What Anker Andersen does

Anker Andersen A/S designs, manufactures and services high-speed counting and sorting systems for used beverage containers under the HLZ, Panoptic Systems, PanoptiCash, AAnalytics and QUBC brands. Core technology centers on a proprietary inliner (Mono Disc) and a 360-degree ring scanner that read barcodes to count and sort PET bottles, aluminum cans and glass bottles at 100-300 containers per minute with registration accuracy of ≥99.5%, supported by vision-based Panoptic Systems and bulk-feed and debris-separation accessories. The company sells turnkey solutions, including installation, on-site testing, customized conveyor systems, training, spare parts, and tiered service agreements (Complete Care, Flex Care, Basic Care, Support and Software Care), and earns supplemental revenue from after-sales service, remote diagnostics, software updates, the After Sales Academy, and consulting on circular economy and DRS implementation.

Commercial customers fall into four primary segments: bottle depots and redemption centers, North American redemption centers and Canadian bottle depots, counting centers and material recovery facilities (MRF), and deposit return scheme (DRS) operators such as RetuRO SGR in Romania, Dansk Retursystem in Denmark, and DIO in Latvia. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales led by a CEO, Sales Director, Business Development Director and Sales Manager, supported by exhibition at IFAT and EuroShop alongside parent company RVM Systems.

The company is privately held and headquartered in Tørring, Denmark, with a new R&D and Technology Center opened in November 2024. It holds CE, UL, CSA and SAA certifications, has received Dun & Bradstreet's AAA rating for five consecutive years (2021-2025) and the Børsen Gazelle Award in 2023 and 2024, and operates across Denmark, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, USA and Canada.

Name

Anker Andersen

Legal name

Anker Andersen A/S

Website

https://anker-andersen.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anker Andersen A/S is a Danish manufacturer of high-speed HLZ counting and sorting systems for used beverage containers, serving bottle depots, redemption centers, material recovery facilities, and deposit return scheme operators across Europe and North America with turnkey hardware, software (AAnalytics), and after-sales service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tørring

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HLZ Counting and Sorting Systems: Sale of high-speed counting and sorting machines including HLZ MD, HLZ MDU, HLZ DD models for processing used beverage containers
2. Turnkey Solutions: Complete system solutions for counting centers and material recovery facilities including custom conveyor systems and additional equipment
3. Accessories and Spare Parts: Wide selection of options including bulk feeders, debris separators, and customized spare parts kits
4. After Sales Services: Professional after-sales services including Complete Care, Flex Care, Basic Care, and Support and Software Care service agreements
5. Training and Education: After Sales Academy offering training programs including general introduction, service and maintenance, troubleshooting and service, and refresher courses
6. Remote Diagnostics and Support: Remote troubleshooting and diagnostics via software engineers with direct access to HLZ systems, plus software updates and upgrades
7. Consulting Services: Expert consulting on circular economy, political insight, local legislation, recycling items, and deposit return scheme (DRS) implementation globally

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Anker Andersen designs, manufactures, sells, and services the HLZ® family of high-speed counting and sorting systems used by bottle depots, redemption centers, counting centers, and material recovery facilities to process used beverage containers (aluminum cans, glass bottles, PET bottles). The offering is delivered as turnkey solutions including installation, on-site testing, specialized training, maintenance, service, spare parts, and the AAnalytics software platform for transaction data collection and distribution. The portfolio is complemented by the Panoptic® Systems (including PanoptiCash) containerized bulk solutions and the QUBC® Deposit Center for HoReCa and corporate customers.

Product overview

Anker Andersen offers a modular ecosystem of high-performance HLZ® counting and sorting systems for used beverage containers. The core product line includes the HLZ® MD Ultra and HLZ® DD (Duo Disc) machines for high-speed counting and sorting via barcode reading and material detection. Supporting products include the HLZ® MDU-C for count-only operations and the MDU-MS for material-based sorting. The Panoptic® Systems brand (including PanoptiCash) provides containerized bulk solutions for deposit operations. AAnalytics serves as the software backbone, handling data collection, validation and distribution across the system. Accessories include HLZ® Bulk Feeders (250L to 4m³ capacity) and HLZ® Debris Separators. The QUBC® Deposit Center targets HoreCa and corporate segments. All systems process PET bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles and can handle up to 300 containers per minute with ≥99.5% registration accuracy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HLZ®: High-speed counting and sorting systems for used beverage containers including PET bottles, aluminum cans, and glass bottles. Registered trademark of Anker Andersen A/S.
• Panoptic® Systems
• PanoptiCash
• AAnalytics
• QUBC®

Products and services

• HLZ® MD Ultra Industrial high-speed counting and sorting machine using patented inliner technology and ring scanner technology with 360° barcode detection for processing refillable and non-refillable used beverage containers, for enterprise bottle depots, redemption centers, counting centers and material recovery facilities.
• HLZ® MD Ultra Batch Feeded Industrial high-speed counting and sorting machine with a moveable side feeding conveyor for preparing multiple batches in sequence, avoiding idle time, for processing used beverage containers.
• HLZ® DD (Duo Disc) Industrial high-speed counting and sorting machine with the Duo Disc module, which uses a double conveyor lane to spread containers equally and process each container at very high speed through the inliner.
• HLZ® MDU-C (Count Only) Stand-alone high-speed counting system designed to function as a customer station for counting used beverage containers in depots, redemption centers and MRFs.
• HLZ® MDU (Counting and Sorting – Material) High-speed counting and sorting systems designed to count and sort beverage containers by material (aluminum, plastic, glass) for processing facilities.
• HLZ® MD Ultra (Bottle Depots and Redemption Centers Solution) Turnkey front-end and back-end systems tailored for US redemption centers and Canadian bottle depots, integrating industrial high-speed front-end counting with back-end sorting by material and brand.
• HLZ® MDU (Material Recovery Facility Solution) Turnkey solutions for counting centers and material recovery facilities, including HLZ MDU high-speed counting and sorting systems with customizable conveyor systems.
• PanoptiCash Containerized bulk solution engineered to simplify deposit operations and enable fast, seamless handling of large volumes of used beverage containers for enterprise customers.
• AAnalytics Software Platform Data and software platform for deposit solutions that collects, validates and distributes transaction data from HLZ® and Panoptic® machines to customer business systems including ERP, logistics and reporting platforms.
• QUBC® Deposit Center Turnkey bottle deposit center tailored for HoReCa businesses, corporates and institutions with high volumes of used beverage containers, with flexible solutions supporting up to three customer interfaces and registration accuracy ≥99.5%.
• HLZ® Debris Separator Efficient debris separator for removing objects such as straws, strings, caps, glass and other debris from used beverage containers, with 100–300 containers/min capacity, designed to integrate with HLZ® machines.
• HLZ® Bulk Feeders Bulk feeders ranging from 250 liters to 4 m³ capacity, designed for 24/7 operation and customized to integrate with specific HLZ® counting and sorting machines.
• After Sales Service Agreements (Complete Care, Flex Care, Basic Care, Support and Software Care) Customizable multi-year after-sales service agreements — Complete Care, Flex Care, Basic Care, and Support and Software Care — covering maintenance, service, spare parts, remote diagnostics, and software updates for HLZ® systems.
• After Sales Academy (Training Programs) Training programs for HLZ® operators and technicians covering general introduction, service and maintenance, troubleshooting and service, and refresher courses.
• DRS and Circular Economy Consulting Expert consulting services for stakeholders on circular economy, political insight, local legislation, recycling items, and deposit return scheme (DRS) implementation globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers report up to 30% reduction in time spent at bottle depots
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Danish Society for Nature Conservation (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 July 2021CSR partnership established in 2021 supporting UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The partnership focuses on providing innovative technologies in global sustainable recycling and contributing to a greener and cleaner environment.
• Dansk Retursystem A/ScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2021Strategic partnership for developing next generation deposit return stations and Drop & Go solutions for the Danish market. Dansk Retursystem operates the Danish deposit system and Anker Andersen provides counting and sorting technology. The collaboration aims to create unique solutions for efficiency, profitability, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction.
• RVM SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company relationship. Anker Andersen exhibits at trade fairs (EuroShop 2026) together with RVM Systems, combining their respective technologies and market presence for global deposit markets.
• CLYNKmajorTechnology or IntegrationCLYNK relies on Anker Andersen HLZ Ultra machines as a key component in their end-to-end Bag Drop solution for US and Canadian markets. Anker Andersen has adapted machines to work efficiently with CLYNK's specific Bag-Drop technology requirements.
• Machinex (Canada)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for development of deposit return infrastructure in Canada, specifically supporting the Quebec deposit centre. Partnership enables timely deliveries and local support for Canadian market.
• B10 MarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing agency partnership for website redesign and visual identity development completed in 2021.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Envipco Holding NV: Envipco designs and supplies reverse vending machines and related counting/sorting technology for deposit return schemes. It competes head-to-head with Anker Andersen for DRS operator and bottle depot contracts in Europe and North America.
• TOMRA Systems ASA: TOMRA is the global leader in reverse vending machines and collection solutions for beverage container recycling. It directly competes with Anker Andersen in deposit return scheme infrastructure across Europe and North America, with overlapping customers (DRS operators, retailers, redemption centers).
• Bulk Handling Systems (BHS): BHS designs and manufactures sorting systems and material recovery facilities, with strong presence in North American recycling infrastructure. It competes with Anker Andersen for MRF and container sorting contracts where beverage container streams intersect with broader recyclables.
• Pellenc ST: Pellenc ST designs and manufactures optical sorting and separation equipment for material recovery facilities and recycling streams. It is a direct competitor for counting center and MRF contracts where Anker Andersen's HLZ systems are deployed.
• Sesotec GmbH: Sesotec manufactures metal detectors, separators, and sorting systems used in recycling and material recovery operations. Its separation and identification technology overlaps with Anker Andersen's ring scanner and vision-based sorting approach.
• Stadler Anlagenbau GmbH: Stadler designs and builds sorting plants and material recovery facilities for the recycling industry. It overlaps with Anker Andersen in MRF and counting center build-outs, particularly where integrated container sorting is required.

Broad incumbents

• Diebold Nixdorf: Through its recycling/RVM solutions, Diebold Nixdorf supplies reverse vending and container-return automation to retailers and DRS operators. It overlaps with Anker Andersen in deposit return infrastructure but operates a much broader retail technology portfolio.
• Sidel Group: Sidel is a major beverage packaging equipment manufacturer offering bottling, sorting, and material handling solutions for PET, cans, and glass. It overlaps with Anker Andersen on beverage container handling automation, but serves primary production rather than recycling.

Others

• RVM Systems: RVM Systems is Anker Andersen's parent company and a supplier of reverse vending machines. While overlapping in deposit return technology, the relationship is primarily commercial/strategic (joint exhibitions, market expansion) rather than head-to-head competition.

Emerging players

• Machinex Technologies: Machinex designs recycling and sorting systems, and is both a partner (Quebec deposit center) and adjacent competitor to Anker Andersen in Canadian material recovery and deposit return infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3F6XQbX1nMRSaQqVcobrvg

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Anker Andersen