Many operators of small recycling yards believe that AI-supported material recognition is something for the big players. Too complicated, too expensive, too much system for a few deliveries per day. The BHRZ Parsberg did not think so – and has been showing since the beginning of 2026 why this assumption can be an expensive mistake.
What is the BHRZ Parsberg?
The BHRZ Construction Waste and Wood Recycling Center Parsberg GmbH is a manageable recycling operation located in Parsberg, in the Upper Palatinate region, right in the heart of the Bavarian Jura. Approximately 15 deliveries arrive there daily – not a large operation, but one with clear quality standards. The company accepts mineral construction waste, wood, films, used tires, and other recyclable materials, and processes them responsibly.
The managing directors Silvester and Fritz Hiller have been running an established company in the natural stone trade with Fritz Hiller GmbH for years – rooted in a region known for its limestone. The BHRZ is their new pillar: same region, new site, new industry – but with the same commitment to quality.
The argument that matters: One single missed shot is enough
Mineral construction waste sounds like a manageable material stream. However, it is not. Gypsum board, aerated concrete, or asbestos that ends up in the wrong pile can render an entire batch unusable – with direct consequences for revenue, disposal costs, and regulatory compliance.
And that is exactly the core: With around 20 deliveries per day, only one needs to go wrong to cause significant damage. The quantity does not provide protection – it only reduces the time window in which an error becomes visible.
Silvester Hiller was aware of this when he established the BHRZ. Therefore, he early on sought a solution to automate the delivery control – and contacted Optocycle via email.
Silvester Hiller
— Managing Director BHRZ Parsberg
“Even with a smaller delivery quantity, it definitely makes sense – because individual misthrows can have enormous economic consequences.”
From the first phone call to installation
Optocycle co-founder Max-Frederick Gerken recalls the first contact: "In the initial phone calls with Silvester, we immediately felt a connection." The subsequent online meeting went, in his words, "very well and successfully" – both generations of the Hiller family were convinced from the very beginning.
Subsequently, an on-site appointment took place in the Bavarian Jura. Together, they analyzed the terrain, the entrance, the logistics – and determined where the Truck Imager should be positioned for optimal effectiveness. The installation followed promptly. Since the beginning of 2026, the system has been operational.
Here's 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 scale. The camera captures the loading area of each incoming truck during weighing. A machine learning model analyzes the image in real-time via edge computing and provides an immediate objective assessment of the material composition – including contaminants.
Especially for smaller farms like the BHRZ, this is crucial:
- Every single delivery counts – with only a few trucks per day, there is no volume to absorb an error.
- No personnel deployment necessary – the system operates fully automatically, without additional effort on the farm
- Objective documentation – in the case of a complaint, there are image data, not opinions
- Growth on a solid foundation – those who document clearly from the start scale without blind spots
Conclusion: Small recycling centers benefit at least as much as large ones.
The argument "We are still too small" turns around upon closer inspection. Precisely because BHRZ Parsberg is a young, manageable operation, every mistake has an disproportionately strong impact. The AI-supported delivery control is not a luxury here – it is risk management.
Silvester Hiller puts it succinctly: "From the very beginning, we wanted to know what was coming to us. Not to estimate – to know."
If you operate a small or medium-sized recycling yard and are wondering if Optocycle makes sense for you: The BHRZ Parsberg is proof that the answer is yes.
Do you operate a recycling yard and want to automate your delivery control? Schedule a non-binding appointment with Optocycle now.