What SULO does

SULO Deutschland GmbH is a Herford, Germany-based manufacturer of waste collection infrastructure and digital waste management solutions, operating as the German entity within the SULO Group (parent SULO SAS, Paris). The company's product portfolio spans wheeled bin systems (CITYBAC 60L-1100L, EN 840 compliant, Blue Angel certified for recycled content), urban litter bins (CITYMATE including the Cibeles line), depot containers and recycling banks (CITYSPOT / CITY BOX in steel), and underground and semi-underground container systems (ICEBERG 3-5 m³ and MOLOK CLASSIC / DOMINO). On the digital side, SULO sells the SmartSULO hardware suite (RFID transponders, on-vehicle identification and weighing systems, access control, GPS) and the CITYDATA software platform covering equipment management, geo-positioning, route planning, fleet monitoring, and PAYT invoicing. The company operates 8 production sites and manufactures approximately 4.5 million products annually.

SULO's go-to-market is B2B sales-led, addressing municipalities and communal services (primary segment), waste management operators (primary), and secondary commercial/industrial and property management customers. Distribution is via direct sales from Herford, supplemented by SULO Group regional subsidiaries in 45+ countries across Europe, LATAM (Argentina, Chile, Mexico) and Asia, with country-specific websites and local sales contacts. The company operates a four-stream revenue model: hardware sales of physical containers and digital hardware, recurring software subscriptions, and professional services (360° service, modern bin management, cleaning, maintenance). Named anchors include the City of Madrid (65,000 Cibeles bins), City of Detmold, McDonald's Villach (flagship MOLOK deployment), Lidl Deutschland (sponsorship), and Saubermacher (waste management operator). Installed-base scale metrics include >10 million transponders, ~2,500-3,000+ equipped vehicles, 120+ operated waste collection systems, and >50,000 ICEBERG underground units deployed across Europe.

Commercially, SULO leverages a dense certification stack (ISO 9001/14001/14006/45001/50001, EMAS, EN 840, EN 13071, Blue Angel, BSI IT security, KBA E1, PTB weighing license, CE) as a procurement gate in municipal tenders. The revenue transition underway is from pure hardware sales toward a hybrid hardware-plus-software-plus-services model, anchored by the CITYDATA / SmartSULO digital stack and PAYT invoicing capabilities.

Name

SULO

Legal name

SULO Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://sulo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SULO manufactures waste collection containers (wheeled bins, litter bins, depot containers, underground systems) and digital solutions (RFID, weighing, GPS, software) for municipalities, waste management operators, and commercial clients across 45+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Equipment

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (56211), Waste Collection (5621)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Waste Handling & Compaction Equipment (Balers, Compactors) (IMAHALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Commercial Waste Collection (Roll-off/Front-load) (IMAIAFAB), Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA), Special Waste Transfer (Tires, Mattresses, Appliances) (BPALABAG)

Keywords

• Waste collection systems
• Waste management equipment
• Underground waste containers
• Digital waste management
• Recycling infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Herford

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Collection Containers and Bins: Sale of physical waste collection products including CITYBAC bins, CITYMATE litter bins, CITYSPOT/CITY BOX recycling banks, and underground/semi-underground systems
2. Digital Software Solutions: Software subscriptions and licenses for waste management including equipment management, fleet management, route optimization, and billing systems
3. Digital Hardware Products: RFID chips, truck hardware, identification systems, weighing systems, and access control hardware sold as standalone products or bundled with software
4. Service and Maintenance: Full-service packages including bin management, cleaning, maintenance, repair, and lifecycle management for municipalities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SULO manufactures and supplies physical waste collection infrastructure — wheeled bins (CITYBAC), urban litter bins (CITYMATE), large-volume recycling banks (CITYSPOT/CITY BOX), and underground/semi-underground container systems (ICEBERG, MOLOK CLASSIC and DOMINO). Alongside the physical hardware, SULO sells the SmartSULO digital hardware suite (RFID transponders, identification and weighing systems, access control) and the CITYDATA software platform for fleet management, route planning, and consumption-based (PAYT) billing, complemented by 360° service packages covering maintenance, cleaning, and bin management.

Product overview

SULO is Europe's leading provider of innovative waste sorting and collection solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio of physical products and digital services for sustainable waste management. The product ecosystem consists of: CITYBAC® wheeled bin systems (60L-1100L) for standard waste collection; CITYBAC® Special variants for medical, noise-reduced, and specialized applications; CITYMATE™ urban litter bins in various designs (Classic, Cibeles, Prima Linea, Phoenix, Elegant, Tradition, Ibiza, Atrium, Scuderia, DIN PK); Pre-Sorting Bins (SME, MB 25, Bioboy, Rollbox, Burocity, Modulobac) for indoor/kitchen waste pre-sorting; CITYSPOT®/CITY BOX large-volume recycling banks (2250-3750L); ICEBERG® underground and ICEBERG® SEMI semi-underground container systems; MOLOK® CLASSIC and MOLOK® DOMINO semi-underground solutions; SmartSULO hardware (RFID chips, identification/weighing systems, access control); and CITYDATA software for integrated waste management. Services include 360° full-service packages, cleaning, modern bin management, and the Circular Eco closed-loop recycling initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CITYBAC: Wheeled bin systems for waste collection available in various sizes from 60L to 1100L.
• CITYMATE
• CITYSPOT
• CITYBOX
• ICEBERG
• MOLOK
• SmartSULO
• Circular Eco
• ECO COLOURS

Products and services

• CITYBAC Wheeled Bin System Wheeled waste bin system available in 2-wheel (60L-240L) and 4-wheel (360L-1100L) configurations, EN 840 compliant, manufactured with recycled materials and certified with Blue Angel eco-label; for municipalities, waste management operators, and commercial customers.
• CITYBAC Special Variants Specialized wheeled bin variants including Medical (healthcare waste), Confido (noise-reduced), Vario (customizable inserts), Diamond (premium features), and Bio containers for organic waste; for specific waste collection requirements at healthcare, residential, and commercial sites.
• CITYMATE Urban Litter Bin Series Urban litter bin series including Classic, DIN PK, Scuderia, Atrium, Prima Linea (50L, 120L), Cibeles (50L-120L), Phoenix (150L), Elegant, Tradition, SAB, and Ibiza models for street furniture and public space waste collection; for municipalities and urban infrastructure programs.
• Pre-Sorting Indoor Bins Indoor and kitchen waste pre-sorting solutions including SME (35L, 50L classic design), MB 25 (compact for single households), Bioboy (10L kitchen bin), Rollbox (45L trolley bin), Burocity (30L office bin with 2 fractions), and Modulobac (35L, 50L); for households, offices, and commercial kitchens.
• CITYSPOT and CITY BOX Depot Containers Large-volume recycling banks and depot containers made from 100% recyclable steel, including Hublo series (3000, 4000), Citybulle, Azteca, Movea, Marti, and CITY BOX models (2250, 3000, 3750L) with Kinshofer lifting system; EN 13071-1/3 certified, for stationary recycling collection at public spaces and housing developments.
• ICEBERG Underground Waste Collection Systems Underground waste collection systems with 3, 4, or 5 m³ inner containers, metal throw-in pillars, pedestrian platforms, safety mechanisms, and concrete shafts; MAX 1, MAX 2, and MAX 3 design variants. Uses ~1/3 the space of conventional container zones; >50,000 units functioning across Europe; for municipalities seeking space-saving, aesthetic waste infrastructure.
• ICEBERG SEMI Semi-Underground Systems Semi-underground container systems (SEMIMAX 1 with LDPE hood, SEMIMAX 2 with steel hood) offering 4 or 5 m³ capacity with digital fill-level measurement, requiring no deep excavation or safety systems; for municipalities needing space-efficient underground collection with simpler installation.
• MOLOK DOMINO Modular Semi-Underground System Modular semi-underground container system with square design allowing division into 2-5 compartments (1+1 m³, 3 m³, 2+2 m³, 1+3 m³, 5 m³, or three 1 m³ units), featuring HDPE inner containers and polyethylene lids; licensed MOLOK brand from Finland; for municipalities needing flexible waste segregation underground.
• MOLOK CLASSIC Semi-Underground System Semi-underground container system available in 1.3 m³ (organic waste), 3 m³ (glass, paper, packaging), and 5 m³ (packaging, paper, waste) capacities, featuring fiber-reinforced concrete and HDPE components; for municipalities and waste management operators.
• SmartSULO Digital Hardware Suite Digital hardware including identification and weighing systems for intelligent collection vehicles, RFID transponder chips for bin identification, and access control systems for underground/semi-underground containers; BSI and PTB licensed; for waste management operators modernizing fleet operations.
• CITYDATA Waste Management Software Platform Integrated waste management software with modules for municipal services, commercial operations, facility management, route planning (GiS), customer portal, container distribution, fleet management, and consumption-based (PAYT) billing; subscription-based; for municipalities and waste management companies.
• 360° Full-Service Package Full-service package including planning, maintenance, repair, emptying, cleaning, full cost and data transparency, and nationwide service coverage for SULO waste management solutions; for municipalities and waste management operators outsourcing container lifecycle operations.
• Full-Service Around City Furniture Full-service care package for large-volume containers and CITYSPOT recycling banks including deployment coordination, regular maintenance, repairs, cleaning, recollection, and environmentally friendly recycling; for municipalities and property managers.
• Litter Bin Cleaning Service Professional cleaning and disinfection service for litter bins with trained teams, inventory management, maintenance, and RFID-based location tracking for efficient service planning; for municipalities outsourcing urban bin hygiene.
• Modern Bin Management Service Holistic container management service covering distribution, identification, cleaning, maintenance, replacement, and disposal based on RFID transponder technology with customer service center support; for municipalities and waste management operators managing large container fleets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Underground systems use only 1/3 of the space required by conventional container zones
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SULO GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSULO Deutschland is part of the SULO Group, a European leader in innovative waste sorting and collection solutions. The group operates across 45+ countries with shared technology, brand, and strategic direction. SULO Group's vision focuses on circular economy where today's waste becomes tomorrow's resource.
• McDonald's ÖsterreichflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcDonald's Villach partnered with SULO and Saubermacher to implement Austria's first half-underground waste collection system at a McDonald's location. This best-practice case demonstrates sustainable recycling innovation with signal effect for the fast-food industry's waste management.
• Saubermacher VillachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste management company partnering with SULO and McDonald's Villach for the implementation of innovative recycling solutions. Saubermacher handles collection operations using the underground systems.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TOMRA: Norwegian leader in reverse-vending and resource-recovery technology with strong municipal and retail customer base; comparable on the digital, sensor-driven, circular-economy positioning that complements SULO's smart-bin stack.
• Envac: Swedish provider of automated underground/semi-underground vacuum waste-collection systems; directly comparable to SULO's ICEBERG and MOLOK underground offerings for dense urban deployments.
• Molok Oy: Finnish inventor of the MOLOK semi-underground container concept that SULO licenses; direct technology and product competitor in underground and half-underground waste collection.

Broad incumbents

• Biffa: UK-based integrated waste-management provider serving municipalities and commercial customers; comparable customer base and overlap on container supply, collection and recycling services.
• Renewi: Western European waste-to-product company operating municipal and industrial collection; competes with SULO for the same municipal and commercial contracts and increasingly on recycling/digital services.
• Veolia Environnement: Global waste-management and environmental-services giant that bundles collection services, container supply and digital fleet tools; directly comparable to SULO on the municipal and industrial customer base, though far larger and vertically integrated.
• SUEZ: European water and waste-services platform serving municipalities and industries; comparable to SULO across municipal waste collection contracts, recycling infrastructure and circular-economy offerings.

Emerging players

• Bigbelly: US-based smart litter-bin and public-space waste platform with fill-level sensors and route optimization; comparable to SULO's CITYMATE/SmartSULO digital urban litter-bin concept.
• Econet Group / Ecube Labs: Provider of solar-powered compacting bins and smart-waste sensors for cities and campuses; overlapping use case with SULO's smart litter bins and digital monitoring layer.

Regional players

• Ros Roca (TERBERG Environmental): Spanish manufacturer of refuse-collection vehicles, bodies and container-handling systems; comparable to SULO on the waste-collection equipment side, particularly for European municipal fleets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sulodeutschland
• Facebookfacebook.com/sulo.deutschland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suloindeutschland

Compliance19 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 SULO