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.
Anyone who moves hundreds of tonnes of secondary raw materials every day needs more than just a good eye. Blasius Schuster GmbH & Co. KG from Frankfurt am Main understood early on that transparency in the material stream is not a nice-to-have – but the foundation for economically and ecologically viable recycling. Today, two Truck Imagers and one Train Imager run in the yard, delivering what previously had to be laboriously recorded manually: objective, gap-free, and usable data on every delivery. Four more systems – including the new Self-Service Truck Imager – are already being planned. A partnership that has convinced from day one.
The customer: Blasius Schuster GmbH & Co. KG, Frankfurt am Main
Blasius Schuster is one of the established companies in the field of mineral construction waste recycling in the Rhine-Main area. The company moves millions of tonnes of secondary raw materials annually – by truck, train, or ship - across multiple locations with various receiving stations and in a wide variety of material types.
But Blasius Schuster is more than a recycling business. Under the leadership of Managing Director and Shareholder Daniel Imhäuser, the company has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years: it has become the initiator and driver of the Circle - the place for circular construction in Offenbach am Main – a nationwide unique network and innovation hub for the circular economy, where today over 90 companies from construction, waste management, engineering firms, and environmental law come together to systematically transition the construction industry into the circular economy.
It is precisely this mindset – circular economy not as an obligation, but as an entrepreneurial opportunity – that has also shaped the collaboration with Optocycle from the very beginning.
The context: When vision meets technology
The Circle is much more than an office complex in Offenbach harbour. It is a place where companies wanting to shape the future of the construction and recycling industry exchange ideas and build new partnerships. For Optocycle, the Circle was exactly that: a door-opener and network through which trust was built before the first camera was ever installed.
"The Circle is a place where professionals from different areas of the circular economy meet, exchange ideas, and jointly develop new solutions. Technologies like those from Optocycle are exactly what we are talking about here – they make the circular economy measurable and therefore truly implementable."
Daniel Imhäuser
Managing Director & Shareholder, Blasius Schuster GmbH & Co. KG, Initiator Circle Hub Urban Mining
For Max-Frederick Gerken, Co-Founder and CEO of Optocycle, Blasius Schuster was a special customer from the start:
"Blasius Schuster is not just a reference customer – they are a partner who understood from day one what transparency in the material stream is really about. Daniel Imhäuser and Ralph Lang bring exactly the combination we hope for from our partners: entrepreneurial vision and the courage to consistently digitalise processes. This partnership has shaped us as a company."
Max-Frederick Gerken
Co-Founder & CEO, Optocycle GmbH
The challenge: Material intake without blind spots
A recycling business thrives on the quality of its assessments. What material is arriving? In what composition? Does the load match what is on the delivery note – or does it deviate? And if damage occurs to a railway wagon: exactly when did it happen, and who bears the responsibility?
Without systematic recording, these remain questions that can only be partially answered. Manual checks are time-consuming, error-prone, and hardly feasible across the board during ongoing operations. For a company like Blasius Schuster, which handles truck deliveries as well as ship and rail freight transport, this challenge multiplies: many stations, many wagons, a lot of movement.
For Managing Director Ralph Lang, one of the decisive arguments was the question of operational integration:
"We use Optocycle because it allows us to precisely analyse the material composition of the delivered substances. This enables us to select the appropriate treatment solution on our yard for each material and achieve optimal results. Ultimately, I was particularly impressed by the uncomplicated integration into our ongoing operations."
Ralph Lang
Managing Director, Blasius Schuster GmbH & Co. KG
The solution: Three Truck Imagers and one Train Imager – and three more systems in planning
The answer to this challenge is Optocycle. And Blasius Schuster has implemented it consistently and comprehensively: three Truck Imagers and one Train Imager are currently in use at various stations in the yard – making Blasius Schuster one of the most comprehensively equipped operations with Optocycle technology in Germany. And this is just the beginning: three further systems are already being planned.
The systems perform two different tasks in the process:
1. Optical sensor systems at the truck weighbridge
At the entrance, right by the truck weighbridge, Optocycle cameras automatically record the contents of every arriving vehicle. The AI-supported image analysis determines the material composition in real-time – without manual assessment, without delay, directly synchronised with the weighing process.
The result in practice: fewer discussions about material quality, clearer bases for invoicing, and a complete, objective proof of every entry. What used to be decided by rule of thumb is now documented and reproducible.
2. Train Imager in rail freight transport
Where raw materials are transported on-site by freight train rather than truck, a specially adapted Train Imager is used – a product development from Optocycle designed for this specific use case, finding its most demanding practical application yet at Blasius Schuster.
The system automatically documents both the content of the wagons and the condition of the wagons – from both sides, completely and without manual intervention. Damage, contamination, or material deviations are detected early and clearly attributed to a delivery.
The result: higher transparency, reliable quality control, and significantly simplified tracking along the entire logistics chain. Liability issues can be resolved before they become a problem.
What four systems really mean
Four systems at different stations are not an end in themselves – they are the logical expression of a realization: transparency in the material stream does not occur at a single point, but throughout. From the initial intake to processing.
For Blasius Schuster, this concretely means:
Efficiency gains at material intake: Every delivery is automatically classified. The correct processing line is selected more quickly and safely.
Seamless documentation: Whether truck or wagon – every delivery is documented based on images and is traceable.
Quality control without extra effort: Deviations from the target are automatically detected before the material goes into processing.
Strength in complaint situations: Being able to prove what arrived when and in what condition provides a factual basis for discussions with suppliers and hauliers.
Scalability: Four systems today, three more in planning – including the Self-Service Truck Imager, which makes the recording process even more independent and efficient.
Conclusion: A partnership that was on equal footing from the start
The collaboration between Optocycle and Blasius Schuster is not a classic supplier-customer relationship. It is a partnership that has grown through a shared understanding of what the circular economy really needs: namely data, transparency, and the courage to digitalise.
The fact that Blasius Schuster, with its numerous systems, is today among the most comprehensively equipped Optocycle customers is no coincidence. It is the result of an entrepreneurial attitude consistently championed by Ralph Lang and Daniel Imhäuser: If you don't know what is arriving in the yard, you cannot decide how it can bring the best added value.
With Optocycle, they now know.
Would you like to find out how Optocycle can make your business more transparent and efficient too? Arrange a non-binding consultation now via this link.
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