Iris

What Iris does

Iris is a Belgian family-owned provider of integrated facility management and industrial coating services, headquartered in Evere (Brussels) and operating through two divisions: Iris Facility Solutions (cleaning, landscaping, office management, HVAC, and handyman services delivered via the Iris Technical Services brand) and Iris Industry Solutions (industrial coating including corrosion protection, fire protection, metallization, tank linings, paint removal, and rope-access working at height, with exclusive European distribution of Safespan work platforms).

The company operates from 12 regional work locations across Belgium and accesses a pan-European footprint of 400+ offices in 41 countries through its founding partnership in European Customer Synergy (ECS). Its technology backbone is a proprietary 'We' digital suite (WeWork, WeInspect, WeRoute, WeTrace, WeCare, WeControl) for time registration, inspection reporting, route planning, geolocated quality status, ticket management, and on-site quality data capture, supported by an enterprise customer portal.

Iris monetizes primarily through recurring multi-service facility management contracts (subscription-style) and project-based industrial coating engagements, priced via customized quotes for enterprise and public-sector clients. With more than 3,500 employees, €167.5 million in revenue, and 8,300+ sites serviced annually, Iris is a top-tier Belgian FM/coating operator undergoing a 2026 strategic refocus: the Industry Solutions division is being transferred via management buy-out supported by Soudal, leaving Iris Group concentrated on facility management under continuing family ownership led by CEO Patrick Janssens van der Maelen.

Name

Iris

Legal name

Iris

Website

https://iris.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Iris is a Belgian family-owned facility management and industrial coating company serving enterprise and public-sector clients across 12 Belgian sites and 41 European countries via the ECS network, with €167.5M in revenue and 3,500+ employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Facility Management Services

NAICS

Landscaping Services (56173)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation Systems Installation & Maintenance (IMAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Facility management services
• Industrial coating services
• Commercial cleaning services
• HVAC maintenance services
• Corrosion protection coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Facility Management Services: Recurring multi-service facility management contracts covering cleaning, HVAC, handyman, landscaping, and office management for enterprise and public sector clients in Belgium
2. Industrial Coating Services: Project-based industrial coating services including corrosion protection, fire protection, metallization, tank linings, and paint removal for clients in Benelux and beyond

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Iris is a Belgian family-owned provider of integrated facility management and industrial coating services. Facility Solutions covers Soft Facility (cleaning, landscaping, office management) and Hard Facility (HVAC, handyman) through Iris Technical Services. Industry Solutions delivers industrial coating including working-at-height rope access, fire protection, metallization, tank linings, and paint removal. Services are delivered through 12 regional Belgian sites and the pan-European ECS network to enterprise and public sector clients.

Product overview

Iris is a Belgian family-owned company offering two main divisions: Iris Facility Solutions and Iris Industry Solutions. Facility Solutions provides Soft Facility services (Cleaning, Landscaping, Office Management) and Hard Facility services (HVAC, Handyman) under the Iris Technical Services (ITS) brand. Industry Solutions offers industrial coating services including working at height with Rope Access, fire protection with intumescent coatings, metallization, tank linings, and paint removal using innovative techniques. The company also developed proprietary digital tools under the 'We' family (WeInspect, WeWork, WeRoute, WeTrace, WeCare, WeControl) to optimize operations and service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Iris: Main company brand for facility and industrial coating services
• Iris Greencare
• Iris Technical Services (ITS)
• WeWork
• WeInspect
• WeRoute
• WeTrace
• WeCare
• WeControl

Products and services

• Cleaning Services Professional cleaning services for businesses including office cleaning, healthcare and cleanroom cleaning, industrial cleaning, window washing, and sanitary supplies, delivered to enterprise and public sector clients.
• Landscaping Professional green maintenance services including design, creation, and maintenance of green spaces, gardens, and green roofs for commercial properties.
• Office Management Comprehensive office management services including reception, vending machines, security, moving services, pest control, and waste management for businesses.
• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) Design, installation, and maintenance of HVAC systems for businesses, provided through Iris Technical Services (ITS).
• Handyman Services Professional handyman services for businesses including electrical work, plumbing, painting, masonry, and small repairs, provided through Iris Technical Services (ITS).
• Working at Height / Rope Access Industrial rope access services for working at height, with IRATA-certified technicians and exclusive European distribution of Safespan work platforms.
• Fire Protection (Brandbeveiliging) Intumescent coating systems for fire protection of steel structures, providing solutions for both cellulose and hydrocarbon fires.
• Metallization Thermal spray coating services using zinc-aluminum or aluminum alloys for anticorrosive protection of industrial installations.
• Tank Linings High-quality coating services for storage and transport tanks, protecting against corrosion, temperature changes, and contamination.
• Paint Removal Industrial coating removal using innovative vapor blasting and induction techniques as alternatives to grit blasting.
• Safespan Work Platforms Innovative work platform system for safe height work, exclusively distributed by Iris in Europe, with rapid installation up to 2x faster than scaffolding, lightweight design, and load capacity up to 970kg/m2.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% customer satisfaction score (3.29 out of 4) in 2021 survey
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Customer Synergy (ECS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2001Iris is a founding partner (since 2001) of ECS, a pan-European fully integrated facilities management services provider with more than 400 offices in 41 European countries. ECS enables Iris to serve multinational European clients through a single point of contact and participate in international tenders in each partner country. Iris provides facility management services through ECS.
• SafespancoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIris is the exclusive European distributor of Safespan, an innovative work platform system for safe height work. Safespan can be used in public infrastructure (bridges, levees), industry, offshore, and building renovation. Key advantages include rapid installation (up to 2x faster than scaffolding), lightweight design, high load capacity (up to 970kg/m2), and eco-friendly transport reduction.
• Life TerraminorOthersIris contributed €30,000 in 2023 to Life Terra, a regional Belgian tree-planting project in cooperation with a forest protection project in Brazil, as part of its CO2 compensation strategy. Projects are certified under CDM or VCS standards.
• The SHIFTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIris is a member of The SHIFT, a Belgian CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) network with more than 300 members including companies, NGOs, and public institutions. The SHIFT's mission is to inform, assist, and bring together members to evolve toward a sustainable economy and community.
• Talent2ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2017, Iris has been a founding member of Talent2Connect, an innovative digital platform that helps talented employees find an employer perfectly suited to their needs. Iris participates as an employer, helping connect with low-skilled youth, people with limited mobility, older workers, migrants, and others with specific talents to job opportunities through private and social institutions.
• PPGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPG and Iris have evolved from a preferred supplier relationship to a trusted partnership in industrial coatings, collaborating on coating solutions and technologies for industrial and infrastructure projects.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Serco Group: British public services and facility management operator with strong European government contract portfolio. Comparable to Iris on integrated FM delivery for public-sector and regulated end-markets, particularly European institutions and government agencies.
• Compass Group: UK-based global support services giant with a substantial FM/property services segment alongside food services. Overlaps Iris in workplace FM, technical services, and integrated contracts for multinational enterprise clients across Europe.
• Sodexo: French multinational offering integrated facility management, food services, and broader quality-of-life services. Overlaps Iris in FM and workplace services but at much larger scale and broader scope; competes for the same enterprise and public-sector contracts across Europe.
• Veolia Environmental Services: French environmental services company with significant facility management and multi-technical services operations in Benelux and across Europe. Comparable to Iris on technical building services, integrated FM, and public-sector/enterprise contracts; broader environmental scope.

Direct peers

• Atalian Servest: French facility services group operating across Europe with cleaning, technical maintenance, security, and integrated FM. Comparable to Iris on multi-service FM delivery, European footprint, and enterprise/public-sector target customers.
• ISS A/S: Danish global facility services company providing cleaning, workplace, technical, and integrated FM services across Europe and globally. Directly comparable to Iris's Facility Solutions division in service mix, target market (enterprise + public sector), and integrated multi-service delivery model.
• Apleona Group: German-headquartered facility management company operating across cleaning, technical building services, and integrated FM. Closely comparable to Iris on service portfolio and European mid-market enterprise positioning; also a named customer/partner in Iris's customer roster.

Regional players

• Strukton Worksphere: Dutch technical services and facility management provider operating across Netherlands/Benelux with integrated FM and technical maintenance offerings. Comparable to Iris on hard FM (HVAC, technical services), Benelux regional presence, and enterprise customer base.
• Coenen Bedrijven: Dutch/Benelux industrial services and facility management company providing maintenance, cleaning, and technical services. Comparable to Iris on Benelux industrial services footprint and cross-border Benelux FM delivery model.
• Tormans Group: Belgian facility services provider offering cleaning, technical maintenance, and integrated FM to enterprise and public-sector clients in Belgium. Comparable to Iris on local Belgian market positioning, customer base, and service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Iris.Group.be
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iris-group

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Iris