Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld

What Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld does

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld (KBK) is the municipal utility of the City of Krefeld, Germany, organized as an Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts under §114a GO NRW. Established in its current legal form in 2018 and operating under the 4th amendment to its founding ordinance dated March 28, 2023, KBK holds exclusive statutory responsibility for a portfolio of public services including household and packaging waste disposal, sewage drainage and treatment, street cleaning and winter maintenance, public green space management (parks, forests, the 36,000 sqm Botanical Garden, and 11 cemeteries), and since 2023 the planning, construction, and maintenance of approximately 170 playgrounds. The organization is wholly owned by the City of Krefeld, supervised by a Verwaltungsrat chaired by Oberbürgermeister Frank Meyer, and led operationally by Vorstand Andreas Horster, a civil engineer with prior leadership of Stadtentwässerung Krefeld.

KBK employs approximately 500 staff and delivers services through a multi-channel infrastructure comprising a physical customer center at Ostwall 175, online service portals (waste container ordering, drainage applications, meter readings, property ownership changes), telephone support, dedicated environmental education facilities (the Krefelder Umweltzentrum founded 1991), and field operations across the city. Revenue is generated entirely through regulated municipal fees (Gebührensatzungen) updated annually — including container-based waste fees, water-consumption-based drainage fees, Reinigungsklasse-based street cleaning fees, and winter service fees — billed to property owners and residents. Operational delivery is partially contracted to partners, notably GSAK (a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Krefeld) for residual/paper/organic waste collection and street cleaning, and Schoenmackers for yellow-bag/yellow-bin packaging waste collection.

KBK is not a venture-backed or publicly traded entity. There are no acquisition signals, no funding rounds, no equity investors, and no IPO trajectory. The organization presents a "Vision KBK 2030" strategy, indicating long-horizon planning within its fixed geographic and statutory mandate. Technology footprint is conventional: the proprietary Maak-et citizen defect-reporting portal, the interactive Spielplatzfinder, the Abfall-ABC information database, and standard municipal service forms. No AI/ML capabilities are disclosed, and digital systems function as transaction and reporting tools rather than intelligence platforms.

Name

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld

Legal name

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld, Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts

Website

https://kbk-krefeld.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld (KBK) is the municipal public-law utility of the City of Krefeld, Germany, exclusively responsible for waste disposal, sewage drainage, street cleaning, green spaces, cemeteries, and playgrounds. It serves all Krefeld residents and property owners through regulated annual municipal fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste Management and Public Services

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAF

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

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYEUAIAAAF

Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Services (Waste Management, Recycling & Remediation)/Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Collection & Hauling

SECONDARYBPALAAAE

Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning)

Business & Public Services/Waste Management & Remediation Services/Municipal Solid Waste Collection & Hauling

Keywords

• Municipal waste management
• Sewage drainage services
• Street cleaning maintenance
• Public green spaces
• Cemetery management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Krefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Service Fees: KBK generates revenue through regulated municipal fees charged to property owners and residents for waste disposal, sewage drainage, street cleaning, and winter services. These fees are governed by official fee schedules (Gebührensatzungen) that are publicly available and updated annually.
2. Waste Disposal Fees: Fees for household waste containers based on container size and service frequency. Residents pay for waste collection services through the municipal billing system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld is a municipal public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) that delivers essential public infrastructure services for the city of Krefeld, including household waste collection and disposal, sewage drainage and wastewater management, street cleaning and winter maintenance, and management of public green spaces such as parks, forests, cemeteries, and playgrounds. Services are funded through regulated municipal fees charged to property owners and residents, with on-site delivery supplemented by online portals, telephone support, and an in-person customer center.

Product overview

Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld (KBK) is a municipal utility providing comprehensive public services for the city of Krefeld. The organization operates as a multi-service provider offering interconnected infrastructure and community services including waste collection and disposal (Abfallentsorgung), street maintenance and winter services (Straße), drainage and wastewater management (Entwässerung), green space management including the Botanical Garden and city forests (Natur und Grün), playground planning and maintenance (Spielplätze), and cemetery services (Friedhöfe). Key service products include the KBK Customer Center for in-person support, the Maak-et deficiency reporting portal for citizen engagement, the Playground Finder for locating recreational facilities, the Krefeld Environmental Center for environmental education, and various community programs such as CleanUp Day events, tree bed sponsorships, and playground sponsorships. The annual magazine with waste calendar serves as a central information hub for all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waste Container Service (Abfallgefäße) Online service enabling Krefeld property owners and residents to order, modify, or cancel waste containers (residual, paper, bio bins) for their property; supports the city's regulated household waste collection system.
• Depot Containers (Unterflurcontainer) Network of underground container locations across Krefeld providing collection points for paper, glass, and other recyclable materials.
• Maak-et Deficiency Reporter (Mängelmelder) Digital citizen engagement platform allowing Krefeld residents to report damage, illegal dumping, littering, and other issues in public spaces (streets, green spaces, waste, canals, sports facilities) for KBK follow-up.
• Krefeld Environmental Center (Umweltzentrum) Environmental education facility at the edge of the Hülser Bruch nature reserve (Talring 45) offering nature and species programs for kindergartens and schools in Krefeld.
• Annual Magazine with Waste Calendar (Jahresmagazin) Yearly KBK publication combining the waste collection calendar, street directory, and information on municipal services; distributed by post and at city offices.
• Street Cleaning & Winter Service (Straßenreinigung und Winterdienst) Municipal street cleaning and winter maintenance service covering public roads in Krefeld, billed to property owners based on cleaning class (Reinigungsklasse I-VIII).
• Drainage Application (Entwässerungsantrag) Online service enabling property owners to apply for permits and connections related to property drainage and the public sewage system in Krefeld.
• Meter Reading Submission (Zählerstandsmeldung) Online portal for property owners to submit their water meter readings annually for assessment of municipal drainage fees.
• Cemeteries (Friedhöfe) Management of 11 cemeteries across Krefeld, providing burial services, grave maintenance, memorial options, and cemetery administration (Friedhofsverwaltung).
• Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) 36,000 sqm botanical garden at the edge of Schönwasserpark in the Oppum district, providing year-round nature recreation and education for residents and visitors.
• Forest Management (Wälder) Management of Krefeld's urban forests (Hülser Berg, Forstwald, Stadtwald) including wildlife enclosures, adventure playgrounds, and recreational trails.
• Playground Planning & Maintenance (Spielplatzplanung) Planning, construction, and maintenance of approximately 170 playgrounds across Krefeld, with responsibility transferred from the City of Krefeld to KBK in 2023.
• Playground Finder (Spielplatzfinder) Interactive map-based search function allowing citizens to locate approximately 170 playgrounds, exercise courses, and sports fields across Krefeld.
• Waste Advice (Abfallberatung) Consultation service providing residents with answers to questions on waste avoidance, recycling, and proper disposal practices in Krefeld.
• Waste Detectives (Abfalldetektive) Enforcement team patrolling the Krefeld city center to identify illegal waste dumping, document violations, educate citizens on proper disposal, and coordinate removal.
• Amphibian Migration Protection Seasonal program installing amphibian protection fences on roads near breeding waters and coordinating volunteer helpers to safely move frogs, toads, and newts across roads.
• Property Ownership Change Notification (Eigentumswechsel) Administrative form for property owners to notify KBK of ownership changes, ensuring correct drainage fee, street cleaning, waste disposal, and winter service billing.
• KBK Customer Center (Kundencenter) Physical customer service location at Ostwall 175 in Krefeld providing in-person, telephone, and email support for all KBK services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed ~170 playgrounds across Krefeld
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Verein der Freunde und Förderer des Krefelder Umweltzentrums e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004The support association for the Krefeld Environmental Center has been fostering activities since 2004. The association enables over 300 events annually at the Umweltzentrum and ensures that all children in Krefeld can visit and have an educational experience.
• GSAK (Gesellschaft für Stadtreinigung und Abfallwirtschaft Krefeld)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGSAK is a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Krefeld (SWK) contracted by KBK to perform waste collection services. GSAK empties residual waste, paper, and organic waste containers (Rest-, Papier- und Biomülltonnen) throughout Krefeld. GSAK also operates the value recycling center (Wertstoffhof) and performs street cleaning and winter services on behalf of KBK.
• SchoenmackerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchoenmackers is contracted by KBK to collect yellow bags and yellow bins (Verpackungsmüll) containing packaging waste throughout Krefeld.
• EGN (Entsorgungsgesellschaft Niederrhein)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEGN provides green waste collection services at the Bruchfeld 33 facility in Krefeld. They also have a fee schedule for green waste disposal (Entgeltordnung Grünabfälle).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kölner Abfallwirtschaftsbetriebe (AWB): Cologne's municipal waste management enterprise. Directly comparable German municipal entity responsible for household waste, bulky waste, street cleaning, and waste advisory in a major city.
• Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR): Berlin's municipal waste management and street cleaning utility (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts). Directly comparable to KBK in legal form and core service scope (waste collection, street cleaning, winter service) at much larger scale.
• Stadtreinigung Hamburg (SRH): Hamburg's municipal waste and street cleaning utility. Closely comparable public-law entity offering integrated waste collection, street cleaning, and citizen services analogous to KBK's portfolio.
• Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb München (AWM): Munich's municipal waste management enterprise. Comparable municipal operator providing household waste collection, recycling, street cleaning, and citizen advisory services within a single city.
• Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg (WBD): Duisburg's municipal enterprise combining waste management, street cleaning, and green space maintenance. Closely analogous structure and service mix to KBK in a comparable mid-sized Ruhr-area city.
• Kommunale Entsorgung und Reinigung Leipzig (KELL): Leipzig's municipal waste and cleaning enterprise (Eigenbetrieb). Comparable municipal operator delivering waste collection, street cleaning, and winter service within a single German city.
• EGN Entsorgungsgesellschaft Niederrhein: Regional waste disposal company operating the green waste reception facility used by KBK. Direct operational peer for green waste disposal on the same Niederrhein geography.
• Stadtreinigung Dresden: Dresden's municipal waste and street cleaning utility. Comparable East German Stadtreinigung providing household waste collection, recycling, and street cleaning services for a single municipality.
• BONN-ABWASSER (Abwasserbetrieb der Stadt Bonn): Bonn's municipal wastewater and sewage operator. Comparable Stadtbetrieb focused on municipal sewage/drainage fees and operations — analogous to KBK's Entwässerung line.

Broad incumbents

• Stadtwerke Krefeld (SWK): Krefeld's municipal multi-utility (energy, water, transport). Parent of GSAK (KBK's main waste collection contractor); serves as the broader public utility peer in the same city with overlapping governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kbk.krefeld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kbk-krefeld
• Instagraminstagram.com/kbk_krefeld

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Kommunalbetrieb Krefeld