State-of-the-art computer vision technology at small recycling centres
- The Hiller family shows how it's done -
Many operators of small recycling yards think that automated material recognition is something for the big players. Too complex, too expensive, too much system for just a few deliveries per day. BHRZ Parsberg did not 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 manageable recycling business in Parsberg, in the Upper Palatinate region, in the middle of the Bavarian Jura. Around 20 deliveries arrive there daily – not a large operation, but one with clear quality standards. The company accepts mineral construction waste, wood, films, scrap tyres and other recyclables, and recycles them responsibly.
With Fritz Hiller GmbH, managing directors Silvester and Fritz Hiller have been running an established company in the natural stone trade for years – rooted in a region known for its limestone. The BHRZ is their new mainstay: same region, new premises, new industry – but with the same commitment to quality.
The argument that counts: A single misthrow is enough
Mineral construction waste sounds like a manageable material stream. But it isn't. Gypsum plasterboard, aerated concrete or asbestos that end up in the wrong pile can make an entire batch unuseable – with direct consequences for revenues, disposal costs and regulatory compliance.
And that is exactly the core: with around 20 deliveries per day, only one has to go wrong to cause significant damage. The volume does not protect – it only reduces the window of time in which an error becomes visible.
Silvester Hiller was aware of this when he set up the BHRZ. That is why he looked for a solution to automate delivery control early on – and contacted Optocycle by email.
"Even with a smaller delivery volume, it makes perfect sense – because individual misthrows can have enormous economic consequences."
Silvester Hiller
Managing Director BHRZ Parsberg
From the first phone call to installation
Optocycle co-founder Max-Frederick Gerken recalls the first contact: "In the first phone calls with Silvester, we got on immediately." According to him, the subsequent online meeting went "very well and successfully" – both generations of the Hiller family were convinced from the very beginning.
This was followed by an on-site visit to the Bavarian Jura. Together they analysed the site, the entrance, the logistics – and determined where the Truck Imager should best be positioned. The installation followed quickly. The system has been running productively since the beginning of 2026.
How the Truck Imager works – even with small volumes
The Truck Imager is Optocycle's AI-based solution for automatic material recognition directly at the weighbridge. The camera captures the loading area of each incoming lorry during weighing. A machine learning model analyses the recording in real time via edge computing and immediately provides an objective assessment of the material composition – including contaminants.
This is especially crucial for smaller yards like the BHRZ:
Every single delivery counts – with few lorries per day, there is no mass to cushion a mistake
No personnel required – the system runs fully automatically, without additional effort at the yard
Objective documentation – in the event of a complaint, there is image data, not opinions
Growth on a solid foundation – those who document cleanly from the start scale without blind spots
Conclusion: Small recycling yards benefit at least as much as large ones.
The argument "We are still too small" is reversed on closer inspection. Precisely because the BHRZ Parsberg is a young, manageable business, every misthrow has a disproportionately strong impact. Computer vision-based delivery control is not a luxury here – it is risk management.
Silvester Hiller sums it up: "We wanted to know what was coming to us from the very beginning. Not guess – know."
If you operate a small or medium-sized recycling yard and wonder whether Optocycle makes sense for you too: BHRZ Parsberg is proof that the answer is yes.
Do you run a recycling yard and want to automate your delivery control? Arrange a non-binding appointment with Optocycle now.