What ZAB - Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Bazenheid does

ZAB - Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Bazenheid is a Swiss public-law special-purpose association (Zweckverband) founded in 1966 and jointly owned by 33 municipalities across the F\u00fcrstenland, Wil, Toggenburg and S\u00fcdthurgau regions, serving 190,000+ inhabitants and approximately 4,000 commercial and industrial businesses. It operates an integrated waste-management and energy-recovery infrastructure anchored by a thermal treatment complex (KVA waste incineration plus SVA sludge incineration) in Bazenheid that processes roughly 187,000-190,000 tonnes per year, a Sortierwerk sorting facility, three easydrive drop-off centers, the Deponie Burgauerfeld landfill in Flawil (Stage 3 expansion underway), a 16-vehicle collection fleet supported by 1,200+ underground containers, and a district heating network (Fernw\u00e4rmenetz) currently serving Bazenheid and Kirchberg with expansion into Wil in development.

Revenue is generated through a mix of waste-processing fees charged to municipal and commercial/industrial customers, unit-priced sales of fee bags (ZAB-Sagg in 17L/35L/60L/110L sizes) and bulky-waste labels (Sperrgutmarke CHF 6/CHF 12), energy sales including electricity equivalent to 20,000 households via steam turbines and process steam / comfort heat supplied through district heating, plus ancillary landfill and easydrive fees. The 2026 consolidated budget totals CHF 53M, with 2025 actual surplus of CHF 5.3M explicitly reinvested into a CHF 39M turbine replacement, heat centre construction, and an electric-vehicle parking facility. The organization also manages the secretariat of the Swiss Association of Plastic Recyclers (VSPR) and operates the KUH-Bag household-plastics collection system, which it co-developed and which expanded into Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden in 2024. A planned leadership transition will see Benjamin Braunmiller succeed long-tenured executive Claudio Bianculli as Chair of the Executive Board on July 1, 2026.

Name

ZAB - Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Bazenheid

Legal name

Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Bazenheid

Website

https://zab.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZAB is a Swiss public-law municipal association operating an integrated waste-management, recycling, and energy-recovery utility for 33 member municipalities, processing roughly 190,000 tonnes of waste annually into electricity, district heat, and recovered materials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management and Energy Recovery Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Treatment and Disposal (56221), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Waste Collection (5621), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Waste-to-Energy CHP (Municipal/Industrial Waste Incineration) (EUACAKAC)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Thermal waste treatment
• Recycling operations
• District heating networks
• Municipal waste collection

Headquarters

HQ city

Bazenheid

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waste Processing Fees: Primary revenue from waste processing fees charged to municipalities and commercial/industrial customers for thermal treatment and recycling services. Revenue derived from processing household, commercial, industrial waste and sewage sludge.
2. Waste Bag and Label Sales: Revenue from sale of Gebuehrensaecke (fee bags) - both the new blue ZAB-Sagg and specialized waste bags at various sizes (17L, 35L, 60L, 110L) and specialty items like Sperrgutmarke (bulky waste labels)
3. Energy Sales: Revenue from electricity production sold to approximately 20,000 households via steam turbines. Also district heating sold to households and industry through the Fernwaermenetz networks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZAB provides integrated waste management services for 33 member municipalities, operating thermal waste-to-energy plants (KVA and SVA) that process approximately 190,000 tonnes of municipal, commercial, industrial, and sewage sludge waste per year. Services span collection, sorting, recycling, thermal treatment with energy recovery, metal recovery from slag, district heating supply, and landfill operations, complemented by consultation and citizen-facing digital tools.

Product overview

ZAB operates as a multi-facility waste management and energy production company offering integrated waste collection, sorting, incineration, recycling, and district heating services. The core operations include Thermische Anlagen (thermal plants) producing energy from waste, a Sortierwerk with easydrive drop-off locations, Deponie Burgauerfeld landfill, and a Logistik und Recycling fleet with underground containers. The company also provides Beratung consulting services, a ZAB-App mobile application, and distributes consumer products including the ZAB-Sagg fee bags, Sperrgutmarke bulky waste labels, KUH-Bag for plastic collection, and Neophyten-Sack for invasive plant disposal. Fernwärmenetz district heating extends the energy value chain to end consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thermische Anlagen (Thermal Waste-to-Energy Plants) Waste incineration plant (KVA) and sludge incineration plant (SVA) in Bazenheid processing municipal, commercial, industrial waste and sewage sludge using modern grate and fluidized bed combustion to produce electricity, district heating, and process steam.
• Sortierwerk und easydrive (Sorting Facility and Drop-off Centers) Sorting facility in Bazenheid plus three easydrive drop-off locations (Bazenheid, Gossau, Degersheim) where private individuals and businesses can drop off over 20 different materials free of charge for separation and recycling.
• Logistik und Recycling (Collection Logistics and Underground Container Network) Direct municipal collection service for waste, paper, cardboard, plastics, and bio-waste across all 33 member municipalities using a fleet of 16 vehicles with digital route optimization and approximately 1,200 Unterflurbehälter underground containers.
• Deponie Burgauerfeld (Modern Landfill with Recovery) Modern landfill facility in Flawil for disposal of residues from thermal treatment, with integrated metal recovery (iron, aluminum, copper, stainless steel) and phosphorus-rich ash storage for future recovery.
• Fernwärmenetz (District Heating Network) District heating network supplying renewable heat from ZAB's thermal plants to households and businesses in Bazenheid and Kirchberg, with process steam supplied to nearby industrial operations; expansion planned to Jonschwil and City of Wil.
• Beratung (Waste Management Consulting) Consulting services for private customers, commercial and industrial businesses, and member municipalities on waste management following Swiss 'avoid, reduce, recycle' principles, including collection point management and citizen consultation.
• KUH-Bag (Household Plastic Collection System) Plastic collection bag system co-developed by ZAB, KVA Thurgau, and A-Region for household plastics and beverage cartons, primarily sent for material recycling.
• ZAB-Sagg (Gebührensack Fee Bag) Fee-based blue waste bag made from over 80% recycled material, available in 17L, 35L, 60L, and 110L sizes for household waste collection.
• Sperrgutmarke (Bulky Waste Label) Blue bulky waste labels (CHF 6 for items up to 15 kg; CHF 12 for items up to 35 kg) used to authorize drop-off of bulky waste at ZAB sortierwerk and easydrive locations.
• Neophyten-Sack (Invasive Plant Disposal Bag) Free disposal bag for invasive neophyte plants available from member municipalities, introduced to combat invasive species and promote biodiversity; collected via regular waste collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy production from waste powers 20,000 households annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Maitlisek GossauminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2026Partner for the easybag cycling collection service in Gossau, where residents can book pickup of recyclables via bike. Service coordinated through wirholens.ch platform.
• Ukrainian Botschaft (Ukrainian Embassy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership for humanitarian aid: ZAB donated two functional electric collection vehicles (replaced by new EVs) to support municipal waste infrastructure in Ukraine. Embassy coordinated logistics for the 2,500km transport.
• Licht im OstenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Humanitarian organization that coordinated transport of ZAB's donated collection vehicles to Ukraine, providing volunteer drivers and logistics support for the 2,500km journey to Uman, Saporischschja and Sumy.
• energietal ToggenburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2025Joint organizer of the Toggenburg Neophyten-Tauschaktion (invasive plant exchange event) to combat invasive neophytes and promote biodiversity. Event held in multiple locations (Nesslau, Wattwil, Kirchberg) with participation of around 300 people exchanging invasive plants for native alternatives.
• Kanton Appenzell InnerrhodenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024The canton joined the KUH-Bag plastic collection system, expanding the established system co-developed by ZAB, Verband KVA Thurgau, and A-Region to another canton. Residents can now dispose of household plastics via the KUH-Bag for material recycling.
• Technische Betriebe WilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024ZAB will supply waste-derived heat to Wil's district heating network; Technische Betriebe Wil is responsible for construction and operation of the local heat network infrastructure. Featured in SRF 10 vor 10 report.
• Amt für Umwelt TGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024Co-initiator of the free Neophytensack program for disposal of invasive neophytes from private gardens. The sack is provided free to residents in ZAB member municipalities.
• Verband KVA ThurgaumoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024Co-initiator of the Neophytensack program and co-developer of the KUH-Bag plastic collection system. Long-standing regional partnership for shared waste management initiatives.
• A-Region (Abfallregion St.Gallen-Rorschach-Appenzell)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Co-operator of the KUH-Bag plastic collection system that has been operating successfully for 9 years. A-Region joined ZAB and KVA Thurgau in establishing this household plastic recycling system.
• St. Galler BauernverbandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Partner in the 'Tatort Natur' educational project raising awareness about littering. The program sensitizes students and the public about the negative effects of littering on farms, animals, and the environment.
• Förderverein energietal ToggenburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Co-organizer of the 'Tatort Natur' littering awareness program and supporter of the Toggenburg Neophyten-Tauschaktion.
• Schweizerischer Verband der Plastikrecycler (VSPR)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024ZAB took over management of the VSPR (Swiss Association of Plastic Recyclers) secretariat. The association, with about 60 members, advocates for plastic recycling from households, industry, commerce, and agriculture. Managed by Michèle Beerli and Urs Corradini.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KVA Linth (Niederurnen): Waste incineration association serving the Linth region in Eastern Switzerland. Similar size, Zweckverband-style structure, and integrated waste-to-energy operations.
• Renergia (Perlen): Waste-to-energy plant in Perlen, Canton Lucerne, jointly operated by municipalities. Comparable scale, integrated waste incineration with electricity and district heating output, and similar municipal ownership structure.
• SAIDEF (Sensebezirk, Fribourg): Waste incineration facility in Posieux, Fribourg. Operates waste-to-energy with district heating and serves a regional waste partnership—directly comparable to ZAB's combined incineration/district-heating model.
• Verband KVA Thurgau: Regional waste incineration association in Canton Thurgau, Switzerland. ZAB's co-developer of the KUH-Bag plastic collection system and a direct peer in municipal waste-to-energy and district heating.
• KEBAG (Zuchwil, Solothurn): Waste incineration company in Zuchwil, Solothurn, operated by municipal shareholders. Peers closely with ZAB in waste-to-energy, electricity generation, and district heating distribution.
• Limeco (Dietikon): Regional waste and energy utility in the Limmattal (Zurich region) combining waste incineration, district heating, and gas supply. Operates on a similar integrated municipal-utility model.
• Entsorgung Region Zofingen (ERZO): Regional waste management association in Zofingen, Aargau. Comparable Zweckverband structure serving multiple municipalities with waste collection, recycling, and processing services.

Emerging players

• Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI): Swiss-based global technology provider of waste-to-energy plants and services. Comparable technology stack (grate and fluidized bed combustion) used in ZAB's KVA and SVA facilities.

Broad incumbents

• EEW Energy from Waste: One of Europe's largest waste-to-energy operators, headquartered in Germany. Comparable core business of thermal waste treatment with energy recovery, operating at a much larger scale than ZAB.
• Veolia (Switzerland / Recycling & Waste): Global environmental services group with a significant Swiss waste management presence. Larger and broader, but competes in waste collection, treatment, and recycling—the same operational domains as ZAB.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/X
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zweckverband-abfallverwertung-bazenheid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ZAB - Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Bazenheid