Cutting-Edge Computer Vision Technology in Small Recycling Centres
The Hiller family shows how it's done
28.07.2026 · Laura Neusser
Many operators of small recycling centres assume that automated material recognition is only for the big players. Too complex, too expensive, too much system for just a few deliveries per day. BHRZ Parsberg didn't think so – and since early 2026, they've been demonstrating why this assumption can be a costly mistake.
What is BHRZ Parsberg?
BHRZ Bauschutt- und Holzrecycling Zentrum Parsberg GmbH is a modestly sized recycling business in Parsberg, in the Upper Palatinate region, right in the heart of the Bavarian Jura. Around 20 deliveries arrive there every day – not a massive operation, but a business with clear standards of quality. The company accepts mineral construction waste, timber, plastics, scrap tyres and other recyclable materials, processing them responsibly.
Managing directors Silvester and Fritz Hiller have been running Fritz Hiller GmbH for years, an established business in the natural stone trade – deeply rooted in a region famous for its limestone. BHRZ is their new venture: same region, new premises, new sector – but with the exact same commitment to quality.
The argument that counts: A single misthrow is all it takes
Mineral construction waste sounds like a straightforward material flow. But it isn't. Plasterboard, aerated concrete or asbestos ending up in the wrong pile can render an entire batch unrecyclable – with immediate consequences for revenues, disposal costs and regulatory compliance.
And that is precisely the core of the issue: with around 20 deliveries a day, only a single one needs to go wrong to cause significant damage. A lower volume doesn't protect you – it merely shrinks the window of time before a mistake becomes apparent.
Silvester Hiller was well aware of this when establishing BHRZ. That's why he looked for a solution to automate delivery checks early on – and reached out to Optocycle via email.
Silvester Hiller
— Managing Director, BHRZ Parsberg
“Even with a smaller volume of deliveries, it makes perfect sense – because individual misthrows can have enormous economic consequences.”
From the first phone call to installation
Optocycle co-founder Max-Frederick Gerken recalls the initial contact: “During the first phone calls with Silvester, we hit it off straight away.” The subsequent online meeting went, in his words, “incredibly well and successfully” – both generations of the Hiller family were convinced right from the start.
An on-site visit in the Bavarian Jura followed. Together, they analysed the site, the entrance, the logistics – and determined the best position for the Truck Imager. The installation went swiftly. The system has been in productive use since early 2026.
How the Truck Imager works – even with low volumes
The Truck Imager is Optocycle's machine learning solution for automatic material recognition directly at the weighbridge. The camera captures the bed of every incoming lorry during the weighing process. A machine learning model analyses the image in real time via edge computing and instantly provides an objective assessment of the material composition – including contaminants.
This is crucial, particularly for smaller yards like BHRZ:
- Every single delivery counts – with only a few lorries per day, there is no high volume to cushion the blow of an error
- No staff required – the system runs fully automatically, without any extra effort on site
- Objective documentation – in the event of a dispute, you have visual data, not just opinions
- Growth on a solid foundation – clean documentation from day one allows scaling without blind spots
Conclusion: Small recycling centres benefit just as much as large ones.
On closer inspection, the argument “We are still too small” turns on its head. Precisely because BHRZ Parsberg is a young, compact business, every misthrow has a disproportionately high impact. Delivery checks supported by computer vision are not a luxury here – they are risk management.
Silvester Hiller puts it in a nutshell: “We wanted to know what was coming in from the very start. No guesswork – actual knowledge.”
If you run a small or medium-sized recycling centre and are wondering whether Optocycle makes sense for you: BHRZ Parsberg is proof that the answer is yes.
Do you run a recycling centre and want to automate your delivery checks? Arrange a non-binding consultation with Optocycle now.
State-of-the-Art Computer Vision Technology in Small Recycling Yards
The Hiller family shows how it's done
28.07.2026 · Laura Neusser
Many operators of small recycling yards think that automated material recognition is only for the big players. Too complex, too expensive, too much system for just a few deliveries a day. BHRZ Parsberg didn't think so – and since the beginning of 2026, they have been demonstrating why this assumption can be a costly mistake.
What is BHRZ Parsberg?
BHRZ Bauschutt- und Holzrecycling Zentrum Parsberg GmbH is a modestly sized recycling business in Parsberg, in the Upper Palatinate region, right in the heart of the Bavarian Jura. They receive around 20 deliveries a day – not a major operation, but one with clear quality standards. The company accepts mineral construction waste, wood, plastic sheeting, old tyres, and other recyclables, processing them responsibly.
Managing directors Silvester and Fritz Hiller have run an established natural stone trading business, Fritz Hiller GmbH, for years – deeply rooted in a region famous for its limestone. BHRZ is their new venture: same region, new site, new industry – but with the same commitment to quality.
The argument that counts: A single incorrect load is all it takes
Mineral construction waste sounds like a straightforward material stream. But it isn't. Gypsum plasterboard, aerated concrete, or asbestos ending up in the wrong pile can make an entire batch non-recyclable – with direct consequences for revenues, disposal costs, and regulatory compliance.
And that is precisely the core of the issue: with around 20 deliveries a day, only one needs to go wrong to cause significant damage. A lower volume doesn't protect you – it just reduces the window of time before an error becomes apparent.
Silvester Hiller was well aware of this when setting up BHRZ. That is why he looked for a solution to automate delivery inspections early on – and reached out to Optocycle by email.
Silvester Hiller
— Managing Director BHRZ Parsberg
“Even with a smaller delivery volume, it makes absolute sense – because individual incorrect loads can have enormous economic consequences.”
From the first phone call to installation
Optocycle co-founder Max-Frederick Gerken recalls the initial contact: “In our first phone conversations with Silvester, we hit it off straight away.” The online meeting that followed went “very well and successfully” in his words – both generations of the Hiller family were convinced from the start.
An on-site visit to the Bavarian Jura followed. Together, they analysed the premises, the entrance, and the logistics – and decided on the best position for the Truck Imager. The installation was carried out swiftly. Since the beginning of 2026, the system has been in active use.
How the Truck Imager works – even with low volumes
The Truck Imager is Optocycle's machine learning solution for automatic material recognition directly at the weighbridge. The camera captures the cargo bed of every incoming lorry during weighing. A machine learning model analyses the image in real time via edge computing and immediately provides an objective assessment of the material composition – including any contaminants.
This is crucial, particularly for smaller yards like BHRZ:
- Every single delivery counts – with only a few lorries a day, there is no high volume to buffer an error
- No staff deployment required – the system runs fully automatically, without extra effort on the yard
- Objective documentation – in the event of a dispute, you have image data, not opinions
- Growth on a solid foundation – clean documentation from day one means scaling without blind spots
Conclusion: Small recycling yards benefit at least as much as large ones
On closer inspection, the argument “We are still too small” turns on its head. Precisely because BHRZ Parsberg is a young, modestly sized business, every incorrect load has a disproportionately high impact. Computer vision-supported delivery inspection is not a luxury here – it is risk management.
Silvester Hiller sums it up: “We wanted to know what was coming in from the very start. Not guessing – knowing.”
If you run a small or medium-sized recycling yard and are wondering if Optocycle makes sense for you: BHRZ Parsberg is proof that the answer is yes.
Do you run a recycling yard and want to automate your delivery inspections? Arrange a non-binding consultation with Optocycle now.
State-of-the-art Computer Vision Technology at Small Recycling Centres
The Hiller family shows how it's done
28.07.2026 · Laura Neusser
Many operators of small recycling centres believe that automated material detection is only for the big players. Too complex, too expensive, too much system for just a few deliveries a day. BHRZ Parsberg didn't think so – and since the beginning of 2026, they have been showing why this assumption can be a costly mistake.
What is BHRZ Parsberg?
BHRZ Bauschutt- und Holzrecycling Zentrum Parsberg GmbH is a modestly sized recycling business in Parsberg, in the Upper Palatinate region, right in the heart of the Bavarian Jura. Around 20 deliveries arrive there every day – it is not a massive operation, but one with clear quality standards. The company accepts mineral construction waste, wood, plastic sheeting, old tyres and other recyclable materials, processing them responsibly.
With Fritz Hiller GmbH, managing directors Silvester and Fritz Hiller have been running an established natural stone trading business for years – deeply rooted in a region famous for its limestone. The BHRZ is their new venture: same region, new site, new industry – but with the very same commitment to quality.
The argument that matters: A single incorrect disposal is all it takes
Mineral construction waste sounds like a straightforward material stream. But it isn't. Gypsum plasterboard, aerated concrete or asbestos ending up in the wrong pile can render an entire batch non-recyclable – with direct consequences for revenues, disposal costs and regulatory compliance.
And that is precisely the core of the issue: with around 20 deliveries a day, only a single one needs to go wrong to cause substantial damage. A lower volume doesn't protect you – it merely shrinks the window of time in which a mistake is spotted.
Silvester Hiller was well aware of this when establishing BHRZ. That is why he looked for a solution to automate delivery inspections early on – and got in touch with Optocycle by email.
Silvester Hiller
— Managing Director, BHRZ Parsberg
“Even with a smaller delivery volume, it makes absolute sense – because individual incorrect disposals can have massive financial consequences.”
From the first phone call to installation
Optocycle co-founder Max-Frederick Gerken recalls the initial contact: “In our first phone calls with Silvester, we hit it off immediately.” The subsequent online meeting went, in his words, “incredibly well and successfully” – both generations of the Hiller family were on board right from the start.
This was followed by an on-site visit in the Bavarian Jura. Together, they analysed the premises, the entrance, and the logistics – and decided on the best position for the Truck Imager. The installation went ahead swiftly. The system has been in productive use since early 2026.
How the Truck Imager works – even with low volumes
The Truck Imager is Optocycle's machine learning solution for automatic material recognition directly at the weighbridge. The camera captures the cargo area of every incoming lorry during the weighing process. A machine learning model analyses the image in real time via edge computing and immediately provides an objective assessment of the material composition – including any contaminants.
This is crucial, especially for smaller yards like BHRZ:
- Every single delivery counts – with only a few lorries per day, there is no massive volume to absorb a mistake
- No staff deployment required – the system runs fully automatically, without extra effort on site
- Objective documentation – in the event of a dispute, there is visual data rather than just opinions
- Growth on a solid foundation – clean documentation from day one means scaling up without any blind spots
Conclusion: Small recycling centres benefit at least as much as large ones
On closer inspection, the argument “we are still too small” actually turns on its head. Precisely because BHRZ Parsberg is a young, manageable business, any incorrect disposal has a disproportionately high impact. Here, computer vision-based delivery control is not a luxury – it is essential risk management.
Silvester Hiller sums it up perfectly: “We wanted to know what was coming in right from the start. Not guess – know.”
If you run a small or medium-sized recycling centre and are wondering whether Optocycle is right for you: BHRZ Parsberg is the proof that the answer is yes.
Do you operate a recycling centre and want to automate your delivery inspections? Book a no-obligation appointment with Optocycle now.
From Vision to Reality: The Origin Story of Optocycle
The construction industry is responsible for the largest flow of materials worldwide and, at the same time, is one of the sectors with the greatest untapped potential for a true circular economy. This is exactly where Optocycle comes in. Founded in Tübingen in 2022, the startup pursues a clear vision: A world where every piece of construction waste is a new building material.
The idea for Optocycle originated from an initially completely different use case. The two founders, Max-Frederick Gerken and Lars Wolff, originally worked on intelligent image recognition in retail. The decisive turning point came through close contact with the recycling industry: a friendly entrepreneur drew the founders' attention to a central problem, the lack of transparency in mineral construction waste. Up until then, material compositions had been predominantly estimated via visual inspection: slow, subjective, and prone to error.
For Gerken and Wolff, it quickly became clear: their technology could exert significantly greater leverage here than in the original field of application. Optocycle was born.
The Founders: Entrepreneurial Drive Meets Technological Depth
Max-Frederick Gerken
CEO & Co-Founder
Max-Frederick Gerken is the strategic mind behind Optocycle. With a background in business administration (University of Tübingen), he is responsible for business development, market strategy, and vision. His motivation: to make the construction industry structurally more sustainable and data-driven. For his work on intelligent, sustainable business models, he was included in the 2024 Forbes "30 under 30" DACH list.
Lars Wolff
CTO & Co-Founder
As Technical Director, Lars Wolff is the mastermind behind the Optocycle technology. He is responsible for the entire product development process, from optical sensor technology and machine learning models to the software platform. Wolff brings experience from a US tech startup as well as from electrical engineering and met Gerken during his computer science studies in Tübingen.
The Breakthrough: Pilot Plants and First Industrial Applications
A key milestone was the collaboration with Heinrich Feess GmbH & Co. KG, one of Germany's most innovative construction waste recyclers. This is where Optocycle installed its first pilot plant and tested the technology under real industrial conditions for the first time. From trucks to tipping points and conveyor belts, material flows were recorded and analysed seamlessly for the first time. The success of this pilot plant laid the foundation for scaling: within a short space of time, a double-digit number of pilot projects followed across Germany, with customers such as Heinrich CEMEX, Otto Dörner, Blasius Schuster, and the Weimer Group. Today, Optocycle serves numerous clients in Germany, Spain, and France.
Technological Core: Machine Learning, Multispectral Sensors, and Edge Computing
Optocycle combines multispectral cameras, computer vision technology, and edge computing to analyse mineral construction waste in real time. The internally developed machine learning model recognises material types such as concrete, brick, or gypsum, identifies contaminants, determines grain sizes, and delivers objective quantity and quality data directly at the process point.
The result is a "Single Source of Truth" for the material flow: subjective estimates are replaced by reliable data. This creates transparency, lowers costs, reduces conflicts, and enables high-quality recycling instead of downcycling.
Conclusion: Optocycle as a Pioneer of the Circular Construction Industry
Optocycle shows how deep tech, entrepreneurial spirit, and sustainability can work together. Within just a few years, a concrete industry challenge has evolved into a scalable key technology that has the potential to fundamentally transform the construction and recycling industry.
With a clear focus on data, transparency, and the circular economy, Optocycle is working to turn waste back into valuable material and to make the vision a reality that every piece of construction waste is a new building material.
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