Through cutting-edge technology, Bucher Municipal transforms municipal cleaning with sustainable, future-ready solutions
Bucher Municipal is part of the global technology group Bucher Industries: a leader in specialty mechanical and vehicle engineering. Bucher Industries delivers economical, state-of-the-art and environmentally sustainable machinery across multiple sectors. Its systems and components support food production, harvesting and packaging, as well as road and public space maintenance. The organization’s operations address essential human needs, through divisions focusing on specialized agricultural machinery, municipal vehicles, hydraulic components, manufacturing equipment for the glass container industry and equipment for processing beverages, and automation solutions.
The Bucher Municipal division is a leading supplier of vehicles and equipment for cleaning and clearing operations on public and private roads and other traffic areas. “Bucher Municipal’s history began in 1807 with a blacksmith’s shop in Switzerland,” says Steve Douglas, Head of Project Management, as he introduces the division. “Over the years, the company has evolved into a global leader in municipal vehicles and cleaning solutions through various expansions and acquisitions, most notably the Johnston Sweepers purchase in 2005.”
Today the company’s portfolio encompasses a range of products. Its machinery range includes sweepers and sewer cleaning, winter maintenance and refuse collection vehicles and equipment. The product portfolio is also supplemented by digital services.
Sweepers
Its compact sweepers are narrow and agile vehicles that can clean roads, pavements and pedestrian areas efficiently and safely and are ideal for urban environments. The latest product generation is fully electric and can be used around the clock due to its very low noise level. Bucher Municipal’s compact sweepers lead the industry in safety and comfort, delivering exceptional ease of use, sustainability and performance.
Additionally, its powerful truck-mounted and special truck-mounted sweepers are designed for the most demanding municipal, road, airport, industrial and construction tasks. Bucher Municipal combines the highest performance with the lowest cost of ownership and environmental impact. Being 100 per cent electric and featuring smooth air flow technology ensure the sweepers remain at the forefront of vacuum, mechanical and air regenerative technology.
Sewer cleaning
Sewer cleaning units from Bucher Municipal play a central role in ensuring a sustainable approach to water use. Today, Bucher Municipal offers comprehensive sewer cleaning equipment for municipal, contracting and water authority applications, using only high-quality components and advanced technology including a 100 per cent electric solution.
Spreaders
For decades, the company has been committed to keeping roads, streets and airports free of snow and ice. Its range of high-quality spreaders, including a fully electric version, snowploughs and airport equipment, offers municipalities, road authorities, contractors and airports a way to address all aspects of winter maintenance.
Refuse vehicles
Completing the urban cleaning ecosystem, Bucher Municipal has established a particularly strong presence in waste management – it is the leading provider of equipment to the Australian and New Zealand waste industry. Electric refuse vehicles feature state-of-the-art safety systems, and the range includes truck mounted side, rear and front loader equipment, as well as bulk waste compactor and bin-lifting technology to suit all waste streams from general waste to recycling and commercial applications.
With over 2500 employees, working at 19 sites across five continents, Bucher Municipal prioritizes delivering local support. Steve talks more about the UK operation. “In the UK, we have a major factory that manufactures truck mounted sweepers. Our other sites around the world make a variety of different products, and we sell those in the UK, as well as service all Bucher Municipal equipment. Throughout its evolution, the company has constantly been driven by change, ensuring clean and safe environments, while embedding continuous improvement into everything we do. Our rich history of specialized engineering solutions has led to improved technology, better systems and has always been driven by a focus on quality and reliability. This experience allows us to focus on the evolution of our products and more importantly adapt our units to be the best they can be for our clients, and the environment.
“The company acquired a significant piece of land adjacent to its existing site,” he continues. “This strategic purchase marked a key milestone in securing the future of Bucher Municipal’s operations at the Dorking, UK site, enabling further investment, expansion, and technological advancement. Bucher Municipal is committed to developing state-of-the-art facilities that will support the introduction of cutting-edge technologies. This investment not only strengthens our presence in the local area but also underscores our dedication to sustainable growth. By developing the site, we expect to achieve significant CO₂ savings compared to the existing buildings, aligning with the organization’s long-term environmental goals.”
This expansion strategy goes hand in hand with significant technological advancement. Steve emphasizes the important role played by technology across the new development. “In 2022, we invested in new laser cutters, which are three times faster and use much less electricity than our previous ones. These are far more efficient in terms of automation and have enhanced our manufacturing production consistency and efficiency. Alongside investment in land, facilities and technology, we’re also focusing on developing smart sweeping technology, which provides a real value proposition for customers.”
These manufacturing improvements are matched by equally impressive innovations in the products themselves. Indeed, the autonomous Bucher CityCat 2020ev compact sweeper is paving the way for autonomous street cleaning in cities. With the all-new Bucher CityCat V20e and CityCat VS20e, Bucher Municipal is the only manufacturer with second generation electric sweepers in serial production, and with further optimized hard- and software architecture supporting autonomous driving and sweeping operations. Through these innovations Bucher Municipal can help cities to further improve productivity in cleaning operations and optimize road use. By connecting the autonomous vehicles through the Bucher Connect digital service platform, operations centers get real time data about operating status and safety through to predictive support and maintenance. This enables operators to plan routes, optimize performance and utilise vehicles for safer, cleaner and more sustainable city centers. The CityCat 2020ev deploys technology from Enway (Now a Bucher Company), a software developer specialized in high-precision autonomous utility vehicles that Bucher Municipal acquired in 2021.
Innovation at Bucher Municipal isn’t just about automation – it’s fundamentally about creating more sustainable urban solutions. “We have a two-pronged approach to sustainability,” Steve shares. “One is ‘more for less’, and by that I mean how can we utilize what we have with less power consumption, such as incorporating airflow, cooling or autonomous AI technology for example. The other approach focuses on developing alternative fuels or power sources. By continuously exploring innovations in electricity and other alternatives used to power our products, we are investing in a more sustainable environment.”
With the shift towards electrification comes a wave of positive change in the current range of cleaning and clearing equipment on offer; covering everything from sweepers and refuse trucks to winter maintenance equipment and sewer cleaning units. 
When it comes to sweepers especially, 2018 was a memorable year for Bucher Municipal with the launch of the industry’s first electrified truck-mounted sweeper. The zero-emissions vehicle produces less noise pollution than conventional sweepers and can be operated for a full workday without needing to be recharged. There are limitations to electrification, especially when it comes to larger vehicles, but with alternative fuels, that doesn’t mean large vehicles can’t be green.
The company’s forward-thinking approach extends beyond current electric capabilities. “Hydrogen is emerging as a key fuel source for next-generation solutions,” Steve adds. “By producing only water as a by-product, hydrogen-powered vehicles deliver zero tailpipe emissions while offering the range and performance needed for demanding municipal operations. We’re exploring hydrogen as a solution but are mindful that infrastructure and refueling readiness may not be keeping pace.”
With urbanization rising and over half the world’s population already living in cities, the pressure on municipalities and companies to manage waste efficiently is growing. Intelligent cleaning and clearing technology, powered by data, automation and AI, are transforming how fleets operate.
By connecting multiple vehicles into one digital system, organizations can centralize data, monitor performance in real time, and unlock new levels of productivity. Fleet managers can plan maintenance proactively, reducing downtime, extending vehicle lifespans and lowering costs. Access to live operating data also enables route optimization, cutting fuel consumption, emissions and environmental impact.
Digitalization empowers operators with smarter, safer tools, from ploughs configured automatically for specific tasks to sewer cleaning units managed remotely. These innovations not only boost operational efficiency but also create safer working environments and better wellbeing for employees. Ultimately, intelligent systems turn everyday operations into smarter, more sustainable urban services.
The results of this multi-faceted approach – technological, sustainable, and digital – speak for themselves. “I joined the company 26 years ago,” Steve elaborates, “when our turnover was approximately £45 million. Today, we’re at £170 million, which highlights our exponential growth. As we continue to advance with robotization and modernization, we’re broadening our capabilities. At the same time, we’re focused on delivering more for less for our customers. That’s especially important for local authorities, where ESG is a top priority. Our product range, services, digitalization, and smart suite solutions all come together to support that goal.
“The service depots we’ve invested in are a big part of this. Being local to our customers means we can provide a complete, end-to-end service, whether that’s straightforward maintenance, full repair and maintenance, or smart suite site support. In fact, we can do everything but sweep the streets for them. The strength of this model is flexibility,” Steve concludes. “Whatever ‘slice of the cake’ our customers need, we can provide it. That adaptability, combined with the breadth of our offering, is really at the heart of what makes this such an enormous opportunity.”