Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS)

What Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS) does

Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS) is the municipal utility company (Eigenbetrieb) of the city of Solingen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, providing essential public services including municipal waste collection and disposal, street cleaning, winter road maintenance, electricity generation, communication networks, urban green spaces and cemetery management, and civil engineering and traffic infrastructure. The organization employs approximately 900 staff and serves roughly 165,000 residents and visitors to Solingen. Funding derives from municipal budgets and service fees; TBS operates as an internal service provider under the governance of the city administration rather than as a market-facing enterprise, and no commercial revenue is publicly disclosed.

The technology stack is anchored by SAP SuccessFactors for HR management (Recruiting and Onboarding modules implemented starting January 2023, with Learning and Development modules planned to follow), complemented by regio iT as the web infrastructure partner. On the operational side, TBS has deployed Smart City infrastructure including fill-level sensors on waste bins for intelligent routing and weather/environmental sensors in the city center for traffic management and air quality optimization. The organization also operates Solingen Pixels, a gamified digital talent campus that simulates municipal career paths through interactive mini-games and was the first such platform deployed by a German city. Partnerships include SAP Deutschland, regio iT, pme Familienservice (employee assistance program), Erfolgsfaktor Familie network, and local vocational training institutions including Mildred-Scheel-Berufskolleg and the Bergisches Studieninstitut.

Commercially, TBS is not a revenue-generating business in the conventional sense. Compensation follows the TVöD collective agreement and LBesG NRW pay grades for civil servants, with entry-level monthly salaries of approximately €3,038-4,844 and senior roles reaching €6,712. Strategic priorities center on HR digitalization, leadership development (Führungskräfteentwicklungsreihe 2026), employer branding, and Smart City infrastructure rollout, all funded within the constraints of the city's annual municipal budget.

Name

Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS)

Legal name

Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS)

Website

https://karriere-solingen.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS) is the municipal utility (Eigenbetrieb) of Solingen, Germany, delivering waste management, street cleaning, winter services, green spaces, cemeteries, communication networks, and civil engineering to the city's 165,000 residents. It employs approximately 900 staff as a government-owned entity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Utilities and Public Services

NAICS

Utilities (221)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Municipal waste management
• Urban street cleaning
• Winter road maintenance
• Municipal infrastructure services
• Cemetery and green space management

Headquarters

HQ city

Solingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Services: TBS provides essential municipal services including waste collection, street cleaning, winter services, power generation, communication networks, urban green spaces, cemeteries, and civil engineering/infrastructure maintenance funded through municipal taxes and service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TBS is the municipal utility (Eigenbetrieb) of the City of Solingen, Germany, providing seven core public services: municipal waste disposal, street cleaning, winter maintenance, electricity generation, communication network infrastructure, urban green space and cemetery management, and civil engineering/traffic infrastructure construction and maintenance. With approximately 900 employees, TBS operates as a vertically integrated public utility serving 165,000 residents within an exclusive municipal franchise.

Product overview

Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS) is a municipal environmental and utility services company (Eigenbetrieb) of the city of Solingen with approximately 900 employees. TBS operates as a unified utility providing essential city services including waste disposal, street cleaning, winter maintenance, electricity generation, communication networks, green spaces and cemeteries management, and civil engineering/traffic infrastructure. The organization follows the mission statement 'Wir machen Solingen sauber, grün und smart' (We make Solingen clean, green, and smart) and is structured as a single integrated municipal utility rather than a platform with modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Städtische Abfallentsorgung (Municipal Waste Disposal)

Quantifiable outcome

• Family-friendly certification through 'Erfolgsfaktor Familie' network with 8,900+ members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• regio iT gesellschaft für informationstechnologie mbHcoreTechnology or Integrationregio iT serves as the design and implementation partner for the City of Solingen's career website and digital infrastructure. Based in Aachen (Lombardenstraße 24, 52070 Aachen), they handle web design, development, and ongoing technical support for municipal digital platforms.
• SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KGcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAP provides the SuccessFactors HR management platform hosting the career website, applicant tracking system, and HR analytics. Headquartered in Walldorf (Hasso-Plattner-Ring 7, 69190 Walldorf) with data center in Frankfurt.
• pme FamilienserviceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal employee assistance program (EAP) provider offering confidential counseling services to employees and their immediate family members 24/7, including support for personal, professional, family, and legal matters.
• Erfolgsfaktor Familie NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of over 8,900 members promoting family-friendly workplace policies. The City of Solingen participates to exchange best practices and validate its family-friendly initiatives.
• Mildred-Scheel-BerufskollegminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational school in Solingen partnering for the practice-integrated educator training program (PIA). Currently has 11 school classes for the praxisintegrierte Ausbildung zur Erzieherin/Erzieher.
• Bergisches Studieninstitut für kommunale VerwaltungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional training institute in Wuppertal providing theoretical education for municipal administration trainees and civil servant preparation programs.
• Junges Herz (Agency)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmployer branding agency engaged to conduct target audience analysis and develop employer brand strategy for the city administration and TBS.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stadtreinigung Hamburg: Hamburg's municipal street cleaning and waste disposal company. Direct comparator on waste management, street cleaning, and winter services for a major German city, with similar municipal ownership and integrated service delivery.
• Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR): Berlin's municipal waste management and street cleaning utility. Direct functional peer to TBS's Stadtsauberkeit, Winterdienst, and Städtische Abfallentsorgung services, operating under the same Eigenbetrieb municipal structure.
• Entsorgungsbetriebe Köln (EBK): Cologne's municipal waste management and cleaning operator. Direct peer on waste disposal, urban cleanliness, and infrastructure services for a NRW-adjacent city, structurally comparable to TBS.
• Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft Region Hannover (aha): Regional waste management Zweckverband serving the Hannover region. Direct functional peer for TBS's waste management and street cleaning services, operating under a similar public-sector municipal service delivery mandate.
• Technische Werke Emmerich am Rhein (TWE): NRW municipal utility for Emmerich with energy, water, and municipal infrastructure services. Direct peer as another German Eigenbetrieb running integrated utility operations in a smaller NRW city, structurally similar to TBS.

Others

• REMONDIS: Germany's largest private waste management company providing recycling and municipal services contracts. Comparable as a potential subcontractor/competitor for waste disposal contracts that municipal Eigenbetriebe like TBS currently handle in-house.

Regional players

• Stadtwerke Köln: Multi-utility municipal provider serving Cologne in NRW. Comparable in operating model as a regional NRW municipal utility delivering energy and infrastructure services; broader portfolio than TBS.
• Stadtwerke Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf's municipal utility serving NRW directly neighboring Solingen. Comparable as a NRW municipal utility with energy, water, and infrastructure services, sharing regional labor market dynamics with TBS.
• Stadtwerke Wuppertal: Wuppertal municipal utility operating in the Bergisches Städtedreieck alongside Solingen. Direct regional peer that TBS competes with for talent (e.g., TBS participates in vocatium Wuppertal) and shares NRW municipal service delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Stadtwerke München: Large municipal utility serving Munich with energy, mobility, and telecom services. Comparable as a German municipal Eigenbetrieb/Stadtwerke model operating integrated public services, though far larger and broader in scope than TBS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/technische-betriebe-solingen-tbs
• Instagraminstagram.com/klingenstadt_karriere

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Technische Betriebe Solingen (TBS)