PWS – part of the ESE world
PWS, Perstorp Waste Systems, develops the waste systems of the future and holds a strong position in the Nordic market with products and services for efficient waste management and sorting. Through continuous improvements and close collaboration with our customers, we have created some of our most successful systems. As a Swedish company, we at PWS understand what is required to achieve efficient waste management with products adapted to Nordic climates and conditions.
Leading manufacturer
PWS is part of ESE World (Environmental Solutions Europe), Europe’s leading manufacturer of storage solutions for waste and recyclables, with extensive expertise in waste management. The company has been around since 1934 and is established throughout Europe.
As part of the ESE Group, PWS has access to its own factories in Germany and France as well as broad and deep knowledge in the industry. The PWS containers are manufactured in Europe’s northernmost waste bin factory, close to the Nordic market and delivered to our central warehouse in Sweden, and then shipped in the Nordic region.
Learn more about ESE World here
PWS and ESE have been part of Amcor since April 2025 – a global leader in packaging solutions with a presence in over 140 countries.
About PWS
PWS – Develops products for rational waste managment
PWS develops and sells products for rational waste management and have a leading position in the Nordic market. We have a wide range, where functionality, ergonomics and efficiency are central:
- Among other things, the Quattro Select, with room for many factions in a small space, revolutionized household waste sorting.
- For multi-family houses, there are practical and economically advantageous underground waste systems that can receive large amounts of waste in a highly efficient way.
- The paper bins for public environments are available in a variety of designs, in order to fit into different urban environments.
- Public waste sorting furniture becomes a functional and stylish part of the interior and easily dissolves the source of waste at schools, airports and businesses.
- Hazardous waste must be safely handled and stored properly. PWS has what it takes to ensure the management of hazardous waste.
Great technical skills and experience
With regard to temporary storage of waste and recyclable materials, we have great competence and a lot of experience – especially for the Nordic conditions, with demanding winter climate. As part of ESE World, which started as a small family-owned company and today is an international group, we take advantage of the technical expertise and experience and take it into the future in close cooperation with our customers, to achieve the best results.
Develops the future waste system
PWS is well aware of what is required for efficient waste management, which is adapted to Nordic conditions. As a creative company, we focus on product systems and product development in close cooperation with our customers. With the core values of the customer primarily, creativity and responsibility, PWS meets the increasing demands of the waste management industry. We are working on continuous improvements for products and systems as well as optimizing our internal processes.
Vision and Goals
PWS’s vision is to be the leading provider of modern waste management solutions in the Nordic region and to continuously develop effective niche products and business solutions for the Nordic markets.
History – leading the way since 1984
The first container revolutionized the waste industry
On June 1, 1984, the first PWS container was launched on the market and introduced in Malmö with major media attention.
For two years, Perstorp Form had worked closely with Malmö Municipality, a refuse truck manufacturer, and the Swedish Waste Management Association to develop a new, groundbreaking waste system.
The container was based on an entirely new concept and resembled nothing else, either in the Nordic region or across Europe. The result was a series of functional and durable plastic waste containers that made paper sacks obsolete. The square shape of the PWS container provided better weight distribution, and the larger wheels rolled smoothly. Heavier containers were equipped with an ergonomic footstep to make tipping and moving them easier.
PWS har sine rødder i den skånske Perstorp-koncern, grundlagt i 1881, hvor ressourcebevidsthed og kundefokus altid har været centrale drivkræfter.
I 1980’erne blev grundlaget lagt for PWS’ nuværende produktsortiment. Modige beslutninger, god indsigt i omverdenen og dristighed var nødvendige for at udvikle og producere plastbeholdere med hjul. Baggrunden var arbejdsmiljørisiciene for renovationsarbejderne, som tidligere måtte løfte og bære tunge affaldssække eller trække tunge metalbeholdere hen til skraldebilen.
Allerede i 1990’erne eksperimenterede Perstorp-koncernen med at fremstille affaldsbeholdere af genbrugsplast. Resultaterne var så gode, at man turde tilbyde en genbrugsgaranti. Kunderne fik betaling for deres gamle plastbeholdere ved køb af nye.
Da PWS blev en del af Otto-koncernen i 1997, så de nye ejere forretningsmulighederne i at fortsætte arbejdet med bæredygtig udvikling – både for virksomheden og for at hjælpe kunderne med at reducere affald og nå deres mål inden for miljø, arbejdsmiljø og social bæredygtighed.
I dag, hvor PWS er en del af ESE Group, kan kunderne drage fordel af den genbrugsgaranti, de fik på beholdere købt for 10–15 år siden. Ved udskiftning til nye affaldsbeholdere sikrer PWS, at plasten fra de gamle beholdere genanvendes effektivt og bliver til nye beholdere.
Siden 2001 har PWS haft et miljø- og kvalitetsledelsessystem certificeret i henhold til ISO 14001 og 9001. Siden 2004 har vi samlet nøgletal, der viser, hvordan vores produkter og systemer muliggør effektiv kildesortering, hvilket resulterer i en betydelig reduktion af usorteret affald.
From waste to resource
Initially, waste was considered unwanted, simply collected and piled up. Today, waste is seen as a valuable resource. PWS develops products for efficient waste management, making recycling easy and convenient. Over the years, PWS has contributed to transforming the concept of waste into something recyclable and reusable, adding significant value.
This shift has led to a diverse product range, including the UWS underground system and Quattro Select waste system, alongside well-designed public furniture and litter bins. PWS continually innovates to meet market needs through in-house production and close customer collaboration.
Knowledge and experience
Since its successful inception, PWS has delivered over six million containers across Nordic municipalities, from southern Sweden to northern Norway. This extensive reach has provided the company with substantial experience and knowledge in adapting products to Nordic conditions and the demanding climate.
Today, PWS focuses primarily on the Nordic countries, employing twenty-five staff mainly in sales and customer support. The extensive distribution of containers across the Nordic region has enhanced PWS’s expertise in creating products suited for harsh climates.
ESE since 1934
Since 1997, PWS has been part of ESE World, gaining access to extensive experience from over 90 years of manufacturing, development, and sales of waste containers across all European countries. ESE’s history represents innovation, tradition, and enduring customer loyalty. Waste management and collection systems are, and remain, ESE’s core business.
In 1934, six brothers founded the company OTTO in Kreuztal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and began manufacturing steel containers.
OTTO quickly recognized that waste management was primarily about improving the individual steps of the process. This led to a high level of expertise in processing, which is still reflected today in the wide range of products and services offered by ESE and PWS.
In 1950, Willi Otto developed an innovative lift for waste containers, and in 1964, the first circular plastic containers ranging from 35 to 110 liters were launched. In 1972, the classic waste container was introduced: a 2-wheeled 240-liter bin, known as the DIN comb pickup. OTTO’s containers were patented, and the DIN comb pickup became a global standard.
During the 1980s and 1990s, investments were made in injection molding machines, and the product range was expanded to include a multi-compartment container capable of collecting two different fractions in one bin.
In the early 2000s, the first underground and semi-underground systems were introduced. Further investments doubled the production capacity for 4-wheeled containers.
In 2011, the name changed from OTTO to ESE World, and in 2013, the Rheinwerk brand merged with ESE under the ESE brand.
PWS Vision and goals
PWS Vision
PWS’s vision is to be the leading supplier of modern waste management solutions in the Nordic region and to continuously develop effective niche products and business solutions for the Nordic markets.
PWS Goals
We strive to always achieve the highest quality in innovation, delivery, and service:
- for healthy and profitable growth
- for an attractive corporate culture
- to protect resources and manufacture sustainably
PWS Zero Waste Policy
PWS has a policy stating that no waste should be generated during the manufacturing of our products.
Our products are made from 100% recyclable materials. In this way, we protect raw materials for future generations and preserve agricultural land for food production.
I want to know more about how PWS takes responsibility for the environment
The Art of Recycling
Artist Fredrik Norén lets his creativity flow by using everyday objects in his installations. From PWS, he has repurposed both waste bins and litter bins, placing them in a new perspective in his exciting artworks.
