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Styrian Entrepreneurs Launch Educational Project in Ghana – On-Site Kickoff

Raaba, January 23, 2025
Styrian entrepreneurs Hannes Schreiner and Markus Maierhofer are committed to improving education in Ghana. This week marked the official launch of their initiative, as both traveled to Ghana to meet the project team and plan the next steps for their sustainable education project.

Project Kickoff

“In one of the schools we visited, up to 130 children are learning in a single 40-square-meter classroom,” describes Hannes Schreiner. “During the rainy season, students and teachers have to move their desks in and out every day because the classrooms aren’t properly protected.” Basic resources such as school supplies, seating, and even food for students are often lacking.

To address this urgent need, the two entrepreneurs, together with a dedicated project team, plan to invest over €200,000 to support two public schools with 1,000 to 1,500 students each. Their goal is to renovate classrooms and provide essential supplies, including multipurpose water bottles, backpacks, and clothing. “Education is the key to a better future, but under these conditions, learning is extremely difficult,” says Markus Maierhofer.

Why Ghana?

Their focus on Ghana is no coincidence. The West African nation is one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent. According to a recent study by the African Development Bank, Ghana’s GDP is projected to grow by 4.3% in 2025. However, this growth does not automatically benefit all social groups. The education sector, in particular, still faces significant challenges—precisely where Schreiner and Maierhofer aim to make an impact.

For Maierhofer, Ghana is familiar territory. As CEO of FIMA Industries GmbH, he has been actively involved in sustainable projects across Africa, including a €40 million waste management initiative in Nigeria. His experience in infrastructure projects and existing business connections are now helping to facilitate the launch of this education initiative.

Both entrepreneurs are convinced: even a relatively small financial investment can have a huge impact in Ghana. “The leverage is enormous—what might equip a single classroom in Austria can help build entire schools here,” Schreiner emphasizes. Following their visit, the first measures are now being planned. The next steps include finalizing and implementing initial construction projects to create sustainable improvements for local children as quickly as possible.

FIMA Industries: New Major Contract in Nigeria Highlights Global Expansion
Styrian Environmental Technology Specialist Secures €31.4 Million Contract to Combat Waste Problems in Lagos, Nigeria


Graz/Lagos, October 2024
Austria/Nigeria – FIMA Industries GmbH, an international leader in environmental technology, has secured another major export contract through its German subsidiary. The contract includes the construction of three state-of-the-art waste treatment plants and the delivery of waste collection vehicles to Lagos, Nigeria. With a contract value of €31.4 million, this represents a significant milestone in FIMA's global expansion, following the recently completed major project in Ghana.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Johannes Lehne, Envoy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Abuja, who emphasized the importance of international cooperation for sustainable development and highlighted the German value-added contribution to the project. Notably, the German government's contribution, facilitated through Euler Hermes, played a crucial role in securing the contract.

“This contract demonstrates the strong demand for our waste management solutions across the African continent,” said Markus Maierhofer, Managing Director of FIMA Industries. “Together with our partner KOMPTECH, we hold the largest global references and are proud to now contribute significantly to solving the waste issues in Nigeria as well.”
Under the project, FIMA Industries will supply the waste treatment plants, while Faun Umwelttechnik will provide waste collection vehicles valued at an additional €10 million. Together with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Africa’s largest waste management company, and Zoomlion Nigeria, the project aims to address Lagos' chronic waste issues on a long-term basis.

H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, commented: “Collaborating with leading international companies such as FIMA Industries and Faun Umwelttechnik is critical to our strategy of making Lagos a cleaner and more sustainable city. This project will not only drastically reduce waste levels but will also positively impact job creation and the environment.”

The Challenge:
Lagos produces 14,000 tons of waste daily, most of which ends up in landfills. Environmental pollution and uncontrolled CO₂ emissions pose enormous challenges, further exacerbated by the city’s rapid population growth.

The Solution:
In partnership with KOMPTECH, FIMA Industries will build three modern waste treatment plants designed to recycle valuable materials such as plastic, paper, and metals, and process organic waste into compost for agricultural use. Faun Umwelttechnik will supply specialized waste collection vehicles to optimize waste logistics.

Contract Details:

  • First contract value: €31,395,000
  • Second contract value: €10,000,000
  • Financing: ODDO BHF SE, supported by Euler Hermes on behalf of the German Federal Government
  • Export managed through: FIMA Industries Germany GmbH
  • Delivery: 3 waste treatment plants and waste collection vehicles

Environmental and Social Impact:
The project is expected to create 4,232 direct and indirect jobs, with 50% of new technical positions specifically allocated to women. Additionally, the project is expected to save approximately 1.28 million tons of CO₂ emissions and significantly contribute to the economic development of Lagos State.
“This project is a game-changer in tackling the waste problem, which has been aggravated by urbanization and massive population growth in Lagos,” added Maierhofer. “It represents a key step in realizing our vision of establishing sustainable and innovative solutions worldwide.”

FIMA Industries GmbH
FIMA Industries is an Austrian company and a spin-off of KOMPTECH GmbH, specializing in the construction of recycling plants and equipment for waste management. It is a leading player in the African market. With extensive references across sub-Saharan Africa, FIMA offers tailored solutions in waste management and green infrastructure.

FAUN Group
The FAUN Group employs over 2,300 people worldwide and is one of Europe’s leading providers of waste collection vehicles, sweepers, and hydrogen-powered utility vehicles. FAUN operates 17 facilities in nine countries. The group’s headquarters are in Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Lower Saxony, and FAUN closed the last fiscal year with €680 million in revenue. FAUN is part of KIRCHHOFF Ecotec, the environmental division of the global KIRCHHOFF Group.
In 2023, KIRCHHOFF Group generated €3.0 billion in revenue with 13,500 employees across its four business divisions: Automotive, Tools, Vehicle Conversions, and Municipal Technology. The company operates 59 plants in 22 countries across five continents.


FIMA Industries Secures Second Major Green-Tech Export Contract in Africa in a Short Period. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Johannes Lehne, Envoy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Abuja, and Weert Börner, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany.

FIMA Industries: Largest Green Tech Export to Africa
STYRIAN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST SECURES €20 MILLION CONTRACT IN NIGERIA.

Austria/Nigeria/Ghana
“With this project, we have secured the largest Austrian export volume to date in the field of waste management and green technologies on the African continent,” said FIMA Industries CEO Markus Maierhofer. Specifically, it involves two household waste processing plants that will be put into operation in Nigeria within the next 12 months.
Africa’s most populous city, Lagos, Nigeria’s capital, faces numerous challenges due to rapid population growth. The biggest issue is the massive amount of waste and the lack of infrastructure to address this problem. Currently, almost all of Nigeria’s waste ends up unsorted in landfills due to the absence of adequate facilities, resulting in significant environmental issues.
“We have focused precisely on this area and can offer targeted solutions. On two existing landfills, we will install two household waste processing plants together with our partner KOMPTECH GmbH,” said Maierhofer. The recyclable materials from the waste will be separated and recycled, while the remaining organic waste will be processed into compost.
“This project has a dual impact. On the one hand, we significantly reduce waste volumes. On the other, we produce urgently needed compost, which replaces imported fertilizers and, in the truest sense, helps make Nigeria greener,” Maierhofer further explained.
This project will create over 1,000 green jobs per facility and save over 1.2 million tons of CO2 per year. The reduction in landfill volumes is an additional sustainable contribution to environmental protection, especially soil conservation.
“We have already handled projects worth over €60 million in the green tech sector in sub-Saharan Africa over the past five years. It’s a double pleasure for me that today, as part of the opening of the new embassy in Accra, we are launching this project. After all, we laid the foundation for this during Chancellor Nehammer’s trip to Ghana last year,” Maierhofer said enthusiastically.
Africa’s largest waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group from Ghana, with more than 85,000 employees mainly in the waste sector, will be supplied.
“Following our successes in Ghana, where we have already delivered more than 16 household waste processing plants to Zoomlion in collaboration with KOMPTECH, we are now making our first footprint in Nigeria, a very important future market for our joint development,” Maierhofer added.
FIMA Industries GmbH is a Styrian company and a spin-off of KOMPTECH GmbH, specializing in the construction of recycling plants and equipment for the waste management industry. It plays a leading role in the African market. With extensive references in sub-Saharan Africa, FIMA offers tailored solutions in waste management and green infrastructure.

Dr. Joseph Agyepong (Executive Chairman of ZOOMLION Ghana Limited), Markus Maierhofer (CEO of FIMA Industries GmbH), Ing. Nana-Osei Mainoo (Managing Director of FIMA.AFRICA), and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg