What SAKO Brno does

SAKO Brno, a.s. is a municipal waste management and energy-from-waste joint-stock company headquartered in Brno-Líšeň, Czech Republic, 100% owned by the Statutory City of Brno. The company provides an end-to-end municipal waste service to citizens, businesses, and neighboring municipalities in the South Moravian region: scheduled collection of mixed waste and bio-waste from residential properties, a network of 35 collection centers and a dedicated business collection yard at Jedovnická 4 (capacity 20,000 tonnes/year), secure document shredding, and large-volume container services. Its core infrastructure is the ZEVO waste-to-energy facility in Brno — two boilers operating at 850-1200°C — which processes 240,000 tonnes of mixed municipal waste per year, supplying 54,271 MWh of electricity and 1.1 million GJ of heat to the Brno grid, with heat offtake flowing through Teplárny Brno, a.s. via a dedicated hot-water exchanger station.

The company's technical stack is anchored by vertical integration across collection, sorting, and energy recovery. Recent capital projects have added material capability: the Czech Republic's first automated sorting line (2023) at the Jedovnická facility processing 15,000 additional tonnes/year of recyclables; an absorption heat pump (2021) and large-capacity shredder (2021) increasing ZEVO thermal efficiency and bulky-waste throughput; and deployment of the country's first 100% electric waste collection vehicle (2022). Quality, environmental, and occupational safety management are certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001. Educational outreach is delivered through the ENVIcentrum visitor center, which hosted more than 40,000 visitors. Two wholly/majority-owned subsidiaries — SAKO Brno SOLAR a.s. (photovoltaics on public buildings) and ASTV, s.r.o. — extend the group into adjacent energy and operating activities.

SAKO Brno's business model is a hybrid of regulated municipal services and commercial activity. Residential and SME waste collection is financed indirectly through municipal waste fees administered by the City of Brno (not billed by SAKO directly). Revenue is generated from five streams: (1) municipal waste collection contracts with the city; (2) usage-based energy recovery revenue from electricity and heat sold to the grid and to Teplárny Brno; (3) transaction fees at 35 collection points and the Jedovnická 4 yard; (4) sale of sorted secondary raw materials from the automated line; and (5) fees from reuse programs (ReSAKO, ReNab, RetroUse, Jsem zpět!), with ReUse program proceeds exceeding 1 million CZK in 2024. Commercial customers (businesses) pay on a quote-based model for regular collection, one-time pickups, shredding, and large-volume containers. Reported turnover exceeded 1 billion CZK in 2023, and a 2.85 billion CZK EU/state subsidy underwrites a ZEVO modernization running 2025-2028 that will lift processing capacity to 352,000 tonnes/year and is expected to avoid 61,008 tonnes/year of CO2. The company employs 527 people, operates 51 collection trucks, and is preparing to commission a rail-connected waste inbound siding.

Name

SAKO Brno

Legal name

SAKO Brno, a.s.

Website

https://sako.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

SAKO Brno is a municipal waste management and energy-from-waste joint-stock company wholly owned by the Statutory City of Brno, Czech Republic, running a 240,000-tonne/year ZEVO waste-to-energy facility and 35 collection centers that serve Brno's residents, businesses, and South Moravian municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste Management and Energy Recovery

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Treatment and Disposal (56221)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Source-Separated Recycling (Paper/Plastics/Metals/Glass) Processing (IMAIAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Source-Separated Organics (SSO) Collection & Hauling (Food/Yard) (BPALAEAA)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Waste-to-energy processing
• Municipal waste collection
• Automated waste sorting
• Recycling and reuse

Headquarters

HQ city

Brno

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Waste Collection Services: Waste collection and transport services to residents and businesses in Brno, funded through municipal waste fees paid to the city of Brno.
2. Waste Processing and Energy Recovery: Processing of municipal solid waste (240,000 tonnes annually) through waste-to-energy facility, generating electricity and heat sold to the city grid.
3. Collection Center Operations: Operation of 35 collection centers and one large-capacity collection facility accepting waste from citizens and businesses for a fee.
4. Sorting and Recycling Services: Sorting line processing recyclable materials from collected waste, with proceeds from selling sorted secondary raw materials.
5. ReUse Projects: Sale of reusable items collected at ReUse points, with proceeds donated to public collection 'Květiny pro Brno' for planting and maintenance of flower beds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SAKO Brno provides municipal solid waste collection, transport, sorting, and energy recovery services for the City of Brno and surrounding South Moravian region. The company processes 240,000 tonnes of mixed municipal waste annually at its waste-to-energy facility, generating electricity and heat supplied to Brno's grid and district heating network, while operating 35 collection centers, an automated sorting line, bio-waste collection, and ReUse programs for functional items.

Product overview

SAKO Brno is a waste management company wholly owned by the City of Brno, providing comprehensive municipal waste services. The portfolio includes waste collection (svoz odpadu), waste-to-energy processing (ZEVO) generating electricity and heat, 35 collection points (sběrná střediska), an automatic sorting line (třídicí linka) operational since 2023, and bio-waste collection services. Environmental initiatives include ReUse projects (ReUse, ReNab, RetroUse, Jsem zpět) for reusing functional items. Services for businesses include document shredding and large-volume containers. The subsidiary SAKO Brno SOLAR handles photovoltaic installations. An education center (ENVIcentrum) provides environmental education. The company operates 51 collection vehicles and processes 240,000 tonnes of mixed municipal waste annually, supplying 54,271 MWh of electricity and 1.1 million GJ of heat to Brno.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReSAKO: Reuse projects for second-life items
• SAKO Solar
• ReUse – druhý život
• ReNab
• RetroUse
• Jsem zpět!

Products and services

• Svoz odpadu (Waste Collection) Scheduled collection and transportation of municipal solid waste from households (black bins) and businesses across Brno and the South Moravian Region.
• Zařízení pro energetické využívání odpadu - ZEVO (Waste-to-Energy Facility) Energy recovery facility that processes 240,000 tonnes of mixed municipal waste annually at 850-1200°C using two boilers, generating 54,271 MWh of electricity and 1.1 million GJ of heat supplied to Brno's grid and district heating network.
• Sběrná střediska odpadu (Waste Collection Points) Network of 35 waste collection centers across Brno where citizens can deposit various types of recyclable, bulky, and special waste, including dedicated ReUse points.
• Automatická třídicí linka (Automatic Sorting Line) First automated waste sorting line in the Czech Republic, processing recyclable materials from collected waste with an additional 15,000 tonnes/year capacity.
• Svoz bioodpadu (Bio-waste Collection) Collection service for biodegradable household waste in brown containers and garden waste from collection points, including mobile collection according to district-specific schedules.
• ReUse – druhý život Reuse initiative where citizens donate functional items (household equipment, media, toys, books) at collection points; sold at symbolic prices with proceeds supporting the public collection 'Flowers for Brno'.
• ReNab (ReNábytek) Furniture Bank Furniture bank project that collects usable furniture from citizens and distributes it to Brno families starting new lives.
• Jsem zpět! (I'm Back!) Electrical Appliance Reuse Project in collaboration with ELEKTROWIN that collects functional electrical appliances, professionally checks them, and donates them to charitable organizations for those in need.
• ENVIcentrum (Education Center) Environmental education center providing tours and educational programs about waste management, recycling, and environmental protection for schools, businesses, and the public.
• Skartace (Document Shredding) Secure destruction service for confidential business documents with on-site supervision and shredding.
• Velkoobjemové kontejnery (Large-Volume Containers) Provision and disposal of large-volume containers and bulk waste collection services for commercial customers.
• Sběrný dvůr pro firmy (Business Collection Yard) Large-capacity collection yard at Jedovnická 4 with 20,000 tonnes/year capacity, accessible to both public and businesses for drop-off of waste.
• SAKO Brno SOLAR (Photovoltaic Installations) Wholly-owned subsidiary of SAKO Brno that implements photovoltaic installations on public buildings in Brno as part of the city's solar program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54,271 MWh of electrical energy supplied to Brno annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EKO-KOMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEKO-KOM is a nonprofit company operating the nationwide system for sorting, recycling and utilization of packaging waste in the Czech Republic. SAKO Brno partners with EKO-KOM to support and promote waste sorting among citizens and manage packaging waste.
• ELEKTROWIN a.s.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELEKTROWIN is a collective system for electrical equipment recycling. SAKO Brno collaborates with ELEKTROWIN on the 'Jsem zpět!' (I'm back!) project, collecting functional electrical appliances for donation to those in need.
• Teplárny Brno, a.s.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeplárny Brno is the heating company receiving heat energy from SAKO Brno's waste-to-energy facility. SAKO Brno built a hot water heat exchanger station to supply heat to Teplárny Brno's district heating network serving Líšeň and Vinohrady districts.
• Statutory City of BrnocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAKO Brno is 100% owned by the statutory city of Brno. The city is the primary customer and funding source for municipal waste management services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• REMONDIS: One of Europe's largest private waste and water service providers, operating collection, recycling, and waste-to-energy across many countries. Broader scale and geographic footprint but directly comparable in service mix and municipal contract orientation.
• Veolia (Veolia Environnement / Veolia ČR): Global environmental services group combining municipal waste, water, and energy services. Operates waste-to-energy and recycling divisions comparable to SAKO's ZEVO and sorting line, though as part of a much broader portfolio.
• EEW Energy from Waste: Europe's largest operator of waste-to-energy plants focused exclusively on thermal treatment of municipal waste. Highly relevant comparator for SAKO's ZEVO plant, technology profile, and throughput-based economics.

Direct peers

• Pražské služby: Praha's municipally-owned waste management company. Closest structural analogue to SAKO Brno: city-owned, operates waste collection, sorting, and energy recovery for a major Czech city, with a similar fleet and collection-yard model.
• Marius Pedersen: Czech waste management operator covering collection, sorting, and disposal services for municipalities and industrial customers. Direct competitor in Czech municipal solid waste collection and material recovery.
• ASC Group (Technické služby / ASC): Czech regional operator of municipal waste collection, bulk containers, sorting, and disposal for municipalities and businesses. Closely comparable on service scope and customer mix.
• FCC Česká republika (FCC Environment ČR): Local subsidiary of FCC Environment, one of Central Europe's largest waste management groups. Operates municipal collection, recycling, and waste-to-energy comparable to SAKO Brno's integrated service portfolio.
• AVE CZ odpadové hospodářství: Czech arm of the AVE Group operating municipal and commercial waste collection, sorting, and material recovery across multiple regions. Competes directly with SAKO Brno for municipal and commercial waste contracts in the Czech Republic.

Others

• Teplárny Brno: Brno's municipal district heating company and direct offtaker of heat from SAKO's ZEVO plant via a dedicated hot water pipeline. Not a competitor, but a counterparty whose district heating demand underpins the energy-recovery economics.
• EKO-KOM: Czech producer-responsibility organisation managing the nationwide packaging waste recovery and recycling system. SAKO Brno is a partner rather than competitor, but EKO-KOM sets the regulatory/commercial framework in which SAKO's sorting operations run.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SAKOBrno
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sako-brno-a-s-
• Instagraminstagram.com/sakobrno

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 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 SAKO Brno