Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst

What Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst does

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst GmbH & Co. KG is a third-generation, family-owned waste management company headquartered in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1932 by Leonhart Ernst as a horse-drawn cartage business and now led by Rudolf Ernst jun. and Jürgen Ernst. The company provides integrated waste collection, disposal, recycling, and street/canal cleaning services to three primary customer segments: private households, municipalities (including six Bavarian districts: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, Ansbach, Stadt Ansbach, Eichstätt, Donau-Ries, and Neustadt an der Aisch/Bad Windsheim), and commercial/trades/industrial customers.

The operating model rests on a modern, in-house-maintained vehicle fleet and four physical sites (Gunzenhausen HQ with administration, BAZ treatment facility, hazardous waste intermediate storage, and scrap recycling center; Nürnberg regional branch; Burgoberbach operations support; and Markt Berolzheim materials sorting facility). Service lines span regular household and commercial collection, container and bin rental, ~11,000 tonnes/year of scrap and metal recycling, ADR-certified hazardous waste transport and disposal, green waste acceptance and processing into compost/bark mulch, sewer and canal cleaning, and street sweeping. Regulatory anchors include Entsorgungsfachbetrieb certification under §56 KrW-/AbfG, ISO 50001:2018 (valid until 2028), WHG Fachbetrieb, RAL Gütezeichen, ADR transport certification, and TRGS 520-trained personnel. The company operates an in-house eANV electronic waste documentation portal (built on NSUITE software from Dr. Ing. Wandrei GmbH) that integrates with the national ZKS-Abfall system, providing legally compliant hazardous waste certificate management as both an internal tool and a customer-facing service.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid mix: subscription/recurring streams from scheduled collection and container rental contracts, transaction-based revenue from purchased scrap and metal resale, professional services revenue from hazardous waste consulting and transport, and unit-priced pay-as-you-go fees at green waste acceptance points (e.g., €7.00/m³ for mixed green waste, €33.00/m³ for planting soil, €45.00/m³ for bark mulch). Distribution is sales-led and direct, with no third-party intermediaries; customers access services via municipal contracts, scheduled and on-demand collections, and direct drop-off at company facilities across the Bavarian service area. Headcount stands at approximately 350 employees as of 2020, with no external institutional investors or PE ownership disclosed.

Name

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst

Legal name

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://ernst-gun.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst is a third-generation, family-owned waste management company headquartered in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, providing integrated collection, recycling, hazardous waste disposal, scrap metal processing (~11,000 tonnes/year), and municipal services to households, six Bavarian districts, and commercial/industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management and Recycling Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Waste Management (Collection/Treatment/Disposal) (IMAIAFAI), Bulk Item & White Goods Collection (Bulky Waste) (BPALAAAD)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Hazardous waste disposal
• Scrap metal recycling
• Municipal waste collection
• Industrial waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Gunzenhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Collection Services: Collection and disposal services for residential, municipal, and commercial customers. Services include regular waste pickup, scheduled collections, and on-demand container services.
2. Container and Bin Rental: Provision of various container types including open containers, lidded containers, press containers, mulden, MGB (large waste containers), and specialized hazardous waste containers (IBC, drums).
3. Scrap and Metal Recycling: Purchase and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals including copper, aluminum, brass, zinc, and lead. Revenue from selling processed materials to recycling facilities.
4. Specialized Waste Services: Hazardous waste transport and disposal with ADR-certified vehicles and trained personnel. Includes dangerous goods transportation and consultancy services.
5. Green Waste Processing and Sales: Acceptance of garden waste with processing into compost or wood chips. Sale of processed products including planting soil and bark mulch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst provides certified waste collection, disposal, and recycling services across Bavaria and Thuringia, serving private households, municipalities, and commercial/industrial customers. Core offerings include household and municipal waste collection routes, commercial waste disposal, certified hazardous waste (Sonderabfall) transport and disposal, scrap and metal recycling (~11,000 tonnes/year), green waste acceptance with compost and bark mulch production, sewer and canal cleaning, street sweeping, and property clearance services.

Product overview

Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst operates as a certified waste management company offering comprehensive disposal and recycling services through multiple integrated product lines. The core offerings include household and municipal waste collection services, commercial and industrial waste management, and special hazardous waste disposal (Sonderabfallentsorgung). Supporting services include scrap and metal recycling (approximately 11,000 tonnes annually), green waste acceptance, sewer cleaning, street sweeping, property clearances, and wet waste disposal. The company provides container and bin solutions in various sizes for all waste types, including specialized hazardous waste containers. A digital eANV (electronic waste documentation) portal enables customers to manage mandatory hazardous waste tracking documentation. The business operates across multiple facilities including the main Gunzenhausen headquarters, a hazardous waste intermediate storage facility, scrap recycling center, and material sorting plant, with approximately 350 employees serving the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Household and Municipal Waste Collection Services Scheduled curbside collection and proper recycling of residual waste, organic waste, paper, glass, and other recyclables for private households and Bavarian municipal districts. Includes collection schedules, waste acceptance at facilities, and a comprehensive service spectrum covering regular pickup, recyclables separation, and bulky waste collection.
• Commercial & Industrial Waste Services Customized disposal solutions for businesses of all sizes, from construction sites to production facilities and offices. Includes legal compliance management and recycling of valuable materials into commercial waste streams.
• Special Hazardous Waste Disposal (Sonderabfallentsorgung) Certified hazardous waste management including transport and disposal of chemicals, oils, solvents, and paints. Features ADR-certified dangerous goods transport vehicles and professionally trained staff with ADR certification and TRGS 520 training.
• Scrap & Metal Recycling Purchase, sorting, and recycling of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum, brass, zinc, lead) as well as complete vehicles and machinery from industrial, commercial, and agricultural sources. Processes approximately 11,000 tonnes of scrap metal annually at the Gunzenhausen facility.
• Wet Waste Disposal (Nassentsorgung) Collection and disposal of rainwater and wastewater contaminated by various substances. Includes oil separator and grease trap servicing, vacuum truck services with hoses up to 45 meters, and proper treatment or disposal of cleaned water.
• Construction Site Waste Management Collection and recycling of construction waste including rubble, construction materials, and excavated soil. Processes mixed construction waste as recyclable material through the company's sorting facility.
• Property Clearance Services (Räumungen) Complete disposal services for business closures, relocations, or major cleanups with emphasis on sorted separation of all waste types to maximize recycling rates.
• Street Cleaning Services Professional street cleaning using modern sweeping machines for reliable removal of leaves, dirt, and debris from streets, parking lots, and airfields.
• Green Waste Acceptance (Grüngutannahme) Acceptance of garden waste from private households including grass, hedge cuttings, leaves, plants, and branches up to 10cm diameter and 2m length. Material is separated into woody and grassy/mixed green waste streams for composting or chipping into bark mulch and planting soil.
• Sewer & Canal Cleaning (Kanalreinigung) Complete canal system cleaning using high-pressure flushing vehicles with water recovery systems. Optionally includes TV inspections and video documentation through partner companies.
• Problematic Waste Collection (Problemüllsammlung) Special collection events for hazardous household waste including chemicals, paints, batteries, and other dangerous materials throughout various municipalities and counties via mobile collection units.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~11,000 tonnes annual throughput for scrap metal recycling operations

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dr. Ing. Wandrei GmbH (NSUITE)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the NSUITE software platform powering ERNST's eANV (electronic waste documentation) portal. The portal is hosted on ERNST's servers and enables creation, editing, and management of waste transport certificates, communication with ZKS-Abfall, electronic signatures, and compliant archiving.
• CMD GmbH & Co. KGcoreOthersExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) providing GDPR compliance services and functioning as ombudsman for whistleblower reporting system.
• ZKS-Abfall (Zentrale Koordinierungsstelle der Länder)coreTechnology or IntegrationNational coordination center for waste documentation serving as the technical hub for electronic waste tracking across Germany. ERNST's eANV portal integrates with ZKS-Abfall for nationwide waste certificate processing.
• Hetzner Online GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite hosting provider located in Gunzenhausen, providing infrastructure for the company website and online services.
• BDE (Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungswirtschaft)minorOthersFederal Association of German Waste Management Industry - referenced as a linked resource for industry information and regulatory guidance.
• VBS (Verband Bethkes Söhne)minorOthersIndustry association referenced as a linked resource for waste management sector information.
• VDRK (Verband für Rohr-, Kanal- und Industrieservice)minorOthersTrade association for pipe, canal, and industrial services - ERNST holds membership certificate.
• LBT (Lokal uncertain)minorOthersIndustry association referenced as a linked resource.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Umweltservice: German arm of global environmental services group Veolia, providing municipal and commercial waste collection, recycling and hazardous waste management — a broad incumbent competing with Ernst for the same municipal tender pipeline.
• Remondis: One of Germany's largest private waste management service companies, providing municipal collection, recycling and hazardous waste services nationwide — overlapping directly with Ernst's core municipal and commercial collection, recycling and hazardous waste offering but at national scale.
• Suez Recycling und Recovery Deutschland: German arm of Suez offering municipal, commercial and hazardous waste services including electronic waste documentation — competing with Ernst for Bavarian municipal accounts and larger commercial hazardous waste accounts.

Emerging players

• Prezero (Schwarz Group): Emerging German recycling and environmental services platform backed by the Schwarz Group (Lidl/Kaufland parent), rapidly expanding into municipal and industrial waste collection — directly comparable to Ernst on commercial recycling and circular economy positioning.

Direct peers

• ALBA Group: German-headquartered waste and recycling services group operating across sorting, recycling and integrated disposal — a like-for-like operator to Ernst on municipal contracts, recycling throughput, and hazardous waste handling.
• Lobbe Entsorgung: German industrial services and waste management firm covering hazardous waste, container and industrial cleaning — directly comparable to Ernst's hazardous waste, ADR transport, wet waste disposal (Nassentsorgung) and canal cleaning services.
• Knettenbrech & Gurdulic: Mid-sized German waste management company operating container services, recycling, scrap metal and hazardous waste disposal with a comparable multi-site regional model — a close analogue in scale and service mix.

Others

• Brenntag: Global chemical and hazardous waste services distributor operating industrial waste handling and recycling including hazardous streams — adjacent to Ernst on hazardous and industrial waste but operating at fundamentally larger scale and chemical-industry focus.

Regional players

• Zosseder Entsorgung: Bavaria-based regional waste hauler offering container service, recycling and demolition waste collection — competing with Ernst in the same Bavarian catchment area for both private household and commercial accounts.
• Heinz Entsorgung: Mid-sized regional waste management and recycling company in southern Germany with municipal, commercial and container service offerings — comparable regional scale and service breadth to Ernst.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ErnstGunzenhausen/?locale=de_DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st%C3%A4dtereinigung-rudolf-ernst-gmbh-&-co.-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/ernst_entsorgung

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Städtereinigung Rudolf Ernst