Ecoboxtec
Ecoboxtec is an Australian manufacturer of reverse vending machines and container-flattening equipment for beverage container deposit schemes, serving government entities, waste operators, and scheme operators across Australia with AI-based recognition, IoT monitoring, and solar-powered off-grid capability.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNorthgate, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ecoboxtec does
Ecoboxtec is an Australian designer and manufacturer of recycling equipment, with its primary focus on reverse vending machines (RVMs) used in beverage container deposit schemes. Its core product line includes the C.BOX standalone RVM, the modular RVM Wall designed for space-constrained urban sites, the Solar-Powered Off-Grid RVM targeted at remote locations without grid access, and the EP 500 Flattener for depot-level volume reduction. Customers are primarily Australian local and state government entities, waste operators, and container deposit scheme operators, with indirect end users being individual consumers participating in the 10-cent refund scheme. Headquartered and manufactured in Northgate, Queensland, the company employs 1-10 staff and is founder-led by Julien Craeye.
The technology stack centres on AI-based computer vision for container recognition: a 360-degree camera system combined with barcode scanning, weight measurement, and metal detection identifies, classifies, and validates eligible beverage containers across multiple material streams (aluminium, PET, HDPE, glass, liquid paperboard). Machines integrate with a proprietary IoT platform providing live container counts, bin capacity tracking, custom alerts, security and maintenance monitoring, and remote management. A flattening mechanism reduces container volume by up to three-quarters, and the solar-powered variant — described as the first high-capacity off-grid RVM solution — uses lithium batteries for continuous operation. No patents or third-party AI benchmarks are disclosed.
The business model combines one-time hardware sales (C.BOX, RVM Wall, Solar RVM, EP 500 Flattener, plus custom solutions) with recurring service and maintenance contracts under service-level agreements, a 12-month warranty, and installation/commissioning delivered by in-house technicians. Commercialisation began in 2022 with the first batch of commercialised RVMs and has expanded through 2023-2024 with the launch of solar-powered off-grid units and participation in Queensland and Western Australia Change Maker Awards. Distribution is sales-led and direct, targeting government, enterprise, and scheme-operator buyers via website inquiry forms and field sales, supplemented by a channel relationship with Container Exchange (Coex) and a nationwide third-party service partner network for maintenance coverage across remote areas. The company has not disclosed external venture capital funding and has received grant support from the Australian Government Entrepreneurs' Programme.
Ecoboxtec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ecoboxtec
- Legal name
- Ecoboxtec
- Website
- https://ecoboxtec.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ecoboxtec is an Australian manufacturer of reverse vending machines and container-flattening equipment for beverage container deposit schemes, serving government entities, waste operators, and scheme operators across Australia with AI-based recognition, IoT monitoring, and solar-powered off-grid capability.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ecoboxtec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recycling Equipment / Reverse Vending Machines
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compactor, Container & Roll-off Services (Rental, Service & Logistics) (EUAIAGAC)
Keywords
Where Ecoboxtec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northgate
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ecoboxtec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Reverse Vending Machines: Sale of reverse vending machines including the C.BOX standalone units, RVM Wall modular systems, and Solar-Powered Off-Grid RVMs. Machines are sold directly to government entities, enterprises, and scheme operators.
- Hardware Sales - Flattener EP500: Sale of container volume reduction equipment including Standard and Large model flattener kits for depot operations.
- Service & Maintenance Contracts: Service-level agreements providing monitoring, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, regular servicing, breakdown assistance, and remote diagnostics. Includes 12-month warranty on all products.
- Installation & Commissioning: Installation and commissioning services provided by technicians, with detailed technical documentation and staff training included.
- Custom Solutions: Tailored recycling system development to meet specific client needs, offering custom integration and configuration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Hourly | Trade Assistant role compensation |
| Subscription | Annual | Service & Maintenance Support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ecoboxtec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ecoboxtec designs, manufactures, and sells reverse vending machines (RVMs) and container-flattening equipment used in beverage container deposit schemes across Australia. Its machines use AI-based shape recognition, 360-degree cameras, barcode scanning, weight measurement, and metal detection to identify and sort eligible containers, with a flattening mechanism that reduces container volume by up to 75%. The company also delivers installation, commissioning, monitoring, and ongoing maintenance services.
Product overview
Ecoboxtec is an Australian manufacturer offering a suite of recycling solutions centered on reverse vending machines (RVMs) for beverage container deposit schemes. The core product portfolio includes the C.BOX reverse vending machine with AI-based container recognition, the Solar-Powered Off-Grid RVM for remote locations, the modular RVM Wall for space-efficient installations, and the EP 500 Flattener for container volume reduction. The C.BOX processes multiple container types (aluminium, PET, HDPE, glass, liquid paperboard) using computer vision and flattening mechanisms, while the RVM Wall and Solar-Powered variants extend deployment flexibility. All products integrate with Ecoboxtec's proprietary IoT platform for remote monitoring and management. Custom solutions and new high-speed processing systems are available or in development for specific client needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- C.BOX: The standalone C.BOX reverse vending machines designed to efficiently collect, sort, and compact beverage containers eligible in container deposit schemes.
Products and services
- C.BOX Reverse Vending Machine Smart, automated reverse vending machine for collecting, sorting, and compacting beverage containers eligible in container deposit schemes. Features AI-based shape recognition, barcode scanning, weight measurement, and metal detection, with a flattening mechanism that reduces container volume by up to 75%. Processes aluminium, PET, HDPE, glass, and liquid paperboard streams.
- Solar-Powered Off-Grid RVM Standalone solar-powered reverse vending machine designed for locations with limited power access, retaining the advanced features of C.BOX RVMs and adding solar panels with lithium batteries for continuous off-grid operation. Targeted at remote Australian sites.
- RVM Wall Modular and space-saving RVM that integrates into existing walls, new structures, or custom-built enclosures. Features one to multiple entry points and one to five backend receivers for flexible configurations in compact urban or retail spaces.
- EP 500 Flattener Flattener kit for reducing beverage container volume to improve storage efficiency and lower transport costs. Available in standard and large models, flattens both aluminium cans and PET bottles, with IP-rated protection for indoor and outdoor use in depot operations.
- Installation & Commissioning Services Technician-led installation and commissioning of Ecoboxtec RVMs and flattener equipment, including detailed technical documentation and staff training, delivered across Australia.
- Service & Maintenance Contracts Ongoing service-level agreements covering remote monitoring, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, regular servicing, breakdown assistance, and remote diagnostics for installed Ecoboxtec equipment, backed by a 12-month warranty.
Quantifiable outcome
- Container volume reduction of up to 1/4 original size
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ecoboxtec
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ecoboxtec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature9 records
Ecoboxtec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Australian Wildlife ConservancyminorEnvironmental nonprofit partner receiving charitable donations. When depositing containers, members of the public can choose to receive their 10-cent refund or donate to AWC. Ecoboxtec implements this donation option on every RVM built.
- Container Exchange (Coex)coreScheme operations team visited Ecoboxtec to explore their ready-to-use technology. Container Exchange operates container deposit schemes and facilitates connections between RVM operators and scheme networks across Queensland and potentially other regions.
- Third-Party Service PartnersminorTrusted third-party partners with over 30 years of experience in servicing recycling equipment across Australia, providing reliable nationwide coverage for remote area maintenance and support.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ecoboxtec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sielaff: German manufacturer of reverse vending machines for beverage container returns. Competes directly on AI-based recognition and modular RVM configurations in CDS-adjacent markets.
- ACI: Provider of recycling equipment including reverse vending machines and container handling systems. Overlaps with Ecoboxtec on beverage container sorting and depots/flattener solutions.
- TOMRA: The world's largest reverse vending machine manufacturer with over 90,000 installed units globally. Directly competes with Ecoboxtec in beverage container RVMs and shares the same Australian CDS customers, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
- RVM Systems: US-based RVM manufacturer focused on container deposit and recycling programs. Competes with Ecoboxtec in AI-assisted container recognition and offers comparable sorting/compaction functionality for CDS operators.
- Anker Andersen: European RVM producer with decades of experience serving container deposit schemes across Scandinavia and other markets. Overlaps with Ecoboxtec on multi-stream container sorting and compaction technology.
- Envipco: Specialist reverse vending machine provider with strong European and North American presence expanding into Australia. Competes head-to-head with Ecoboxtec on multi-stream RVMs for aluminium, PET, and glass containers.
Broad incumbents
- Cleanaway: Major Australian waste-management operator with depot and CDS-adjacent infrastructure. Relevant peer because Cleanaway is a potential customer and competitive incumbent in depot processing that RVMs and flatteners serve.
- Diebold Nixdorf: Large-scale provider of retail technology including RVMs and self-service recycling kiosks. Competes with Ecoboxtec in retail and transport-hub deployments but as part of a much broader retail-hardware portfolio.
- Veolia Australia and New Zealand: Largest waste-management operator in ANZ with extensive depot infrastructure and scheme operations. Competes with Ecoboxtec indirectly as a buyer/integrator of RVM technology and as a potential partner for fleet rollouts.
- Wincor Nixdorf (now Diebold Nixdorf): Heritage enterprise offering RVM solutions alongside ATMs and retail systems — a broad incumbent rather than a niche specialist, competing with Ecoboxtec only at certain deployment types.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ecoboxtec social profiles
Digital presenceEcoboxtec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ecoboxtec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Ecoboxtec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ecoboxtec 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 Ecoboxtec
What does Ecoboxtec do?
Ecoboxtec designs, manufactures, and sells reverse vending machines (RVMs) and container-flattening equipment used in beverage container deposit schemes across Australia. Its machines use AI-based shape recognition, 360-degree cameras, barcode scanning, weight measurement, and metal detection to identify and sort eligible containers, with a flattening mechanism that reduces container volume by up to 75%. The company also delivers installation, commissioning, monitoring, and ongoing maintenance services.
Is Ecoboxtec a public or private company?
Ecoboxtec is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ecoboxtec founded?
Ecoboxtec was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ecoboxtec based?
Ecoboxtec is headquartered in Northgate, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Ecoboxtec make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Reverse Vending Machines are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales - Flattener EP500, service & Maintenance Contracts, installation & Commissioning and custom Solutions.
Who are Ecoboxtec's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sielaff, ACI, TOMRA, RVM Systems, Anker Andersen and Envipco. Broad incumbents are Cleanaway, Diebold Nixdorf, Veolia Australia and New Zealand and Wincor Nixdorf (now Diebold Nixdorf).
Does Ecoboxtec have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ecoboxtec.
What industry is Ecoboxtec in?
Ecoboxtec's product category is Recycling Equipment / Reverse Vending Machines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAGAC, Compactor, Container & Roll-off Services (Rental, Service & Logistics). Its NAICS code is 3333.