ALBA SE
ALBA SE is a publicly listed German environmental services group that collects, recycles, and trades waste and secondary raw materials across ~120 sites in Germany and selected European and Asian markets, serving households, municipalities, and industrial clients.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ALBA SE does
ALBA SE is a Berlin-headquartered, publicly listed environmental services group that has operated since 1968 across the waste management, recycling, and secondary raw materials value chain. The group collects household, commercial, industrial, municipal, and specialized waste streams across approximately 120 locations in Germany (with selected operations in Hong Kong and broader Europe), employing roughly 5,900 people across four core regional subsidiaries — ALBA Berlin, ALBA Braunschweig, ALBA Süd, and ALBA Niedersachsen-Anhalt — plus a separate circular-economy platform (Interzero) that was spun off in 2022. Reported revenue stood at €1.35 billion in FY2023 and €1.32 billion in FY2025, placing ALBA among the top four waste disposal companies in Germany.
The company's core offering combines physical collection infrastructure (owned fleets, container logistics, recycling centers) with downstream processing: metal and steel scrap recovery, paper/plastic/glass sorting, and biomethanation of organic waste into biogas, electricity, and heat at facilities such as the BioEnergieZentrum Watenbüttel (under construction, ~30,000 tons/year capacity, completion H2 2028). Customer-facing digital layers include the ALBAclick online shop (shop.albaclick.de), a password-protected customer portal, and the 'Abfuhrtermine ALBA' smartphone app for collection-day notifications. A 20-year RAL-Gütezeichen certification on Braunschweig compost and R&D around steel/metal scrap preparation round out the technical base.
ALBA makes money through a mix of service-fee contracts (municipal tenders, B2B waste collection, container rentals), transaction-fee sales of secondary raw materials on commodity markets (metals, paper, plastics), and emerging energy revenue from biogas and heat. Go-to-market is bifurcated: B2C households order via the self-serve ALBAclick platform, while municipalities and industrial clients are served through direct sales and long-term contracts (the Braunschweig municipal contract has run continuously since 2001). The corporate structure features ALBA SE as the listed entity with ALBA Verwaltungs PLC (Dublin) as personally liable partner; in 2023, Dr. Robert Arbter succeeded Dr. Eric Schweitzer as CEO.
ALBA SE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ALBA SE
- Legal name
- ALBA plc & Co. KG
- Website
- https://alba.info
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- ALBA SE is a publicly listed German environmental services group that collects, recycles, and trades waste and secondary raw materials across ~120 sites in Germany and selected European and Asian markets, serving households, municipalities, and industrial clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ALBA SE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Management and Recycling Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scrap Collection, Brokerage & Trading (Dealers, Aggregators, Exporters) (EUAIAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial Scrap Management & On-site Services (Plant Scrap, Roll-off, Managed Programs) (EUAIAJAI)
Keywords
Where ALBA SE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
ALBA SE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Waste Management and Disposal Services: Collection and disposal of various waste streams (household, commercial, municipal, specialized) including mixed waste, recyclables, bulky waste, construction debris, electronic waste. Revenue generated through service fees, container rental, and disposal charges.
- Recycling Operations: Processing and recycling of materials including metals, paper, plastics, glass, and organic matter into secondary raw materials for sale.
- Raw Materials Trading: Sale of recovered raw materials including steel, metals, and other recyclable materials on commodity markets.
- Steel and Metal Recycling: Innovative processing and recycling of steel and metal scrap, closing material loops through sophisticated preparation.
- Consulting Services: Expert consulting on waste management, recycling strategies, and environmental compliance.
- Personnel Placement: Staffing services for waste management and recycling operations.
- Logistics Services: Transportation and logistics services for waste and materials, including fleet operations.
- Biogas and Energy Generation: Renewable energy production from organic waste through biomethanation, producing biogas, electricity, and thermal energy.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Biofilterdeckel (Biofilter Lid) Monthly Rental |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Container ordering for households/businesses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
ALBA SE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ALBA SE is a recycling and environmental services provider that collects, transports, sorts, and processes waste streams (household, commercial, industrial, municipal, and specialized) and trades the recovered secondary raw materials. It operates 120 locations across Germany with its own logistics fleet, runs digital ordering portals (ALBAclick, customer portal, mobile app), and produces renewable energy through biomethanation at the BioEnergieZentrum Watenbüttel. Revenue comes mainly from waste management service fees and the sale of recovered raw materials such as steel, metals, paper, plastics, glass, and organic matter.
Product overview
ALBA SE is a leading European recycling and environmental services provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of waste management solutions. The core offerings include waste disposal services (Entsorgung), recycling operations, raw materials trading (Rohstoffhandel), steel and metal recycling, consulting, personnel services, and logistics. Digital products include ALBAclick for online container ordering, the customer portal for account management, and the mobile waste calendar app. The company operates the BioEnergieZentrum Watenbüttel facility for biogas production and maintains regional subsidiaries such as ALBA Berlin GmbH and ALBA Braunschweig GmbH. Founded in 1968, ALBA serves household, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers across Germany.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Entsorgung (Waste Disposal & Collection)
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions saved annually through recycling activities
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ALBA SE
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ALBA SE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ALBA SE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Simon GroupcoreALBA and Simon Group established a joint venture in the Black Forest region (Schwarzwald) in February 2024, combining their expertise in waste management and recycling operations in that geographic area.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ALBA SE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Waste Management, Inc. Waste Management Inc. is the largest waste services company in North America, offering collection, recycling, and disposal at massive scale. Comparable in service portfolio and integrated value chain to ALBA, though operating in a different geography.
- SUEZ Group: SUEZ is a major global environmental services company with operations in waste collection, recycling, and water across Europe. Comparable to ALBA in the recyclables and municipal services segments, though operating at a much larger global scale.
- Veolia Environnement: Veolia is a global leader in environmental services, including waste management, recycling, and water, with a significant German operating footprint. Overlaps with ALBA across municipal and industrial waste services and secondary materials trading.
Regional players
- Stadtreinigung Hamburg (SRH): SRH is the municipal waste management and street cleaning company of the City of Hamburg, with a similar public-sector operating model and service portfolio to ALBA's municipal contracts. Comparable in B2B/B2C collection and recycling scope.
- Renewi: Renewi is a UK and Benelux-based waste-to-product company focused on recycling and secondary raw materials recovery. Directly comparable in the recyclables trading and processing segment of ALBA's business.
- Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR): BSR is the municipal waste management company of the City of Berlin, directly overlapping with ALBA's Berlin operations in household and commercial waste collection. Both serve the same metropolitan market with comparable municipal service offerings.
- FCC Environment: FCC Environment is a European waste management services provider (part of FCC Group, Spain), operating across the UK and Continental Europe. Comparable in municipal collection, recyclables processing, and secondary raw materials recovery.
Direct peers
- REMONDIS: REMONDIS is the largest privately held waste management and recycling company in Germany, offering collection, sorting, and raw materials trading comparable to ALBA's core services. Direct overlap in municipal contracts and industrial scrap programs across Germany.
- PreZero: PreZero is the recycling and environmental services arm of the Schwarz Group (parent of Lidl/Kaufland), operating in Germany and Europe. Direct competitor in waste collection, sorting, and recyclables trading with a strong private-label relationship advantage.
- KIRCHNER Gruppe: Kirchner Gruppe is a German regional waste management and recycling company operating across multiple German states. Comparable in scale and service mix to ALBA's regional subsidiaries, with overlapping industrial and commercial customer bases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ALBA SE social profiles
Digital presenceALBA SE compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
ALBA SE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ALBA SE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
ALBA SE subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
ALBA SE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ALBA SE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ALBA SE
What does ALBA SE do?
ALBA SE is a recycling and environmental services provider that collects, transports, sorts, and processes waste streams (household, commercial, industrial, municipal, and specialized) and trades the recovered secondary raw materials. It operates 120 locations across Germany with its own logistics fleet, runs digital ordering portals (ALBAclick, customer portal, mobile app), and produces renewable energy through biomethanation at the BioEnergieZentrum Watenbüttel. Revenue comes mainly from waste management service fees and the sale of recovered raw materials such as steel, metals, paper, plastics, glass, and organic matter.
Is ALBA SE a public or private company?
ALBA SE is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was ALBA SE founded?
ALBA SE was founded in 1968. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is ALBA SE based?
ALBA SE is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does ALBA SE make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Waste Management and Disposal Services are the primary driver. The others are recycling Operations, raw Materials Trading, steel and Metal Recycling, consulting Services, personnel Placement, logistics Services and biogas and Energy Generation.
Who are ALBA SE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Waste Management, Inc., SUEZ Group and Veolia Environnement. Regional players are Stadtreinigung Hamburg (SRH), Renewi, Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR) and FCC Environment. Direct peers are REMONDIS, PreZero and KIRCHNER Gruppe.
Does ALBA SE have an API?
No public API is recorded for ALBA SE.
What industry is ALBA SE in?
ALBA SE's product category is Waste Management and Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAJAH, Scrap Collection, Brokerage & Trading (Dealers, Aggregators, Exporters), with a secondary code of EUAIAJAI, Industrial Scrap Management & On-site Services (Plant Scrap, Roll-off, Managed Programs).