From 2005 – we have shaped digital waste management together. (Kopie 1)

20 years of c-trace – thank you for your trust!

On 1 September 2005, Helmut Ziegler founded c-trace GmbH together with his co-partners Michael Eikelmann and Torsten Olschewsky. What began with just under 20 employees has now grown into a company with around 140 employees – active in many European countries and an integral part of the German waste management industry.

Over the past two decades, we have played a decisive role in shaping digital waste management:

• From the first identification and weighing system to modern telematics solutions for vehicles, including order management.
• AI-based detection of contaminants directly on the vehicle.
• Our c-ware software has grown from a small emptying data application to the comprehensive platform it is today – from fee assessment and resident portals to mobile apps, and now also as a modern web application, able to integrate with existing IT structures. 
• Our container services offering has expanded to a market leader that reliably assigns, RFID chips, distributes new, and collects old bins.

We moved location twice before creating an attractive working environment for our team at our current state of the art location. Our success would not be possible without the daily commitment of our employees – for which we are very grateful. We are also celebrating this contribution with an employee party.
We would like to thank our customers and partners. Your input, your ideas and the trusting cooperation have inspired us and contributed significantly to our growth.

A chapter tinged with sadness: on 1 January 2025, we bid farewell to our founder Helmut Ziegler as he entered his well-deserved retirement. With TOMRA's involvement, we have also paved the way for positive and sustainable generational change. It is already clear how well our corporate philosophies harmonise. You will notice our new brand identity, which now includes the addition ‘a TOMRA company’.
With TOMRA at our side, we look to the future with confidence. We want to grow internationally, leverage synergies and continue to actively shape digital waste management.

Here's to the next few years of innovation, partnership and success – together with you!