ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage

What ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage does

ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage is a competence-center subsidiary of the privately held, third-generation ACO Group, focused on engineered stainless-steel drainage and water-management solutions for industrial and commercial buildings. The entity operates from Přibyslav, Czechia with 95 employees, functioning as the ACO CZI group's hub for Industrial and Commercial building drainage and as a Business Support and Key Account Management contact for global operations. Its portfolio spans floor drainage (hygienic gullies, box and slot channels), grease and starch separators, light-liquid separators, lifting and pumping stations, pipe systems, wall protection (ACO Kerb), shower channels, and stormwater management solutions (Stormbrixx, Qmax, Self gravel grid), all unified under the ACO WaterCycle philosophy of Collect, Clean, Hold, and Reuse. The company applies a HygieneFirst philosophy to product design and develops proprietary materials such as ACO NEXITE (KIWA-certified 100% recyclable) and integrates BIM/Revit data packages for architect and engineer workflows.

The company's revenue model combines hardware sales of drainage and separation equipment with professional services, including Drainage System Assessment (DSA), kitchen assessment, design consultancy, installation supervision, and on-site welding. Pricing is quote-based and project-driven, reflecting customization requirements rather than standardized catalog pricing. Distribution is entirely direct: ACO operates enterprise field sales through regional competence centers, sales offices in over 50 countries, and 29 production sites across all continents, engaging designers, architects, and facility operators directly. Customer segments are anchored in food and beverage processing facilities and commercial kitchens (both flagged as primary), with secondary exposure to residential buildings and broader building infrastructure such as roofs and parking decks.

The business is differentiated primarily through regulatory positioning — ACO became the first drainage company to join EHEDG in 2011, sponsors its World Congresses, and contributes to EN wastewater standards via CEN — and through branded intangible assets (HygieneFirst, WaterCycle, DSA). Quantified outcomes from third-party validation include Fraunhofer Institute IVV research showing 0% residual contamination with ACO hygienic channels cleaned in 8 minutes, and a Krones-published business case citing more than €50,000 in weekly savings and €2.5 million in annual savings from improved hygienic design. The company maintains ISO 9001/14001/50001/27001 certifications, KIWA and Blue Angel eco-labels, and Halal certification, signaling compliance depth relevant to regulated food-and-beverage and public infrastructure end markets.

Name

ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage

Legal name

ACO Ahlmann SE & Co. KG

Website

https://buildingdrainage.aco

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage, a competence center within the privately held ACO Group, designs and manufactures stainless steel hygienic drainage systems, grease separators, and water management solutions for food processing facilities, commercial kitchens, and building infrastructure customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial and Commercial Drainage Systems

NAICS

Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822)

SIC

Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipework, Calorifier & Heat Exchanger Descaling/Decontamination (BPABAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial/Residential Building Water Management & Leak Analytics Services (HSAHAGAK), Plumbing & Utility Systems (Potable/Non-Potable Water, Sanitary, Storm, Sewage Lift) (EUAEAFAF)

Keywords

• Drainage systems
• Grease separators
• Hygienic drainage
• Stormwater management
• Wastewater handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Büdelsdorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drainage Systems Sales: Sale of industrial and commercial drainage products including floor drainage, channels, gullies, pipe systems, and related components. Products are sold directly to food processing facilities, commercial kitchens, and building projects.
2. Grease and Wastewater Separators: Sale of grease separators, starch separators, light liquid separators, and wastewater treatment equipment for commercial and industrial applications.
3. Professional Services: Assessment services including Drainage System Assessment (DSA), Kitchen assessment, Design consultancy, Installation supervision, and On-site welding and installation services.
4. Custom Drainage Solutions: Tailored dimensions and configurations for box and slot channels in cooperation with technical support team, or using available drainage customization tools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage designs, manufactures, and sells stainless steel hygienic drainage systems, grease separators, pipe systems, wall protection, shower channels, and stormwater management solutions for industrial, commercial, and residential building applications. Its portfolio is organized around the ACO WaterCycle framework (Collect, Clean, Hold, Reuse) and targets food processing facilities, commercial kitchens, building infrastructure, and residential projects.

Product overview

ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage offers a comprehensive portfolio of drainage and water management products and systems. The core offering includes floor drainage (hygienic gullies, box channels), grease separation technology (Grease Capture 2.0, Grease Trap, LipuSmart), shower drainage (ShowerDrain S+, ShowerDrain C, ShowerDrain E+), pipe systems (ACO Pipe stainless steel push-fit), wall protection (ACO Kerb), and stormwater management solutions (Stormbrixx, Qmax). The ACO WaterCycle system integrates these products under the Collect, Clean, Hold, and Reuse framework. Products span industrial applications (food and beverage processing), commercial buildings (commercial kitchens, parking decks, roofs), and residential settings (bathrooms, terraces, balconies). The company also provides supporting services including BIM data packages for Autodesk Revit, Drainage System Assessment (DSA) consulting, and EHEDG-compliant design guidelines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HygieneFirst: ACO's commitment to ultimate hygienic performance philosophy that guides product design and manufacturing for food safety.
• ACO WaterCycle
• ACO Grease Capture 2.0
• ACO ShowerDrain S+
• ACO NEXITE

Products and services

• ACO Grease Capture 2.0 Next-generation grease removal device with enhanced separation efficiency, compact design, and reduced energy consumption for commercial kitchen applications.
• ACO ShowerDrain S+ Shower channel with simplified installation featuring toolless height adjustment via plastic screws, preassembled waterproofing membrane, and accommodation for floor tiles up to 10mm in residential and commercial bathrooms.
• ACO Grease Capture Below-sink grease removal device for commercial kitchens and food service establishments that prevents grease and food debris from entering wastewater and protects internal pipework.
• ACO Grease Trap Below-sink grease trap for commercial kitchens and food service establishments to prevent grease and food debris from entering wastewater, suitable where large grease separators cannot be installed.
• ACO LipuSmart Combined grease separator, sampling unit, overall control unit, and lift plant integrated into one compact solution for commercial kitchen wastewater management.
• ACO ShowerDrain Public X Heat exchanger shower channel that collects and drains wastewater while recovering heat for energy efficiency in public facilities.
• ACO Pipe Stainless steel push-fit pipe system for grey or black water transport offering 40+ years product life, easy push-fit assembly, and available cutting tools.
• ACO Kerb Wall protection product preventing walls from impacts and water or chemical ingress, available in 200mm height for traffic up to 1 ton and 300mm height for traffic up to 5 tons as recommended by EHEDG.
• ACO Hygienic Gully Fixed height and telescopic hygienic floor drainage gullies for food processing facilities with a primary focus on hygiene performance.
• ACO Box Channel Channel drainage system available in fixed height and telescopic configurations with protective cover options for industrial floor drainage.
• ACO Stormbrixx Infiltration system for stormwater management that captures rainwater from intense storms, stores it for future use, or gradually releases it into soil to replenish groundwater.
• ACO Qmax Retention channel with internal recognition for low carbon impact, part of ACO's sustainable stormwater management solutions.
• ACO Vacuum Toilet Vacuum toilet system using negative pressure that reduces water consumption to approximately 1 liter per flush compared to traditional 5-8 liters, and can operate with alternative water sources.
• ACO NEXITE KIWA environmentally certified, 100% recyclable material with high strength and resistance to traffic and environmental influences, used in ACO's sustainable drainage channels.
• ACO Grease Separators Grease separation systems for removing grease and oil from wastewater, preventing blockages, corrosion, and groundwater contamination while enabling collected fats to be repurposed for sustainable fuels.
• Drainage System Assessment (DSA) Structured assessment service that identifies drainage issues and describes their impact on production from hygiene, safety, and operations perspectives in food processing facilities.
• BIM Data Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 0% residual contamination with ACO hygienic drainage channel cleaned in 8 minutes without mechanical cleaning steps (Fraunhofer Institute IVV 2016 study)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

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

• European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011ACO became a proud member of EHEDG in 2011, leading in improving hygienic standards within the food and beverage industry. ACO actively participates in EHEDG working groups on Sustainability, Building & Factory Design, and Water Management. The company contributes to guidelines, certifications, and training materials that ensure highest standards of food hygiene and safety. ACO was the first drainage company to join EHEDG.
• SikacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket-leading resin flooring company and ACO joined forces for a three-year research program investigating the behaviour of common floor-drainage connections. The study developed evidence-based guidance for flooring-drainage connections for factory and processing facility operators. Sika and ACO adopted a professional and scientific approach resulting in the ACO L-profile edge installation guidelines.
• DiverseymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACO invited Diversey (a cleaning process company) as a joint event partner for #HygieneConnect initiative in Latin America, combining expertise in drainage solutions and cleaning technologies to deliver educational events on hygiene standards.
• KronesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKrones presented a business case at EHEDG World Congress demonstrating how equipment design influences cleaning and sterilisation efficiency in soft drink manufacturing, showing €50,000 weekly savings potential from improved hygienic design.
• NordArtminorOthersACO sponsors NordArt, one of Europe's largest annual art exhibitions held at Kunstwerk Carlshütte (ACO's historic origin site), attracting over 200 international artists and 100,000+ visitors annually.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Geberit Group: Geberit is a European market leader in sanitary technology, including building drainage systems, stainless steel channels, and grease separators for food service and commercial applications. Directly comparable to ACO in product categories, customer segments (food processing, commercial kitchens, residential bathrooms), and direct enterprise/specifier sales motion.
• Watts Water Technologies: Watts Water Technologies manufactures water quality, conservation, and drainage products including the BLÜCHER stainless steel drainage line directly competing with ACO in commercial and industrial drainage. Comparable across product portfolio, food service customer base, and global distribution model.
• Wavin (Orbia): Wavin, owned by Orbia, supplies plastic pipe systems and drainage solutions for building, infrastructure, and stormwater management. Comparable to ACO's pipe systems (ACO Pipe), stormwater retention (Stormbrixx), and building drainage product lines across commercial and residential applications.
• Josam Company: Josam manufactures cast iron and stainless steel drainage products, floor drains, and cleanouts for commercial and industrial construction. Comparable to ACO's industrial and commercial drainage offering with similar specification-driven sales to engineers and contractors.
• Zurn Water Solutions: Zurn Water Solutions (formerly Roper's water platform) provides drainage, water control, and plumbing products for commercial construction, including floor drains, cleanouts, and grease interceptors. Direct overlap with ACO's commercial drainage and grease separation offering for food service and institutional customers.
• MIFAB Inc. MIFAB is a North American manufacturer of commercial drainage products including floor drains, cleanouts, hydrants, and grease separators. Directly competes with ACO in commercial kitchen and food processing drainage, with similar product specification and contractor-driven sales motion.

Emerging players

• Dallmer GmbH: Dallmer is a German specialist in shower channels, floor drains, and bathroom drainage solutions for residential and commercial applications. Direct overlap with ACO's ShowerDrain product family and bathroom drainage offerings, particularly in the German and Austrian markets.
• Kessel AG: Kessel is a German manufacturer of drainage technology, lifting stations, grease separators, and backflow systems for buildings. Direct overlap with ACO's clean/release product lines, particularly in commercial kitchens and basement wastewater lifting stations in European markets.

Broad incumbents

• Viega Group: Viega is a German manufacturer of plumbing, heating, and drainage systems including press-fit pipe technology and stainless steel drainage. Comparable to ACO in pipe systems, commercial drainage, and German-speaking market presence, with broader installation training ecosystem.
• Saint-Gobain PAM: Saint-Gobain PAM is a global manufacturer of cast iron drainage, sewer, and rainwater systems for building and infrastructure. Comparable to ACO's drainage and stormwater products, with broader portfolio and deeper resources as part of Saint-Gobain group.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@acogroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aco-buildingdrainage

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 ACO Industrial and Commercial Drainage