Lobbe joins the Maschinenraum innovation ecosystem

Berlin / Iserlohn

Lobbe Group, a provider of a wide range of environmental services from industrial services to recycling and raw materials marketing, is becoming part of Maschinenraum. The Maschinenraum alliance, consisting of around 40 Mittelstand as well as university partners and other innovators, is working together on the digital transformation of German Mittelstand. Lobbe Group would like to use the exchange with other members of Maschinenraum to further deepen the already successful company development with a focus on digitalisation and the circular economy.

As pioneers in the industry – and now already in its fourth generation of independence – Lobbe is one of the leading companies in the circular economy. With around 2,500 employees at 63 locations in Germany, Lobbe is responsible for the environmental services of more than 1,000 industrial and commercial customers as well as the municipal waste disposal of more than 1.8 million citizens in East Westphalia, North Hesse, South Westphalia and the Bergisches Land region.

Courage and pioneering spirit - always part of the corporate DNA

"We want to shape the future sustainably and have always understood every change in society and the economy as an opportunity for development and advancement. With courage and a pioneering spirit, we have always ensured significant progress in our industry since my great-grandfather founded the company," says Kim Höhne, successor of Lobbe Group and Managing Director of UVENTURES, the hybrid transformation and ventures unit. "Today, the most sustainable and innovative solutions result from interdisciplinary exchange and cross-company cooperation. UVENTURES therefore works as a link between established business fields and new, digital networks and markets. Maschinenraum offers an ideal complement for us as a platform. Employees from a wide range of industries and areas can network, exchange and develop in a structured way here."

Circular economy as a key success factor for climate protection

The sustainable reduction of CO2 emissions and dealing with the scarcity of raw materials are mega issues of the present and the future. The circular economy can make a significant contribution to solving these challenges; one could also say "climate protection through the circular economy". High-quality processing technologies, material recovery processes and efficient recycling plants make it possible to reuse raw materials and recycle waste, thus returning it to the economic cycle. However, there is still a lack of suitable political strategies and guiding laws that, for example, promote the use of recycled materials instead of primary raw materials in the plastics processing industry, explains Lobbe Managing Director Michael Wieczorek.

"We are very pleased about the new addition to Maschinenraum – the numerous exchange formats and topic-specific circles will certainly give Lobbe the right impetus to grow even further. As a shared innovation ecosystem from Mittelstand for Mittelstand, we offer the ideal environment to mutually benefit from a familiar exchange. In the area of circular economy, our other members will certainly also be able to benefit greatly from the company's enormous wealth of experience," says Tobias Rappers, Managing Director of Maschinenraum.

About Maschinenraum:

Maschinenraum, a shared innovation ecosystem from Mittelstand for Mittelstand, unites German SMEs and family businesses to boldly shape the future. Already around 35 family businesses – including Viessmann, Fiege Logistik, Dussmann Service and Paracelsus Kliniken – have joined Maschinenraum to jointly drive the digital and sustainable transformation of Mittelstand.

About Lobbe:

As one of the leading companies in the environmental service sector, Lobbe offers comprehensive environmental services from a single source. The focus of the service portfolio is on disposal and recycling, hazardous waste treatment, industrial services, remediation, sewer services and emergency management. Lobbe has 2,500 employees at 63 locations nationwide and currently has around 140 trainees. Lobbe generates around 420 million euros annually (as of 2021).