STADLER Anlagenbau GmbH, the globally active German company specialised in the planning, production and assembly of turnkey sorting plants, has been awarded a major contract by Ecourbis Ambiental S.A. for the design and construction of the UTM Leste sorting plant, a state-of-the-art municipal solid waste (MSW) facility in São Paulo, Brazil. Scheduled for commissioning in August 2027, the plant will be the most advanced MSW treatment facility in Latin America, setting a new standard for technological excellence and circular resource recovery.
With a processing capacity of 135 tons per hour (550,000 tons per year), UTM Leste will recover 48,000 tons of recyclables, produce 260,000 tons of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), and generate 170,000 tons of organics for biogas, diverting over 308,000 tons annually from landfill disposal.
The collaboration between STADLER and Ecourbis Ambiental marks a turning point in São Paulo’s waste management strategy. Combining STADLER’s global engineering know-how and local operational insight with a shared dedication to innovation and sustainability, the project will enhance resource recovery, increase process efficiency, and reduce landfill dependency.
“The choice of STADLER reflects not only its international leadership in providing mechanised sorting solutions with highly robust, reliable and efficient equipment, but also its alignment with Ecourbis Ambiental’s innovation strategy,” said Ednei Rodrigues, Superintendent of Engineering, Innovation and Projects at Ecourbis Ambiental. “This combination ensures technology transfer, digitalisation, and process replicability, reducing risks and strengthening São Paulo’s position as a reference in urban solid waste management.”
At the heart of the project lies STADLER’s ability to tailor its proven European waste treatment model to local realities, including Brazil’s waste composition, climate and regulatory environment. Drawing on extensive experience across Latin America and backed by technical expertise from its German headquarters, the company ensures that each system delivers optimal performance under local conditions.
The advanced UTM Leste plant is unique for the application of Artificial Intelligence through STADLERconnect to support predictive maintenance, blockage detection, and real-time process optimization – marking the platform’s first deployment in Latin America.
“Years of continuous learning, combining in-depth technical studies and hands-on experience, have enabled us to design the most efficient process flow and mass balance for Brazilian conditions,” explained Henrique Filgueiras, Commercial Director of STADLER do Brasil. “Brazilian waste streams present specific challenges compared to Europe: higher organic content, greater moisture levels, a larger share of bulky and non-recyclable materials, and a generally poorer gravimetric composition. Achieving the right balance between capital and operational expenditures is crucial, as is adapting plant design to address the high costs of civil works in Brazil. By adapting layouts and reinforcing equipment robustness, STADLER ensures stable and reliable plant performance even under the challenging waste composition typical of Brazil.”
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