What Schwendimann does

Schwendimann AG is a privately held, family-owned waste management and recycling company headquartered in Münchenbuchsee, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Founded in 1935 by Fritz Härberli, the company has operated continuously for over 90 years and is described as the largest private waste and recycling provider in the Greater Bern area. It serves over 30 municipalities across the Bern-Mittelland and Seeland regions through long-term contracts, alongside private households, commercial and industrial customers, and event organizers in the Bern-Biel-Burgdorf corridor.

The company operates a portfolio of integrated services rather than a single product platform. Core offerings include regular waste collection (Kehricht, Sperrgut, green waste, paper, cardboard, metal, glass), container and skip rental (4-40 m3) under Muldenservice, bulky waste pickup, complete household clearances, municipal workshop operations (Werkhof), property maintenance and winter services, event waste management via the Trennbox separation system, vehicle rental (including Tesla EVs via miets.ch), traffic sign rental (signalmiete.ch), and container sales (Ochsner brand via abfallcontainer.shop). It also operates the Luup Brocki secondhand store in Bern's Lorraine district and runs two 'brings' recycling drop-off points in partnership with brings AG. Underlying operations are supported by a proprietary networked ERP system enabling near-paperless workflows for scheduling, disposition, and waste management, plus an electric fleet (2 electric garbage trucks and 3 electric workshop vehicles) charged via rooftop solar PV at the headquarters.

The business model combines subscription-style recurring revenue from long-term municipal contracts with transaction-based revenue from per-service waste collection, container rental, vehicle and equipment rental, container sales, and event services. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct municipal contract negotiation, complemented by self-serve e-commerce platforms for smaller customers. Pricing is negotiated per contract and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no public market presence, employing over 90 staff referred to as 'Mitdenkerinnen und Mitdenker'.

Name

Schwendimann

Legal name

Schwendimann AG

Website

http://www.schwendimann.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schwendimann AG is a family-owned Swiss waste management and recycling company founded in 1935, serving over 30 municipalities, businesses, and households in the Bern-Mittelland region with collection, container rental, property services, and adjacent rental and e-commerce offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulky Item & White Goods Collection (EUAIAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Junk Removal & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAFAH), Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA), Eco-Friendly Disposal, Recycling & Donation Hauling (HSAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Recycling services
• Container rental
• Municipal waste collection
• Property maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Zermatt

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Collection & Disposal Services: Recurring municipal contracts and per-service waste collection fees covering household refuse (Kehricht), bulky waste (Sperrgut), green waste, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and more. Services are contracted through long-term municipal agreements and pay-per-service arrangements for private customers.
2. Mulden (Skip Container) Rental & Disposal: Rental of standard and large skip containers (4-40 m3) for disposal of combustible waste, construction debris, green waste, wood, and iron. Revenue generated per rental transaction.
3. Vehicle & Equipment Rental: Rental of vans, transporters, trailers, and electric vehicles via miets.ch; rental of traffic signs and barriers via signalmiete.ch. Targets customers needing vehicles for moves, clearances, and construction projects.
4. Container Sales: Sale of robust plastic containers (Ochsner brand) via the company's e-commerce platform abfallcontainer.shop.
5. Event Waste Management: Specialized waste collection and recycling services for events, festivals, and public gatherings. Includes provision of separation systems (Trennbox).
6. Property & Workshop Services: Facility management services including grounds maintenance, green space care, winter services, street cleaning, and general upkeep for municipalities and residential properties.
7. Community Workshop / Brocki (Luup): Operation of 'Brocken' second-hand shops under the Luup brand, reselling usable items collected during clearances.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Schwendimann AG is the largest private waste disposal and recycling provider in the Greater Bern area, delivering regular household, bulky, green, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass waste collection for over 30 municipalities under long-term contracts and for private/commercial customers on a per-service basis. The offering is extended through skip/container rental (4–40 m³), house and apartment clearance, event waste management with the Trennbox separation system, municipal workshop (Werkhof) and property maintenance services, vehicle and traffic-sign rental, and online container sales through abfallcontainer.shop.

Product overview

Schwendimann AG operates as a comprehensive waste management and recycling service provider with a portfolio of integrated service offerings rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include Abfallsammlung (waste collection) with specialized sub-services like Grünabfuhr and Sperrgutabholung, complemented by the Muldenservice (container rental) for various waste types. Property maintenance services are delivered through Liegenschaftsdienst and Werkhof offerings. Additional service products include Evententsorgung, Hausräumung, and vehicle rental through miets.ch. Online platforms abfallcontainer.shop, signalmiete.ch, and sinv.swiss support digital sales channels, while brings collection points provide self-service disposal options. The company also offers Softwareentwicklung for custom waste management solutions and operates the Luup Brocki secondhand store. Services span residential, commercial, municipal, and event segments across the Bern-Mittelland region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• brings: Collection point brand (Sammelstelle brings) for recycling drop-off locations operated in Münchenbuchsee and Kirchberg.

Products and services

• Abfallsammlung (Waste Collection) Regular waste collection services for households and municipalities using Euro6 and electric garbage trucks, including Kehrichtabfuhr (refuse collection), Sperrgutabfuhr (bulky waste collection), and specialized material collection.
• Muldenservice (Container / Skip Rental Service) Container and skip rental service offering standard containers (4, 6, 7 m³) and large containers (12–40 m³) including press containers for disposal of combustible waste, construction debris, green waste, wood, and iron.
• Liegenschaftsdienst (Property Maintenance Services) Property maintenance services including green space care, lawn maintenance, area cleaning, and winter services for private residences, residential developments, and housing estates.
• Werkhof (Municipal Works Department Service) Privatized municipal works department service for municipalities including winter maintenance, street cleaning, green space maintenance, and long-term contractual work.
• Sperrgutabholung (Bulky Waste Collection) Pickup service for furniture and large waste items from households and businesses, including sofas, tables, chairs, and beds.
• Hausräumung (House and Apartment Clearance) Complete house and apartment clearance services including planning, execution, and disposal of materials from residential properties.
• Evententsorgung (Event Waste Management) Specialized waste management and recycling services for events and festivals, including the Trennbox separation system enabling on-site separation of different waste types.
• Fahrzeugvermietung / miets.ch (Vehicle Rental) Rental of vans, transporters, electric vehicles including Tesla vehicles, and trailers (motorcycle trailers, tipper trailers, vehicle trailers) for moves, clearances, and construction projects.
• Container Sales (abfallcontainer.shop / Ochsner) Sale of robust plastic containers from the Ochsner brand for waste and recycling storage, available through the abfallcontainer.shop online shop.
• Grünabfuhr (Green Waste Collection) Green waste collection service available with annual permits in various municipalities in the Bern-Mittelland region.
• Verkehrsschilder Miete / signalmiete.ch (Traffic Sign Rental) Rental of traffic signs, road markings, and barriers for construction sites and events.
• Sammelstellen brings (Recycling Collection Points) Self-service collection points for recyclable waste disposal in Münchenbuchsee and Kirchberg, operated through partnership with brings AG.
• Gewerbe/Industrie Entsorgung (Commercial/Industrial Waste Management) Professional waste management and recycling solutions for commercial and industrial businesses including custom disposal concepts, consulting, and specialized containerized solutions.
• Luup Brocki (Secondhand Store) Bernese secondhand store in the Lorraine district operated under the Luup brand, reselling usable items collected during clearance operations.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• brings AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchwendimann operates 'brings' recycling collection points in Münchenbuchsee (Bielstrasse 40) and Kirchberg (Industrie Neuhof 40) in partnership with brings AG. brings AG manages the drop-off stations where residents deliver recyclables (glass, tin, paper, cardboard, green waste, etc.) for weighing and proper sorting. This partnership extends Schwendimann's recycling network and provides residents with convenient self-service recycling options.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ERZ (Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich): Municipal waste management entity serving the city of Zürich with comparable residential and commercial collection, recycling, and special-waste services. Closest direct comparable to Schwendimann in scale and service mix, though operating in a larger urban geography.

Broad incumbents

• KVA Bern AG: Waste incineration and treatment operator serving the Bern-Mittelland region. Comparable in regional waste-management focus but further downstream in the value chain (treatment/disposal vs. collection), and operates as a publicly linked infrastructure provider rather than a private collector.
• P. Eberhard & Co. AG: Swiss construction and recycling company offering building demolition, material recovery, and waste management services across multiple Swiss regions. Comparable in waste-stream handling and recycling operations, though broader portfolio includes construction rather than municipal waste collection as the core.
• Frutiger Group: Swiss construction and services group with recycling, demolition, and material recovery operations. Comparable in waste and recycling services but as part of a broader construction-services portfolio rather than a specialist waste firm.

Others

• Bring AG: Operates public recycling drop-off (Sammelstellen) stations in Switzerland, including two locations in Münchenbuchsee and Kirchberg operated in partnership with Schwendimann. Comparable in recycling-collection infrastructure, serves as both partner and an adjacent competitor for residential self-service disposal.
• Mobility Genossenschaft: Swiss carsharing cooperative providing self-service vehicle rental across Switzerland. Comparable to Schwendimann's miets.ch vehicle rental platform as a substitute/complementary mode of customer transport access, though operates in passenger rather than commercial/fleet vehicle rental.
• Lindner Recyclingtech: European manufacturer of recycling and waste-processing machinery used by waste management operators. Comparable in the recycling value chain but as an equipment supplier rather than a collection/services operator; useful for benchmarking Schwendimann's downstream processing economics.

Regional players

• Saier Transporte AG: Swiss transport and disposal company operating in the Bern region with comparable container rental (Muldenservice) and waste hauling services. Comparable in regional mid-market waste logistics, though smaller and more transport-focused than Schwendimann's full-service offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schwendimann.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schwendimann-ch
• Instagraminstagram.com/schwendimann.ch
• Xx.com/schwendimannag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Schwendimann