A major shift is reshaping the European waste management and recycling industry. The French Paprec Group, a leading recycling powerhouse, is set to acquire an 80 percent stake in Austrian Brantner Green Solutions. This division handles environmental and waste management for the long-established Krems-based Brantner company.
The Brantner family will retain the remaining 20 percent of the shares. Moreover, the family plans to actively support the ongoing transformation process within the company. The transaction awaits the usual regulatory approvals and is expected to finalize in the fourth quarter of 2026.
This significant deal propels the French recycling giant into new territories. Paprec will gain entry into five additional national markets. Beyond Austria, Brantner Green Solutions also operates across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, and Serbia.
Brantner Green Solutions boasts impressive operational scale. It employs approximately 2,500 individuals and manages 65 facilities and locations. Furthermore, the company generates annual revenue exceeding 320 million euros, serving over 28,000 municipal, industrial, and commercial clients.
For Paprec, this represents its largest acquisition since integrating the Coved Group in 2016. Paprec CEO Mathieu Petithuguenin described the agreement as a crucial milestone in the group’s European expansion strategy. Following the acquisition’s completion, Paprec will command a workforce of around 26,000 employees across 15 countries. Its annual revenue is projected to surpass 4.5 billion euros.
Meanwhile, the Brantner family sought a long-term partner. They have cultivated the company, founded in 1936, into a prominent circular economy enterprise over generations. After an extensive, two-year exploratory period, the owner family unanimously chose the French partner.
Bernd Brantner will continue his involvement, serving as vice chairman of the restructured entity. He emphasized that this partnership not only secures the company’s long-term development but also establishes a foundation for realizing immense growth opportunities. The substantial investments required for the environmental division’s future development can now be implemented more efficiently through this new strategic alliance.
It is important to note that this transaction applies exclusively to the environmental and waste management division. The Brantner Logistic Solutions and Brantner Real Estate business units will remain entirely under the ownership of the Brantner family. These units will continue to operate independently.
