of Recyclable Materials (Triagem)
- Mechanical and Biological Treatment (TMB)
- Landfill Disposal
- Energy Recovery from Biogas
- Linha da Reciclagem (Recycling Hotline)
- Linha da Reciclagem Mobile App
- Nutriverde Organic Compost
Quantifiable outcome
- 145,000 tonnes biowaste valorized in 2025 (14% growth)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Algar
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Algar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
Algar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NILG.AIcorePartnership with Portuguese AI startup to develop artificial intelligence tool for optimizing ecoponto placement locations, ensuring efficient and sustainable distribution of recycling bins throughout the Algarve region. This project received the Data Changemaker of the Year 2024 award.
- EGF (Empresa Geral do Fomento)coreParent company and sole shareholder providing corporate governance, strategic direction, and integration with 11 other concessionary companies. Algar is one of 11 companies in the EGF Group, the leader in urban waste treatment and recovery in Portugal.
- Grupo Mota-EngilcoreUltimate parent group providing financial strength, corporate resources, and alignment with sustainability principles. The integration into Mota-Engil Group enables resource exploitation and innovation context for the company.
- Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome do AlgarvecorePartnership for Toneladas de Ajuda and Glass Recycling Mission campaigns, combining environmental sustainability with social impact. The partnership enables social institutions to receive financial compensation for recyclable materials delivered to Algar facilities.
- Sociedade Ponto VerdeminorSupport partner for glass recycling campaigns and environmental communication programs. Provided financing for the Glass Recycling Mission campaign launched in December 2025.
- White WayminorCommunication agency partnership for development of EGF's 2026 communication concept 'Juntos fazemos o Impossível' (Together we do the Impossible), a permanent invitation for citizens to participate in recycling and sustainability.
- Mota-EngilcoreCorporate ethics and compliance framework including Code of Ethics, Whistleblowing Channel, Anti-Corruption Policy, Human Rights Policy, and Integrity Program shared across the Mota-Engil Group.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves15 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Algar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- FCC Medio Ambiente: Spanish-headquartered subsidiary of FCC Group operating waste collection, treatment, and recycling services across Spain, Portugal, and internationally. Larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Algar but overlapping in municipal concession-style waste management, MBT, and energy recovery.
- Urbaser: Spanish waste management and environmental services company operating municipal collection, treatment, recycling, and energy recovery across Iberia and Latin America. Direct competitor for any future competitive tenders in Portugal and a major player in the same Iberian municipal waste market.
- Veolia Environmental Services: Global waste management, water, and energy services giant with extensive Portuguese operations including municipal waste concessions. Significantly larger scale and broader service portfolio, but competes in the same concession tender landscape for integrated waste management.
- SUEZ Recycling and Recovery: French-headquartered global environmental services company operating municipal waste collection, sorting, treatment, and energy recovery across Europe including Iberia. Comparable integrated waste-to-resource value chain but at multi-national scale.
Emerging players
- Prezero: European environmental services company backed by the Schwarz Group (parent of Lidl/Kaufland) and active across Iberia in waste management, sorting, and recycling. A growing competitor in Portuguese municipal waste with rapidly scaling capabilities and technology investment.
Direct peers
- LIPOR: Portuguese intermunicipal waste management service serving 8 municipalities in the Greater Porto region. Operates under a similar multi-municipal public service model with recycling, composting, energy recovery, and environmental education — directly comparable to Algar but outside EGF Group.
- Suldouro: EGF Group sister concessionaire covering six municipalities in the Porto/Vila Nova de Gaia area. Operates similar selective collection, sorting, composting, and landfill infrastructure under the same multi-municipal concessionary framework as Algar.
- Amarsul: EGF Group sister company operating a multi-municipal solid waste management concession in the Setúbal Peninsula south of Lisbon. Same concessionary business model, same parent (EGF), and same Mota-Engil Group backing — directly comparable in scope, revenue model, and operational structure.
- Valorsul: EGF Group sister concessionaire serving 19 municipalities in the Greater Lisbon Oeste region for integrated urban waste management. Operates an MBT plant, sorting facilities, and energy recovery — overlapping product portfolio and concession structure with Algar.
- Tratolixo: Multi-municipal waste treatment system serving the Greater Lisbon Norte area; another EGF Group sister concessionaire. Comparable integrated services including selective collection, MBT, biogas energy recovery, and organic compost production.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Algar social profiles
Digital presenceAlgar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Algar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Algar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Algar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Algar 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 Algar
What does Algar do?
Algar is a multi-municipal environmental services company that provides integrated urban waste management for all 16 municipalities in Portugal's Algarve region. It operates selective collection, mechanical and biological treatment, energy recovery from biogas, landfill disposal, recycling sorting, and produces EU Ecolabel-certified organic compost (Nutriverde, NUTRITERRA) and electric energy. The company operates 32 facilities across 4,997 km² serving approximately 481,000 inhabitants.
Is Algar a public or private company?
Algar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Algar founded?
Algar was founded in 1995. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Algar based?
Algar is headquartered in Almancil, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does Algar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Municipal Concession Fees are the primary driver. The others are waste Treatment and Disposal Fees and product Sales (Energy, Recycled Materials, Organic Compost).
Who are Algar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are FCC Medio Ambiente, Urbaser, Veolia Environmental Services and SUEZ Recycling and Recovery. Prezero is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are LIPOR, Suldouro, Amarsul, Valorsul and Tratolixo.
Does Algar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Algar.
What industry is Algar in?
Algar's product category is Waste Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAEAD, Anaerobic Digestion (Wet/Dry AD) & Biogas Production, with a secondary code of EUAAAEAA, Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Biogas Plants (Agricultural, Industrial & Municipal). Its NAICS code is 56211 and its SIC code is 4953.