UW

What UW does

UW is a Dutch social enterprise (werkontwikkelbedrijf) headquartered in Utrecht that operates as a regional work integration organization. Founded in 1968 and organized under UW Holding B.V. with five wholly-owned operating subsidiaries (UW Werkmaatschappij, UW Personeels, UW Traject, UW Werkt voor Utrecht, UW Werktraining), UW serves two principal customer sets: businesses with Social Return obligations and job seekers with barriers to employment in the Midden-Nederland region. The company brands its offerings across sub-brands UW Groen, UW Flora, UW Reïntegratie, and UW Schoonmaak.

Its service portfolio is broad and labor-intensive rather than technology-driven, spanning individual and group detachment (staffing), work outsourcing across production, metalwork, assembly, packaging, cleaning, green maintenance, interior plantscaping, and catering, plus reintegration and outplacement. Core technology consists of trained workforce management, certified production facilities, and on-site delivery at either UW premises or client locations; the company holds ISO 9001:2015, FSSC 22000, Skal Bio, VCA**, Groenkeur, and FietsParKeur certifications. No public or partner-facing API, SDK, or AI tooling is offered.

Revenue mechanics combine three streams: (1) B2B contracts for work outsourcing and production services to enterprises in the Utrecht region, (2) detachment and staffing services where UW remains the legal employer and may pass through loonkostensubsidie (wage cost subsidies) to lower effective rates, and (3) reintegration funding flowing from UWV, Gemeente Utrecht, and other municipalities. Pricing is contract-based and non-public. GTM is primarily direct enterprise field sales within the regional catchment, supplemented by referrals from UWV, municipalities, educational institutions (ROC Midden-Nederland), and the WSP Midden-Utrecht employers' service point, plus content marketing on uw.nl, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. A new two-person directorship was installed in 2024, and a second location in Houten opened in January 2025, suggesting active expansion.

Name

UW

Legal name

UW Holding B.V.

Website

https://uw.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UW is a Utrecht-based Dutch social enterprise and work development company that helps job seekers with employment barriers find work while supplying businesses with staffing, work outsourcing, and reintegration services in the Midden-Nederland region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Staffing and Inclusive Employment Services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613), Temporary Help Services (561320), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Facilities Support Services (5612)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Inclusive Trade (Gender, Youth, Marginalized Groups) (BPADAMAM)

Keywords

• Social employment services
• Workforce detachment staffing
• Reintegration outplacement services
• Work outsourcing production
• Inclusive labor market

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Work outsourcing and production services: UW provides production, assembly, packaging, and service outsourcing to businesses. Companies can outsource work to UW facilities or have UW workers perform tasks on-site through detachment arrangements.
2. Detachment/staffing services: UW places workers with companies through individual or group detachment arrangements. The company remains the employer and provides staffing solutions to businesses, often utilizing loonkostensubsidie (wage cost subsidy) to make placements financially attractive.
3. Reintegration and job coaching: UW provides reintegration services funded through UWV and municipalities, helping people return to work through coaching, training, and placement support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UW is a Dutch social enterprise (werkontwikkelbedrijf) that provides inclusive employment services to businesses and job seekers in the Utrecht region. Its core offerings include work outsourcing (packaging, metalwork, assembly, green services, cleaning, catering, interior plantscaping), individual and group detachment/staffing where UW remains the legal employer, and reintegration/outplacement services funded by UWV and municipalities. The company helps businesses meet Social Return obligations while supporting people with employment barriers into meaningful work.

Product overview

UW is a social enterprise (werkontwikkelbedrijf) in Utrecht that operates as a work integration organization, not a technology product company. The organization provides a portfolio of employment and production services including: Licht Productie (packaging), Metaal (metalwork), Montage en Assemblage, Groenvoorziening (green services), Interieurbeplanting, Facilitaire dienstverlening/Schoonmaak (cleaning), Catering, Detachering (individual placement), Groepsdetachering (group placement), Functiecreatie (job carving), and Re-integratie. These services help people with barriers to employment find meaningful work while providing outsourcing solutions to businesses. The services are delivered at UW's facilities or at client locations through detachment arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Licht Productie (Light Production/Packaging) Packaging and light assembly services for food and non-food products including sweets, biscuits, dietary supplements, and cosmetic products. Bio (Skal) and FSSC 22000 certified packaging operations. Targeted at businesses needing flexible, certified production capacity.
• Metaal (Metalwork) Metalworking services including MIG/MAG welding, fabrication of bike racks, park benches, steel wall furniture, and metal components. Includes training for recognized welding diplomas. Targeted at municipalities and companies needing custom metal fabrication.
• Montage en Assemblage (Assembly) Assembly services for bicycles, electric cargo bikes, solar panel frames, motion simulators, cable assembly, and electrical/electronic work. Targeted at manufacturers and product companies needing assembly capacity.
• Groenvoorziening (Green Services) Green space maintenance including planting, pruning, weed control, lawn mowing, and waste removal, plus garden and green space design and installation. Backed by 130+ employees and a professional machine fleet. Targeted at municipalities, institutions, and businesses in Midden-Nederland.
• Interieurbeplanting (Interior Plants) Supply and maintenance of hydroculture plants and planters, including placement, maintenance, replacement, watering, fertilizing, and pest control for interior greenery. ISO 9001:2015 certified. Targeted at offices and businesses seeking plant-as-a-service.
• Schoonmaak (Cleaning) Complete cleaning services for offices, production spaces, classrooms, public buildings, and company restaurants, including daily and periodic cleaning by trained staff with recognized diplomas. Targeted at businesses and institutions in Midden-Nederland.
• Catering Catering services including sandwiches, coffee tables, lunch buffets, high teas, and food/beverage service during receptions, openings, meetings, and staff parties. Targeted at businesses and institutions hosting events.
• Detachering (Individual Detachment) Individual placement of UW employees at client companies for temporary or longer periods, where UW remains the legal employer and provides ongoing support. Targeted at companies needing individual workers while meeting Social Return obligations.
• Groepsdetachering (Group Detachment) Groups of 2–15+ UW employees deployed at client sites with UW supervision, leadership, and employment responsibilities; can run complete production lines at client facilities. Targeted at companies needing larger teams of supervised workers.
• Functiecreatie en Jobcarving (Function Creation and Job Carving) Service that bundles simple tasks from existing employees into new roles filled by UW candidates, helping companies organize work more efficiently while creating inclusive positions. Targeted at companies open to restructuring tasks for inclusive hiring.
• Re-integratie en Outplacement Reintegration and outplacement services helping people return to work after illness, disability, or unemployment through personalized support and job coaching. Funded by UWV and municipalities. Targeted at individuals with employment barriers and the public bodies funding their return to work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wage cost subsidy makes detachment financially attractive for companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UWVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWV (Employee Insurance Agency) is a key partner providing reintegration funding and referrals for job seekers with employment barriers.
• Gemeente UtrechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality of Utrecht is a key partner, with UW being the Utrecht Work Company focused on inclusive employment in the region.
• ROC Midden-NederlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional training institution partnership for educational programs and student placements.
• CedriscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBranch association for social employment and reintegration organizations, supporting sector development.
• StamhuismajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorking partnership with group detachment of 8 UW employees performing recycling work for Albert Heijn price tags.
• Fietsenwinkel.nlmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partnership with detachment relationships; Anthony transitioned from detachment to direct employment.
• BikeFlipmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for bicycle mechanic training and employment; Marvin from UW now employed as powder coating specialist.
• GimegmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturing partnership with detachment workers including Hoessein who found new challenges at Gimeg.
• SlachtofferhulpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecurring packaging assignment for victim support packages, demonstrating Social Return impact.
• We WondermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for coffee production with detachment workers John and John working in production line.
• OxigomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse staffing partnership where Werner transitioned from detachment to permanent employment.
• Circular IT GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIT refurbishment partnership with Peter Hachmer working on equipment sorting since 1988.
• AppèlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for school meals catering in Utrecht.
• StipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner organization in Midden-Utrecht.
• HofclubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner organization.
• WSP Midden-UtrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWerkgevers Servicepunt (Employers Service Point) Midden-Utrecht partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tempo-Team: Tempo-Team (part of USG People/RGF Staffing) is a major Dutch staffing agency providing temporary and permanent placement, detachering, and HR solutions. Overlaps with UW's detachering business but serves a broader commercial staffing market.
• Randstad Nederland: Randstad is the largest Dutch staffing and HR services firm, offering temporary placement, detachering, and workforce solutions across all sectors. Comparable to UW as a broad incumbent operating in the Dutch staffing market, though without UW's specialized inclusive-employment focus.
• ManpowerGroup Nederland: ManpowerGroup is a global staffing firm with significant Dutch operations offering temporary staffing, permanent placement, and workforce solutions. Comparable to UW in the staffing/detachering space but without the social-employment specialization.
• Adecco Nederland: Adecco is one of the world's largest staffing companies with substantial Dutch operations in temporary placement, detachering, and HR services. Overlaps with UW's detachering offerings but serves the mainstream commercial market rather than the inclusive-employment niche.

Direct peers

• Dethon: Dethon is a Rotterdam-based social enterprise offering work outsourcing, packaging, assembly, green services, and reintegration to disadvantaged workers. It mirrors UW's diversified production-plus-staffing portfolio in the Rijnmond region, making it a directly comparable Dutch werkontwikkelbedrijf.
• Diamant Groep: Diamant Groep is a Groningen-based work development company providing employment, training, and reintegration services to people with distance to the labor market. Comparable to UW as a regional Dutch social employment organization with municipal and UWV partnerships.
• Lucrato: Lucrato is an Arnhem/Veluwe-based werkontwikkelbedrijf offering packaging, assembly, green services, cleaning, and reintegration under the same inclusive-employment model as UW. Operates as a regional Dutch direct peer with comparable service portfolio and target population.
• Baanbrekers: Baanbrekers is a Dutch reintegration and employment services organization active across multiple regions, providing job coaching, training, and placement for people with employment barriers. Directly comparable to UW's UW Traject division in reintegration service delivery.
• Paswerk: Paswerk is a Haarlem-region social enterprise offering work, reintegration, and detachering services for people with employment barriers. It is a direct Dutch regional peer to UW with a similar mix of production services and staffing placement.
• Pantar: Pantar is an Amsterdam-based werkontwikkelbedrijf (work development company) that provides sheltered employment, reintegration, and staffing services for people with barriers to employment. It is one of the largest and most direct Dutch comparables to UW, operating the same business model in a different Dutch region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UWUtrecht
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uw-re-ntegratie
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwutrecht
• Xx.com/uwnl

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UW