Company history

In safe hands

We have pioneered environmental protection since 1993 and we are an Austrian showpiece company.

1993

The Austrian Cooling Unit Ordinance (Kühlgeräteverordnung) goes into effect.

The home appliance industry establishes the Umweltforum-Haushalt-Kühlgeräteverwertung association, and a comprehensive disposal system for cooling units is created.

With the “refrigerator sticker”, consumers purchase a voucher for the later disposal of the appliance for a price of ATS 770 (later ATS 599.50) when buying a refrigerator.

1995

The Cooling Unit Ordinance is amended: The complete disposal of the cooling unit is no longer paid for in advance; instead, a partial payment is made in the amount of ATS 100 or e7.27.

In order to simplify the process for consumers and disposers, the system operated by Plattform Elektrogeräteentsorgung GmbH (PEG) is taken over by UFH.

UFH Umweltforum Haushalt GmbH & Co KG – a reliable partner for retailers, municipalities and disposal companies when it comes to the disposal of cooling units – is founded.

UFH Privatstiftung is founded.

2002

Together with five other systems, UFH establishes the association of European collection and recovery systems for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), the WEEE Forum.

2005

The Austrian WEEE Ordinance (Elektroaltgeräteverordnung), which is the national implementation of the EU WEEE Directive, replaces the Cooling Unit Ordinance on 13 August, thus eliminating the system of purchasing a disposal sticker.

UFH Elektroaltgeräte Systembetreiber GmbH and UFH Altlampen Systembetreiber GmbH are founded as collection and recovery systems for WEEE and waste lamps.

In September, UFH launches the refund program for 3.9 million unredeemed refrigerator stickers.

2007

UFH Holding GmbH is founded as the parent company of the group.

2008

The Austrian Battery Ordinance (Batterieverordnung), the national implementation of the EU Battery Directive, goes into effect.

UFH Elektroaltgeräte Systembetreiber GmbH establishes a separate collection and recovery system for waste batteries from appliances and industrial equipment.

UFH Holding GmbH founds UFH RE-cycling GmbH together with Remondis Electrorecycling GmbH; UFH Holding owns a stake of 51%.

2009

UFH RE-cycling GmbH opens one of the most modern cooling unit recycling plants of its kind in Kematen/Ybbs.

Founding of UFH Verpackung Systembetreiber GmbH in order to also be able to offer disposal services for packaging in the future.

2009/10

UFH launches the UFH trade-in bonus (Trennungsprämie).

2010

The majority stake in UFH Verpackung Systembetreiber GmbH is sold to the strategic partner Reclay – UFH holds a 10% stake in the newly formed Reclay UFH GmbH.

2011

Enabling act for the takeover of the reimbursement of cooling unit disposal fees and agreement with the Republic of Austria.

The money associated with refrigerator stickers and the resulting obligations are transferred to the Republic of Austria; UFH continues to act as the service provider responsible for processing and paying out funds to consumers.

2012

In the course of their internationalization strategy, the UFH systems collaborate with Reclay UFH to develop cross-border solutions for the recovery and disposal of WEEE and commercial packaging.

2013

In September 2013, UFH RE-cycling GmbH celebrates the disposal of the 1,000,000th cooling unit at Austria‘s most modern cooling unit recycling plant.

Announcement of the Packaging Amendment to the Austrian Waste Management Act (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz, AWG) aimed at ensuring fair competition in the household packaging segment.

In November, UFH celebrates its 20th anniversary together with customers and representatives of official institutions, municipalities and companies from the recycling management industry under the motto of “A good climate for 20 years”.

2014

The 2014 amendment to the WEEE Ordinance goes into effect on 1 July

UFH Holding begins offering to fulfil the obligations defined in the WEEE Ordinance on behalf of foreign customers as an authorized representative

2015

In 2015, UFH RE-cycling GmbH celebrates the disposal of the 1.5 millionth refrigerator at Austria’s most modern refrigerator recycling plant

UFH RE-cycling GmbH becomes the first Austrian disposal company to successfully complete the certification process according to the stringent European WEEELABEX standard (WEEE Label of Excellence)

2016

UFH expands its range of services and begins offering disposal solutions for defective photovoltaic modules starting in January 2016

2017

In August, UFH RE-cycling GmbH celebrates the recycling of the 2-millionth refrigerator in what is Austria’s most advanced recycling plant for refrigerators.

2018

UFH establishes a digital market place for secondary raw materials, Secontrade GmbH. The goal is to facilitate trade with valuable raw materials and to promote circular economy.

2019

Brand relaunch and new website with the slogan “One economy, one cycle, one brand: UFH”

2020

Expansion of the UFH RE-cycling GmbH location in Kematen with a storage hall for hazardous waste in order to cope with the increasing volume.

2021

UFH RE-cycling GmbH expands its portfolio with an absorber refrigerator recycling plant and celebrates the disposal of the 3,000,000th refrigerator in Austria’s most modern recycling plant for refrigerators in April.

2022

The Battery Ordinance Amendment (Batterien-VO) as well as the AWG Amendment 2021 (AWG-Novelle 2021) have made it possible that UFH Holding can also offer the assumption of the obligations of foreign customers in accordance with the Battery Ordinance for portable batteries as of 01.01.2022 as an authorized representative.

At UFH RE-cycling GmbH, 10 % of the electricity demand is covered by the in-house photovoltaic system since April.

SECONTRADE underwent a refresh and expanded its portfolio. In addition to metals, plastics and glass, from now on construction waste, wood waste and biogenic residues can also be traded easily and efficiently both nationally and internationally.

2023

UFH celebrates its 30th anniversary under the motto “30 years of circular economy”, so that UFH sets standards in climate and environmental protection since three decades.

UFH RE-cycling GmbH is celebrating its 15th anniversary at the same time.

2024

UFH RE-cycling GmbH celebrates the recycling of 4 millionth cooling appliance in spring

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