The electrification of waste collection logistics is gaining momentum at an unprecedented pace. Switzerland and Austria are emerging as European frontrunners in this transition. Basel is leading by example – and STUMMER is actively helping to shape this transformation.

The shift is both visible and measurable. In Switzerland, around 90 percent of newly procured waste collection vehicles are already electric. Austria currently stands at approximately 40 percent, with the share continuing to rise rapidly. Municipalities and private waste management companies alike are driving this development forward. Vehicle manufacturers, body builders and operators are working closely together to establish electric mobility as a practical solution for everyday operations.

The City of Basel is a prime example of this progress. Together with STUMMER and system partner CONTENA OCHSNER, one of Europe’s most advanced municipal waste collection fleets is taking shape. The first Meili Micro XL entered service in 2025. Today, 15 fully electric waste collection vehicles are in operation, including six compact vehicles designed for narrow streets as well as high-capacity bodies mounted on Mercedes-Benz eActros chassis for the city’s main collection routes.

The MEILI vehicles equipped with MICRO XL bodies are purpose-built for urban operations. Narrow, highly manoeuvrable and featuring all-wheel steering, they provide access to areas that were
previously difficult to reach, while integrated compaction systems ensure high operational efficiency.

“For Basel, electric mobility is part of a long-term climate strategy. Vehicles, infrastructure and operations must be considered as one integrated system,” says Roger Reinauer, Cantonal Engineer and Head of the Civil Engineering Department of the City of Basel. The strategy is clear: the fleet is being converted step by step, delivering measurable results. Alongside CO₂ reduction, the significantly lower noise levels in residential areas are among the most noticeable benefits.

STUMMER understands what it takes to make this transition successful. CEO Johann Streif explains: “What matters most is that the solutions work reliably and meet the practical requirements of cities and municipalities.”

The first two roof-mounted crane vehicles for emptying underground waste containers were delivered to the City of Basel in early 2021 and have proven highly successful in daily operation.
Additional vehicles of this type are planned.

Basel is far from an isolated case. From Geneva and Zurich to private waste management companies such as Leisibach and Obrist, electrification continues to advance across Switzerland. In Austria, cities including Vienna and Linz, along with companies such as Saubermacher and Brantner, are also actively driving the transition.

Brantner Green Solutions – another contribution to Austria’s electric mobility transition.
© Brantner Green Solutions

The range of applications extends from compact Meili vehicles for inner-city operations to powerful four-axle crane vehicles designed for demanding collection tasks. Electric mobility has arrived in waste collection logistics and is evolving from a niche solution into the new industry standard.

STUMMER electric collection vehicle in operation for Linz AG. © Department of Construction and Transport of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, Civil Engineering Department Operations.

Renato Heiniger, CEO of Contena Ochsner, says: “Electric mobility is not a trend; it is a necessary step toward a sustainable future. Municipalities need to approach this transformation holistically – and that is exactly where we support them.”

Electric Mobility in Basel at a Glance

• 210,529 residents within the collection area
• Up to 11 daily collection routes for municipal waste, Up to 12 daily collection routes for paper and cardboard
• Electric vehicles in operation: three-axle collection vehicles, compact MEILI vehicles and crane-equipped vehicles

Annual Collection Volumes:

• Municipal waste: approximately 26,700 tonnes
• Commercial waste: approximately 4,300 tonnes
• Paper and cardboard: approximately 6,500 tonnes
• Glass: approximately 4,000 tonnes
• Areas of Operation, Waste collection, Recyclable materials logistics, Street cleaning and Special-purpose operations

Every Austrian generates between 500 and 600 kilograms of waste each year. Ensuring that this waste is reliably collected and processed is the result of a highly complex logistics chain—one that is currently undergoing profound change. Increasing waste volumes, economic pressure, and digital technologies are reshaping the rules of the game.

Where is waste management headed? Where does Austria stand on its path toward climate neutrality across the entire sector? And what needs to happen now to remain competitive in the future?

For the first time, three leading voices in the industry—Dr. Alexandra Loidl (President of VÖA), Gabriele Jüly (President of VOEB), and Johann Streif (CEO of STUMMER)—came together for a joint expert interview to discuss the most pressing questions facing waste management today.

Dr. Loidl, VÖA has successfully initiated funding for more than 57 battery-electric collection vehicles, saving over 1,500 tons of CO₂ annually. What are the next milestones on the path to climate-neutral solutions?

Loidl: We need to continue improving collection efficiency, particularly through the targeted use of IT—optimizing routes is a key example—and by consistently transitioning fleets to battery-electric vehicles. Electrification also requires significant investment in infrastructure. In some regions, grid capacity is still insufficient, but we are making good progress in close cooperation with the energy sector.

Streif: I believe around 90% of current diesel drives can be converted to electric, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions. We have been supplying bodies for electric vehicles to Switzerland since 2017, where the electric share is now around 90%. In Austria, we are at roughly 20%. The key is to carefully analyze routes, axle configuration, wheelbase, and body volume before purchasing a new vehicle. If system and application do not align, potential remains unused.

Around 35% of residual waste currently consists of biodegradable material. How should this be addressed?

Loidl: This is a crucial issue. We want to harness the potential of bio-waste currently ending up in residual waste—for energy generation in biogas plants and for improving soil quality through composting. The challenge lies in balancing quality and quantity between bio-waste and residual waste streams. We rely heavily on awareness and information campaigns. In the future, scanning technologies on vehicles must be supported effectively. These insights must then be translated into education and incentive systems, including billing structures. This requires targeted IT solutions aligned with municipal requirements.

Jüly: If waste streams are not properly separated, recyclability declines. Quality is the foundation of effective recycling.

At the same time, bio-waste bins often contain materials that do not belong there.

Streif: Yes, waste operators also struggle with contamination in bio-waste, such as metals or other disruptive materials. Higher purity directly improves recyclability. Our assistance systems, SmartScan and DeepScan, can detect such materials. SmartScan uses AI to identify up to 18 different fractions and contaminants. These systems can also be trained for specific use cases—for example, detecting nitrous oxide cartridges in residual waste to prevent damage in incineration plants. This allows operators to respond directly, inform residents, or even leave improperly sorted bins uncollected.

Ms. Jüly, 2025 saw 36 major fires caused by improperly disposed lithium batteries. How urgently do we need a deposit system?

Jüly: We needed a solution yesterday, as the saying goes. Collection rates for lithium batteries must increase significantly. They already account for around 50% of all portable battery mass placed on the market, yet less than 10% has been returned over the past five years. An EU-wide system would be attractive, but implementation is only being reviewed until the end of 2027. The sector does not have that time. Austria has the opportunity to take a pioneering role with a national solution. An incentive system, such as cashback, could be immediately effective and would also include older batteries already in circulation.

VOEB supports the new plastic tax on non-recyclable plastics. Will this be enough to make recyclates competitive again?

Jüly: A plastic tax only makes sense if it has a steering effect. Recycled materials used in packaging must be exempt. There are international examples, such as Spain and the UK. Additionally, a gradual increase in recycling rates should automatically reduce the tax burden. This creates long-term planning security and a clear economic incentive for investment across the entire value chain.

European recycling capacity declined by one million tons in 2025 alone. What legislative action is needed to prevent plant closures in Austria?

Jüly: The closures are driven by economic pressure from cheap virgin materials and low-cost imports of recyclates from third countries—often falsely declared. We need a level playing field: a robust and legally secure framework for equivalence criteria, especially regarding sustainability and quality standards. Measures such as “Made in Europe” requirements for recyclates and the application of industrial electricity pricing to the recycling sector are essential, as it competes directly with primary production.

How is the sector positioned in terms of workforce, and what role do networking events and excursions play in attracting young talent?

Loidl: These formats are essential. At VÖA, we go beyond exchange—we actively work on solutions together. Excursions help create a shared understanding as a basis for further development.

Jüly: The image of waste management has evolved significantly—from simple collection and street cleaning to a high-tech resource management industry. This shift is driven by increasingly complex waste streams and innovation, creating new professional fields. Today, the sector is innovative, resilient, and offers a wide range of career opportunities. With around 31,000 employees and over €9 billion in revenue, it is a key economic sector in Austria.

Back to vehicles: Mr. Streif, you often say that the right configuration is more sustainable than simply buying new. Why?

Streif: Before purchasing, you need to carefully analyze routes, axle configuration, wheelbase, and body volume—and align them with current and future collection volumes. In urban areas with narrow streets and parked cars, a short three-axle chassis with a steered trailing axle and a compact body is often the best choice. Maneuverability is critical for performance.

What role do digitalization and AI play?

Streif: Digitalization will become central—demand-driven route planning, connected vehicles, and avoiding empty runs will increase efficiency. AI is already integrated into our products and services, from person and container detection to bag counting and load compartment monitoring.

How do you ensure long-term resource efficiency through durability and service?

Streif: Service, continuous maintenance, and care are key to durability and low repair costs. Our customer service is available five days a week, nearly around the clock. Telephone support and spare parts availability are the foundation. In the future, service can be tailored to each vehicle, based on wear and the condition of hydraulic oil, saving both costs and resources.

Ms. Jüly, as the first female president of VOEB in a traditionally male-dominated industry, what matters most to you?

Jüly: Visibility and role models are essential. The sector is changing. Initiatives like YOUNG VOEB and trainee programs show a strong female presence. More and more women are becoming visible across all areas—from HR to material flow management to leadership roles.

Loidl: This is also very important to me, both at VÖA and in my role at Holding Graz. We have defined a strategic goal for 2026: fostering a leadership culture that connects generations and actively promotes women into leadership positions.

Looking ahead to 2036: What does your ideal circular economy look like?

Loidl: Success depends on the interaction of all systems—from collection to recycling.

Jüly: And on clear economic frameworks.

Streif: Starting July 1, 2026, new regulations will require all body control systems to be cyber-secure—a real game changer. We also need to expand our work in material and contaminant scanning and inform citizens about sorting behavior via apps. Our goal should be to reduce incorrect sorting in residual waste from 60% to a maximum of 30% within ten years. If we manage to direct valuable materials into the right streams, we will have achieved a great deal.

Interview Participants:

Dr. Alexandra Loidl, Member of the Executive Board of Holding Graz and President of VÖA (Association of Public Waste Management Companies), which represents a total of 39 municipal members, including cities and municipalities. She represents the interests of municipal waste management in Austria—namely cities, municipalities, and their operations responsible for the collection, treatment, and recycling of waste.

Gabriele Jüly, President of the Austrian Association of Waste Management Companies (VOEB). The association represents the interests of private waste management and recycling companies in Austria—covering the private sector side of the industry, in contrast to VÖA. She speaks on behalf of more than 260 private waste management and recycling companies.

Johann Streif, CEO of STUMMER Municipal Vehicles in Bischofshofen. As host and initiator of the interview, he contributes the technological perspective: how vehicles must be designed in the future to drive the transformation of the industry forward.

Narrow streets, parked cars, passersby rushing past, and right in the middle of it all, the work of the waste collectors: The work area behind a waste collection vehicle poses a number of potential hazards. This requires the utmost concentration from the crew operating the lifter to prevent accidents in this congested environment.

To make these situations safer, the ZOELLER GROUP developed the Z-CAM: the first AI camera that actively controls the machine and stops or slows it down in critical situations. All of this happens with minimal disruption to workflows, so the camera is barely noticeable in everyday use—except when it needs to intervene to protect the operator.

Reacting in a split second: When object detection saves lives

Unlike conventional camera systems, the Z-CAM not only detects whether something is in the danger zone, but also analyzes who or what is moving there. The AI reliably distinguishes between people and objects, assesses risks in real time, and immediately makes the appropriate decision. This allows accidents to be actively prevented.

All image data is processed exclusively on-site and in real time, and is then immediately deleted. The system recognizes only “person” or “object” and therefore does not store any personal data. In addition, the Z-CAM operates entirely offline and without network access.

Innovation for Everyday Work

In everyday use, the strength of this technology is evident in every detail. The Z-CAM only intervenes when necessary. If the situation is safe, the unloading process continues smoothly. At the same time, the system thinks for itself: It recognizes different container sizes and automatically adjusts processes. This saves time and ensures a consistent workflow. And best of all: The solution can also be integrated into existing vehicles.

The Z-CAM transforms an assistance system into an active partner—one that never tires, never gets distracted, and makes the right decision at the right moment. The first Z-CAMs are already supporting some of our customers on their daily routes, proving that the highest standards and efficient processes complement each other perfectly.

Key features:

• AI-based safety: Automatic protection for waste management workers and reduced work safety risks
• Efficiency & convenience: Time savings during operation thanks to automatic mode switching between 2-wheel and 4-wheel containers
• Precise object recognition: Reliable real-time differentiation between people and containers
• Automated response: Immediate intervention (start prevention, stop, or deceleration) through continuous risk assessment
• Easy retrofitting: Can be integrated into existing lifter systems from the ZOELLER Group
• Future potential: The open system architecture enables alternative applications, such as intelligent container analysis

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New year, new channel. That was our motto for 2026, and in January we launched our Instagram channel. While LinkedIn remains our platform for strategic topics and industry discussions, Instagram serves as a medium for a detailed close-up of our work, our values, and our employees.

The new channel makes processes visible that often remain hidden in day-to-day operations. It offers exciting insights that quite literally reach into the inner working of our waste collection vehicles. We show what happens behind closed doors—completely unfiltered.

Technological impulses directly from practice

Our goal remains to strengthen waste management as a key sector for environmental and sustainability issues. Building on decades of experience, we develop equipment that conserves resources and enables a climate-neutral circular economy. We showcase these processes on Instagram, showing sustainability in action—for example in our environmental protection series.

A shift in perspective: Who is behind STUMMER?

A company is only as strong as the people who carry its values. On Instagram, we show the faces behind our products, how we celebrate successes, overcome challenges, and what defines us as the STUMMER team. The fact that our work functions so well is also rooted in our strong foundation in Bischofshofen. Here, regional stability meets fresh, modern ideas. This is also reflected in how projects are clearly and precisely communicated and managed in interface management.

Our products: expert knowledge in focus

In waste management, details determine efficiency and cost-effectiveness. That is why we explain the fine differences between our products—for example in our “Meet the Machine” series with detailed deep dives. We make complex processes and their benefits tangible, from technological innovations to e-mobility. Those who want to dive deeper can test their knowledge in a playful way with our expert quizzes.

Whether as a partner, industry expert, or potential colleague— We’d love to have you follow us on Instagram.

Direct link to our profile: https://www.instagram.com/team_stummer/

From May 4 to 7, 2026, the world’s leading trade fair, IFAT, returns to Munich as the industry’s premier gathering. For STUMMER, this event is a true highlight of the year. We look forward to personally welcoming our long-standing partners, valued customers, and associates.

As a member of the ZOELLER GROUP, STUMMER will be featured at our joint exhibition stand under the theme “Innovation through Experience”. This year’s motto highlights the bridge between our decades of engineering expertise and deep market roots with pioneering digital intelligence and future-proof solutions.

Visitors to IFAT can look forward to an impressive range of innovations. Among the highlights from STUMMER will be a state-of-the-art washer-compactor.

Our showcase also focuses on:

• Smart Technology: Vehicles and lifter systems that actively “think” through intelligent data processing.
• Maximum Safety: Modern assistance systems using precise sensor technology to make daily city traffic safer.
• Predictive Service: Digital diagnostic tools that enable predictive maintenance, maximizing the operational readiness of your fleet.

STUMMER CEO Johann Streif: “For us, IFAT is more than just a product showcase; it is a place where we join our customers in setting the course for a cleaner future. We warmly invite you to visit us at the ZOELLER GROUP stand. Let’s discuss the latest industry trends and shape the future of the waste management industry together.”

Spring is here! Welcome to STUMMER’s mobile laundry service: While windows are being cleaned, cars washed, and balconies spruced up, there’s one place that’s often overlooked during spring cleaning: the trash bin. Yet it’s worked hard all winter long. So it’s high time for a thorough spa treatment—preferably at STUMMER’s mobile laundry service.

With STUMMER’s specialized trash can washers and washing combos, the washing season officially kicks off this spring for municipalities and waste management companies. And it doesn’t take place just anywhere, but right on site—without detours or additional logistics.

One vehicle, one operation, clean containers

The washing combo superstructure is particularly efficient, combining waste collection and container cleaning in a single operation. While organic or residual waste is being emptied, two fully automatic robotic arms clean the inside of the bin. Rotating wash nozzles reliably remove residues, while the lid opens automatically and is cleaned on the inside at the same time. Manual opening? Unnecessary.

The technology is just as smart: The wastewater tanks and the floor of the collection box in the wash truck are automatically cleaned by integrated flat-jet nozzles. All water-carrying components are made of stainless steel—robust, durable, and perfect for daily use in municipal settings.

Fewer odors, visible cleanliness

Depending on the operational area, cold or hot water solutions are available, supplemented by a washing nozzle for additional manual cleaning. The systems are compatible with manual, automatic, and special lifter variants and meet the requirements of the MGB EN 840-1, 2, and 3 standards. The result: hygienically clean trash cans, fewer odors, and visibly greater cleanliness in public spaces.

STUMMER CEO Hannes Streif: “Spring in particular highlights just how important clean trash bins are for hygiene and work quality. Washing and cleaning the trash bins increases public acceptance of the organic waste bin—no unpleasant odors, no uninvited guests. A fragrance can also be added. Since the bins are washed every time they are emptied, this ensures a clean bin throughout the entire summer season, and no separate cleaning is necessary.”

Spring Cleaning That Pays Off

The washing season is here, and STUMMER is right in the thick of it with its effective washing trucks. Mobile bin cleaning saves time, staff, and costs, reduces the workload on employees, and boosts resident satisfaction at the same time. Or to put it another way: With spring just around the corner, it’s time for trash cans to be sparkling clean—thanks to the mobile laundromat.

Anyone looking out over the operating site in Bischofshofen these days is likely to be surprised to see that the footprint has grown by an impressive 7,500 square meters over the winter.

STUMMER’s facility expansion is in its final stages. Where excavators were still at work just a short time ago—with walls going up and concrete being poured—a modern assembly hall has now been completed and is ready to begin operations. In the future, it will serve as the heart of chassis preparation and the so-called “marriage” between the body and the truck. The new hall not only provides space for four preparation stations and a dedicated assembly area for prototype construction, but also a parking area for customer deliveries.

Now it’s time for the interior work

The shell of the building is now fully complete. With the installation of windows and doors over the past few weeks, the building shell is now finished. This not only provides protection from the elements but also marks the transition from the rough construction phase to the precise interior work.

Here, too, quite a bit is already in place and fully operational: The new overhead crane—a key component for prototype construction and heavy-duty assembly tasks—has already been installed and is ready for its first use. Everything is ready for the team as well: The hall floor was completed on schedule. Thanks to the integrated floor heating, which is powered by a modern air-source heat pump, the hall is now a workplace that not only promises STUMMER employees warm feet but is also state-of-the-art.

Landscaping of the outdoor area

The site’s exterior has also undergone a dramatic transformation. The extensive concrete work on the retaining walls has been completed, and the landscaping is well underway. On the west side, the newly constructed stone wall provides a stable and visually appealing boundary for the site.

Recently, particular attention has been focused on the infrastructure beneath and on the ground. The sewer excavation and installation of the drainage systems have been completed, as has the construction of the retention basins for surface drainage. The entire subgrade has been prepared with frost protection and base courses, so that the final phase is now underway: Asphalting work is beginning and will give the approximately 85 new truck parking spaces and the roadways their final form.

The precision that STUMMER demonstrates in the manufacturing of its municipal vehicles is also evident in the construction site planning. Despite the many trades that had to work hand in hand here, the completion date at the end of May is set. While the asphalt is being laid outside to seal the new logistics areas, the team is already preparing internally for the move and the start of operations. Everything is going according to plan for the grand finale in May! Bischofshofen will soon be ready for more space, greater efficiency, and even more innovation.