IK Umwelt

What IK Umwelt does

IK Umwelt is a Krefeld, Germany-based waste disposal and recycling company founded in 2011 by Mirco Illian, operating an integrated all-in-one service model targeting the construction sector across North Rhine-Westphalia. The company operates 8 strategic locations and manages an annual throughput of approximately 3 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste, with 110+ owned trucks (scaling to ~300 via partner network), more than 1,000 containers, and 40+ pieces of heavy equipment. Core services span container rental and waste disposal, recycling and processing of mineral construction waste into 700,000 tonnes of certified secondary building materials annually, just-in-time logistics for construction sites, and trading of both primary (sand, gravel, basalt, limestone) and secondary construction materials. Proprietary branded products include BIK BLOCK concrete stacking blocks and BIK BAG bulk material bags.

The business model combines transaction-fee-based services (waste disposal, container rental, logistics, material sales) and quote-based pricing across enterprise construction customers, SMBs, private individuals, and public sector clients. All eight locations hold Entsorgungsfachbetrieb (EfB) certifications, QUB A quality certifications for recycled materials, and sustainability certifications from the Deutsches Institut für Nachhaltigkeit & Ökonomie. Direct sales channels include a field sales force for enterprise accounts and a self-service e-commerce portal (ik-umwelt-container.shop) for SMB and private customers.

In January 2025, IK Umwelt merged with Schüttflix (a digital logistics platform) and the disposal division of Hagedorn Unternehmensgruppe (€440M revenue, 2,000+ employees) to form the Schüttflix Group, described as Europe's largest circular economy platform for the construction sector. The combined entity projects €190M revenue for FY2024 and a €250M target for FY2025. Under the new structure, founder Mirco Illian serves as Chief Growth Officer of the Schüttflix Group while IK Umwelt subsidiaries continue operations under their existing names and regulatory certifications.

Name

IK Umwelt

Legal name

IK Umwelt (operating as multiple subsidiaries including: IK Umwelt Aachen GmbH, IK Umwelt Düsseldorf GmbH, IK Umwelt Duisburg GmbH, IK Umwelt Krefeld Hafen GmbH, IK Umwelt Containerdienst GmbH, SCHIK Transporte GmbH)

Website

https://ik-umwelt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IK Umwelt is a Krefeld-based waste disposal and recycling company serving the German construction sector across 8 NRW locations, processing 3 million tonnes of construction waste annually and producing 700,000 tonnes of certified recycled building materials. Now part of the Schüttflix Group following its January 2025 merger.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Waste Management and Recycling Services

NAICS

Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629), Other Nonhazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562219)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Hazardous Waste Handling, Transport & Disposal (RCRA/TSDF) (IMAIAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Waste & Universal Waste Handling (Batteries, Lamps, Aerosols) (BPABALAE), Hazardous/Special Waste Removal (Paint, Chemicals, Biohazard) (HSAKALAK), Demolition Debris & Light Tear-Out Cleanouts (HSAKALAN)

Keywords

• Construction waste disposal
• Construction recycling services
• Container logistics services
• Building materials supply
• Circular economy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Krefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Disposal and Container Services: Container rental and waste disposal services for construction sites, handling various waste types including construction debris, soil, wood, gypsum, asbestos, and mixed construction waste. Services include container placement, collection, transport, and compliant disposal.
2. Recycling and Material Processing: Processing of mineral construction waste into quality-certified secondary building materials (Recyclingbaustoffe). Production of approximately 700,000 tonnes annually of certified recycled materials.
3. Primary and Secondary Building Material Sales: Sale of both primary building materials (sand, gravel, basalt, decorative gravel, limestone) and quality-certified secondary building materials from recycling operations. Includes proprietary BIK BLOCK and BIK BAG products.
4. Logistics Services: Transportation services for construction materials and waste using the company's fleet of 110+ trucks. Includes special transport for hazardous materials.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IK Umwelt operates as an all-in-one environmental services provider for the construction sector, offering integrated container services, waste disposal, recycling, just-in-time logistics, and primary/secondary building materials supply. The company handles construction and demolition waste streams (debris, soil, wood, asbestos, mixed waste) at 8 locations across North Rhine-Westphalia, processes approximately 700,000 tonnes annually into quality-certified recycled building materials, and operates a fleet of 110+ trucks serving both business and private customers.

Product overview

IK Umwelt operates as an all-in-one environmental services provider focused on circular economy in the construction sector. The company offers an integrated portfolio comprising container services, waste disposal and recycling, project planning and logistics, and construction materials trading. Key proprietary offerings include BIK BLOCK (variable concrete stacking blocks) and BIK BAG (one-cubic-meter material transport bags). The company also processes mineral construction waste into quality-certified secondary construction materials and supplies primary construction materials such as sand, gravel, basalt, and decorative split. Services are delivered through a fleet of over 110 trucks and more than 1,000 containers across 8 locations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BIK BLOCK: Variable concrete stacking blocks produced by IK Umwelt for constructing boundary systems or industrial halls up to 8-9 meters height without fastening materials.
• BIK BAG

Products and services

• Container Service (Containerdienst) Collection and disposal of construction and demolition waste using 1,000+ drop-off and roll-off containers ranging from 3 to 36 cubic meters, with delivery within 24 hours. Serves both business and private customers via direct operations and online ordering.
• Disposal and Processing (Entsorgung und Aufbereitung) Integrated waste management concepts covering collection, transport, and processing of construction waste, excavated soil, asphalt, ashes, slag, railway ballast, and bedding materials. Handles approximately 3 million tonnes of mineral waste annually, producing 700,000 tonnes of quality-certified recycled secondary building materials.
• Project Planning and Logistics (Projektierung und Logistik) Customized just-in-time logistics and project planning services for construction sites, coordinating disposal, raw material delivery, and installation for construction companies and demolition firms across North Rhine-Westphalia.
• Construction Materials Trading (Baustoffhandel) Supply of primary construction materials (sand, gravel, basalt, decorative split, limestone) and quality-certified secondary/recycled construction materials including crushed concrete and processed excavated soil, sold to construction companies and private customers.
• BIK BLOCK Concrete Stacking Blocks Proprietary variable concrete stacking blocks produced in-house that enable flexible construction of boundary systems or industrial halls without fastening materials. Blocks allow building heights of 8-9 meters and can be quickly repositioned.
• BIK BAG Bulk Transport Bags Proprietary one-cubic-meter bags for optimal storage and transport of bulk materials such as sand, gravel, basalt, and various types of construction debris. Logistics for empty and filled bags handled by IK Umwelt.
• Special Transport Services Specialized transport services for hazardous materials and waste including asbestos-containing materials requiring special packaging and documentation, plus slurries, dusts, and ashes transported in specially sealed containers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000,000+ tonnes transported annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Schüttflix Group (Schüttflix + Hagedorn Entsorgungssparte)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2025IK Umwelt joined forces with Schüttflix (digital platform for construction material logistics) and the disposal division of Hagedorn Unternehmensgruppe to form the Schüttflix Group. This creates Europe's largest circular economy platform for the construction sector, combining IK Umwelt's recycling expertise with Schüttflix's digital logistics platform and Hagedorn's disposal capabilities. The group expects €250M revenue in 2025.
• Mirco Illian (Founder of IK Umwelt)coreOthers · 21 January 2025Mirco Illian, founder of IK Umwelt, becomes Chief Growth Officer of the Schüttflix Group, bringing expertise in material flow management and construction waste recycling.
• Dr. Mischa RittercoreOthers · 21 January 2025Dr. Mischa Ritter joins as Chief Information Officer of Schüttflix Group, bringing digital scaling expertise from scaling Zooplus to €3.7B acquisition.
• Hagedorn UnternehmensgruppecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2025Hagedorn Unternehmensgruppe, Germany's leading full-service provider in demolition, disposal, civil engineering, and land revitalization with €440M revenue (2022) and 2,000+ employees, combined its disposal division with IK Umwelt and Schüttflix to form Schüttflix Group. Hagedorn's Barbara and Thomas Hagedorn (founded 1997) lead the combined entity.
• Kleemann (Wirtgen Group)coreTechnology or Integration · 27 October 2023Kleemann, a leading construction machinery manufacturer (part of Wirtgen Group), partnered with IK Umwelt to equip two locations (Düsseldorf and Kall limestone quarry) with MOBIREX MR 130(i) PRO mobile impact crushers. The equipment enables high-throughput recycling of construction materials with 500,000 tonnes annual capacity at Düsseldorf location. Features electric E-DRIVE system for emission-free operation.
• Accredited Laboratories (Kooperation mit erfahrenen Geologen und akkreditierten Laboren)supportingOthersIK Umwelt works with accredited independent laboratories for waste sampling and analysis to ensure proper disposal classification and compliance.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SUEZ Deutschland: German operations of international environmental services group SUEZ (now part of Veolia/Suez combined). Provides waste collection, recycling, and circular economy solutions across Germany, overlapping with IK Umwelt's integrated disposal and recycling offering.
• ALBA Group: Leading German recycling and environmental services group with operations across Europe. ALBA overlaps with IK Umwelt's construction and demolition waste recycling, secondary materials production, and container services, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Veolia Umweltservice: German subsidiary of global environmental services giant Veolia, providing hazardous and non-hazardous waste management. Overlaps with IK Umwelt's hazardous waste handling, industrial services, and recycling operations for large commercial and industrial customers.
• REMONDIS: One of the world's largest waste and recycling service companies, headquartered in Germany. REMONDIS competes directly with IK Umwelt in industrial and construction waste collection, recycling, and materials recovery across Germany, with a much broader national footprint.
• PreZero (Schwarz Group): Environmental services division of the Schwarz Group (Lidl/Kaufland parent), focused on circular economy and recycling across Europe. PreZero competes with IK Umwelt in waste collection, sorting, and secondary materials, backed by deep retail-group capital.

Direct peers

• Hagedorn Unternehmensgruppe: Germany's leading full-service provider in demolition, disposal, civil engineering, and land revitalization (€440M revenue, 2,000+ employees). Hagedorn's disposal division was merged with IK Umwelt into Schüttflix Group, but the broader Hagedorn business directly overlaps with IK Umwelt's customer base and services.
• Kühl Entsorgung: Regional German waste management and recycling company offering container services, waste disposal, and building materials supply. Directly comparable to IK Umwelt in service mix and customer segments, though operating in different German regions.
• Schüttflix: Digital platform for construction material logistics that merged with IK Umwelt and Hagedorn's disposal division. The combined Schüttflix Group entity is the closest direct peer, combining digital marketplace capabilities with physical disposal and recycling infrastructure like IK Umwelt's.

Others

• Wirtgen Group (Kleemann): Leading construction machinery manufacturer whose Kleemann brand supplies the mobile impact crushers used by IK Umwelt. Wirtgen is a key technology/equipment supplier enabling IK Umwelt's recycling throughput rather than a direct competitor, but shapes IK Umwelt's processing economics.

Regional players

• Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR): Berlin-based municipal waste management company operating in collection, disposal, and recycling. While geographically separate from IK Umwelt's NRW operations, BSR serves as a benchmark for integrated municipal and commercial waste management services at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ik-umwelt

Compliance19 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries7 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 IK Umwelt