Interzero Holding

Interzero Holding GmbH & Co. KG is a German environmental-services holding company based in Berlin, with its operational headquarters in Cologne. It is the parent of the Interzero Group and oversees businesses involved in packaging take-back, recycling systems, plastics sorting and recycling, circular-economy solutions, reusable systems, and the trade in secondary raw materials and recyclates. The group’s German activities include Interzero Circular Solutions Germany GmbH, the successor to Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH, as well as businesses associated with the Interzero Recycling Alliance and Interzero Plastics Recycling. The company’s roots lie in Interseroh AG, founded in Cologne in 1991 by a group of waste-management companies. Interseroh was established in the context of Germany’s evolving packaging legislation and the Dual System, which required manufacturers and distributors to organize the collection, recycling and disposal of packaging after use. In 1993, the operating business was transferred to Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH. During the following decades, the business broadened from packaging recovery into metal and steel recycling, collection systems for toner cartridges and mobile phones, deposit clearing, secondary raw materials, reusable packaging and customer-specific circular solutions. Interseroh progressively challenged the former dominance of Duales System Deutschland in the German packaging-recovery market. It received approval to operate as a competing system in Hamburg in 2004 and expanded nationwide after the remaining German state market was opened to competing providers in 2006. The company also expanded internationally, including through the establishment of an Austrian subsidiary in 1997. In 2008, Interseroh became a European public company and entered into a partnership with Alba. Its businesses were subsequently reorganized within the Alba Group, with the services activities representing a major part of the group’s environmental-solutions offering. Ownership and organizational changes continued over the next decade. In 2016, the Chinese company Techcent acquired 60 percent of the services division from Alba, but Techcent entered insolvency proceedings in 2021 and the interest returned to Alba. In 2022, brothers Eric and Axel Schweitzer divided the former Alba business. Eric Schweitzer retained the holding and activities centered on paper, steel, metal and wood recycling, while Axel Schweitzer took over plastics recycling and related services. These businesses were consolidated under the newly established Interzero structure. The name Interzero refers to the group’s international zero-waste orientation and replaced the Interseroh identity in the relevant services businesses. Interzero Holding’s post-2022 structure comprises three principal areas: Interzero Circular Solutions, which develops and operates take-back and circular systems; Interzero Plastics Recycling, which sorts and processes plastic waste and markets recycled plastics; and the Interzero Recycling Alliance, a dual system for the collection, sorting and recycling of sales packaging. The group has operated through dozens of subsidiaries across Europe. It also supports environmental and community initiatives, including sponsorship of Alba Berlin basketball and support for Mission to Marsh, a nonprofit focused on wetland conservation. The company’s public profile is built around compliance with producer-responsibility systems, resource conservation, recycling infrastructure and the transition from linear consumption to circular material flows. Its activities are broader than information-technology asset disposition: the authoritative Wikipedia subject concerns an environmental-services group whose portfolio includes packaging, plastics, metals, deposit systems, reusable solutions and industrial circularity services.

Interzero Holding is the successor structure to a business history that began with Interseroh AG in Cologne in 1991. Interseroh was created by waste-management companies to recycle secondary raw materials and support the practical operation of Germany’s packaging take-back and recycling framework. Its origins were closely connected to the Packaging Ordinance of 12 June 1991, which required producers and distributors to take responsibility for packaging after use. The Dual System initially operated as a monopoly, but the market later opened to competing system operators. In 1993, Interseroh transferred its operating activities to Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH. From 1994, the company expanded into metal and steel recycling, which became a second major business alongside packaging services. The acquisition of Hansa Recycling GmbH in 2001 strengthened its position in German steel recycling. Interseroh also began international expansion in 1997 by establishing EVA Erfassen und Verwerten von Altstoffen GmbH in Austria, now known as Interseroh Austria GmbH. The company diversified its collection and recovery services in 2000 by taking over Die Grüne Umweltbox, a collection system for empty toner cartridges and mobile phones used by businesses, schools and kindergartens. In 2004, it received authorization to handle packaging waste in Hamburg in competition with Duales System Deutschland. DSD challenged the decision unsuccessfully. Further state-level liberalization followed, and when Baden-Württemberg opened its market in 2006, Interseroh could operate nationwide as a dual-system provider. Interseroh also became involved in Germany’s single-use beverage-deposit infrastructure. In 2005, with approval from the Federal Cartel Office, it increased its holding in Westpfand Clearing GmbH to 51 percent. Together with Deutsche Pfand-Konzept GmbH, this led to Interseroh Pfand-System GmbH, which processed associated goods and cash flows for single-use deposits. In 2008, the company was converted into a European public company and adopted the name Interseroh SE. It also entered into a partnership with Alba. The corporate structure changed again in 2011, when the metal and steel division was placed under the Alba Group. Interseroh shareholders approved a control and profit-transfer agreement with Alba, and in 2012 Interseroh AG was renamed Alba SE. Alba SE became an intermediate holding company while retaining a stock-market listing. Within Alba, Interseroh represented the Services segment, covering waste prevention, product recycling, packaging take-back, secondary raw materials and reusable solutions. In 2016, the Chinese family-owned company Techcent acquired 60 percent of the services division from Alba. Techcent later became insolvent, and its interest was sold back to Alba in 2021. In 2022, Eric and Axel Schweitzer divided the former Alba business. Eric retained the holding and recycling activities centered on paper, steel, metal and wood. Axel took over plastics recycling and associated services, which were merged into the newly established Interzero GmbH & Co. KG structure. Interzero Holding became the parent company of the resulting Interzero Group. The post-2022 group was organized around Interzero Circular Solutions, Interzero Plastics Recycling and the Interzero Recycling Alliance. Circular Solutions develops packaging, product and material take-back systems and designs customer-specific circular models. Plastics Recycling operates sorting and recycling facilities and produces recycled plastics. The Recycling Alliance operates a German dual system for sales packaging. The group also maintains sponsorship and environmental partnerships, including with Alba Berlin and Mission to Marsh. Its current identity emphasizes international zero-waste solutions, resource efficiency and the creation of commercial material cycles.

1. 2024German Sustainability Award recognition

   Interzero receives recognition in waste management and recycling, including a special Resources transformation award.

   Source
2. 2022Interzero structure established

   The Schweitzer family divides the former Alba business and Axel Schweitzer consolidates plastics recycling and related services under Interzero.

   Source
3. 2021Services division returns to Alba

   After Techcent enters insolvency proceedings, its interest in the services business is sold back to Alba.

   Source
4. 2016Techcent acquires a majority stake in the services division

   Techcent acquires 60 percent of Alba’s services division, including activities associated with Interseroh.

   Source
5. 2008Interseroh becomes a European public company

   The company is converted into an SE and adopts the Interseroh SE name while beginning a partnership with Alba.

   Source
6. 2006Nationwide dual-system operation becomes possible

   After Baden-Württemberg opens its market, Interseroh can operate nationwide as a competing German dual-system provider.

   Source
7. 2004Competition introduced in Hamburg packaging recovery

   Interseroh receives authorization to take back packaging waste in Hamburg, challenging the former dominance of Duales System Deutschland.

   Source
8. 2001Hansa Recycling acquired

   The acquisition strengthens Interseroh’s position in German steel recycling.

   Source
9. 1997Expansion into Austria

   Interseroh establishes EVA in Austria as a collection and recycling system operator.

   Source
10. 1993Operating business transferred to Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH

    The operating activities are separated from Interseroh AG and placed in Interseroh Dienstleistungs GmbH, the predecessor of Interzero Circular Solutions Germany.

    Source
11. 1991Interseroh AG founded

    Waste-management companies establish Interseroh AG in Cologne to recycle secondary raw materials and support packaging take-back systems.

    Source

A German and European circular-economy and environmental-services group that helps manufacturers, retailers and other organizations collect, recover, recycle and reuse materials while meeting packaging and producer-responsibility requirements.

• Interzero Circular SolutionsCircular-economy services2022

  The Circular Solutions business develops and operates take-back systems for packaging, products and materials. It also designs customer-specific circular models intended to keep materials in use, support producer-responsibility obligations and connect collection, sorting, recycling and reuse activities.

• Interzero Plastics RecyclingPlastics recycling2022

  This business operates sorting and plastics-recycling activities and markets recycled plastics. Its German infrastructure includes a sorting facility in Marl, which the reference material describes as having capacity to process up to 200,000 tonnes of lightweight packaging waste annually.

• Interzero Recycling AllianceDual-system packaging recovery2022

  The Recycling Alliance is a German dual system that organizes the collection, sorting and recycling of sales packaging. It returns recovered packaging materials to recycling streams and forms a central part of Interzero’s producer-responsibility offering.

• Interzero Pfand-SystemDeposit clearing2005

  The predecessor Interseroh Pfand-System processed goods and financial flows associated with single-use beverage deposits. It emerged from Interseroh’s participation in Westpfand Clearing and cooperation with Deutsche Pfand-Konzept.

• Alba Berlin sponsorship

  Germany

  Interzero serves as main sponsor of Alba Berlin and supports both the men’s Bundesliga basketball team and the women’s team.

  Outcome. The partnership provides a prominent German sports platform for Interzero’s environmental and circular-economy identity.

  Source
• Mission to Marsh support

  Germany

  Interzero supports Mission to Marsh, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting marshes and other wetland habitats.

  Outcome. The relationship connects the company’s resource-conservation positioning with habitat and biodiversity protection.

  Source

• 2022Reorganization into the Interzero GroupStrategy

  The Schweitzer family divided the former Alba business after the return of Techcent’s services interest to Alba in 2021.

  What changed. Axel Schweitzer consolidated plastics recycling and related services into the newly established Interzero structure, while Eric Schweitzer retained other recycling activities.

  Aftermath. Interzero Holding became the parent of a group organized around Circular Solutions, Plastics Recycling and the Recycling Alliance.

  Source
• 2004Entry into competing German packaging-recovery marketsStrategy

  Germany’s packaging-recovery system was opening to competition after the former dominance of Duales System Deutschland.

  What changed. Interseroh obtained authorization to take back packaging waste in Hamburg and later expanded nationwide as additional states opened their markets.

  Aftermath. The change helped establish Interseroh as a national competing dual-system operator.

  • Duales System Deutschland AG — DSD filed a lawsuit against the Hamburg authorization but was unsuccessful.
  Source

• 2024Interzero receives German Sustainability Award recognition

  Interzero was recognized in the waste-management and recycling category and received a special award in the Resources transformation field.

  Other
  Source
• 2022Interseroh services business reorganized under Interzero

  The Schweitzer family divided the former Alba business. Axel Schweitzer took over plastics recycling and related services, which were consolidated into the newly established Interzero structure.

  M&A
  Source

1. Interzero Holding
2. Interzero official website