Wase Werkplaats
Wase Werkplaats is a Belgian sheltered workshop (maatwerkbedrijf) founded in 1965 in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, employing around 800 people — including 670 workers with disabilities — across pharmaceutical packaging, technical assembly, and green services from four regional sites.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersTemse, Belgium
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wase Werkplaats does
Wase Werkplaats is a Belgian non-profit sheltered workshop ("maatwerkbedrijf" under the legal form vzw) founded in 1965 and headquartered in Sint-Niklaas, operating as the largest sheltered workshop in East Flanders. The organization employs approximately 800 people, comprising around 670 "maatwerkers" (workers with disabilities or distance to the regular labor market) and 130 support staff, and is funded through a mix of Flemish government social-employment subsidies and commercial service contracts.
The company's activities are organized into three branded commercial divisions. W-pharma provides pharmaceutical packaging services and achieved SMETA audit certification in 2026 alongside ongoing ISO focus audits, indicating compliance with regulated-industry customer requirements. W-technics delivers technical assembly services, and W-green covers green services including maintenance and charging-station-related activities. Operations are distributed across four sites in Temse, Zele, Beveren, and Zelzate, the last of which opened in 2024 to extend the geographic footprint.
The business model combines subsidized employment of maatwerkers with revenue from B2B service contracts across pharmaceutical, industrial, and green-service customers. Recent commercial expansion includes 2025 partnerships with Indaver (pharmaceutical waste sorting) and Vondelmolen (bakery-related activities). Strategic ecosystem relationships include Deloitte and HIVA (research/policy), VSV (traffic training), and VDAB (labor-market integration). Leadership is in transition: General Director Lucas Marain is retiring in January 2026.
Wase Werkplaats firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wase Werkplaats
- Legal name
- Wase Werkplaats vzw
- Website
- https://wasewerkplaats.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Wase Werkplaats is a Belgian sheltered workshop (maatwerkbedrijf) founded in 1965 in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, employing around 800 people — including 670 workers with disabilities — across pharmaceutical packaging, technical assembly, and green services from four regional sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wase Werkplaats industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Enterprise Contract Manufacturing Services
- NAICS
- Temporary Help Services (56132), Facilities Support Services (56121)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Manufacturing, MSAT & Operations Staffing (API/Biologics/Cell & Gene) (HLAGAOAL)
Keywords
Where Wase Werkplaats is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Temse
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Wase Werkplaats business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom manufacturing services (maatwerk): Wase Werkplaats generates revenue by providing B2B custom manufacturing services through its three commercial divisions — W-pharma (healthcare assembly and packaging), W-technics (industrial technical work and packaging), and W-green (sustainable green management for public administrations and local industry). Services include assembly, packaging, labeling, quality control, disassembly, green maintenance, and green construction. Revenue is derived from service contracts with healthcare companies, industrial firms, and public sector clients in the East Flanders region, supplemented by public subsidies for social integration of persons with disabilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wase Werkplaats product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wase Werkplaats is a nonprofit sheltered workshop (maatwerkbedrijf) that provides B2B contract manufacturing and green services through three commercial divisions: W-pharma (healthcare assembly and packaging under ISO 13485), W-technics (industrial technical custom work, packaging, and disassembly), and W-green (sustainable green and nature management for public administrations and industry). Services are performed at its four Belgian facilities or on-site at client locations (enclave work), delivered by a workforce of 670 persons with a distance to the labor market supported by 130 coaching and staff employees.
Product overview
Wase Werkplaats is a sheltered workshop organization operating three commercial divisions: W-pharma (healthcare assembly and packaging), W-technics (technical custom work and industrial packaging solutions), and W-green (sustainable green management). The company provides a portfolio of services including packaging, labeling, quality control, technical assembly, disassembly, and green space management for public administrations and industry clients in East Flanders, Belgium.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- W-pharma healthcare assembly and packaging ISO 13485-certified assembly, packaging, and labeling services for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and life sciences clients, including manual and semi-automated packaging of syringes, rapid tests, and other medical products.
- W-technics industrial technical work and packaging Technical custom work, assembly, packaging, labeling, and disassembly services for industrial clients including breweries, charging station manufacturers, and other manufacturers.
- W-green sustainable green management Sustainable green and nature management services for public administrations and regional industry, including mowing, pruning, vegetation maintenance, and green construction.
Quantifiable outcome
- Increased recycling rate from 0% to 95% for non-recyclable pharmaceutical waste through precise sorting by Wase Werkplaats workers in partnership with Indaver
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wase Werkplaats
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wase Werkplaats technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wase Werkplaats partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.
- IndavercoreIn Kallo, Indaver and Wase Werkplaats combine their expertise to transform a non-recyclable pharmaceutical waste stream into a circular success story. Wase Werkplaats workers perform precise sorting, raising the recycling rate from 0% to 95%. This partnership exemplifies how inclusive employment and industrial innovation can go hand in hand, creating both environmental and social value.
- VondelmolencoreVondelmolen and Wase Werkplaats showcased their partnership during a DDS Streekregisseurs network event in Wieze. The collaboration demonstrates the power of cooperation between social economy and regular economy — bridging the two to address labor market shortages. Vondelmolen produces artisanal gingerbread and similar products, with Wase Werkplaats providing operational support.
- VDAB (Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling)supportingVDAB is the Flemish public employment service that refers job seekers with disabilities to Wase Werkplaats and other sheltered workshops. VDAB also approves the maatwerkstatuut required for workers to be employed at Wase Werkplaats.
- Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde (VSV)supportingWase Werkplaats and the Flemish Traffic Safety Foundation (VSV) collaborate to provide practical traffic training for maatwerkers and team leaders. Sessions organized at multiple Wase Werkplaats locations help employees cycle and commute more safely, particularly addressing winter conditions and low visibility. Team leaders receive additional tools to promote road safety within their teams. The partnership continues into 2026.
- GTB (Gespecialiseerde Trajectbepaling)supportingGTB provides specialized career path guidance for people with disabilities in Flanders. GTB referrers work with Wase Werkplaats as part of the job placement pathway for maatwerkers.
- OCMW (Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn)supportingLocal OCMW social welfare centers refer individuals with barriers to employment to Wase Werkplaats as part of their social integration and employment pathways.
- CompaanminorCompaan, a regional employment intermediary, collaborates with Wase Werkplaats to connect job seekers with disabilities to employment opportunities.
- Groep IntrominorGroep Intro, a Flemish social economy group, partners with Wase Werkplaats on job placement and employment integration for people with a distance to the labor market.
- Welzijnsband MeetjeslandminorRegional well-being network in Meetjesland that collaborates with Wase Werkplaats on connecting people with disabilities to employment.
- WelzijnshuizenminorWelfare houses (Welzijnshuizen) in the region collaborate with Wase Werkplaats on referring individuals with barriers to employment for placement in the sheltered workshop.
- DDS StreekregisseurssupportingDDS Streekregisseurs organizes regional network events where Wase Werkplaats presents its partnership models and the value of social economy collaboration to local businesses. Wase Werkplaats participated in a network event in Wieze alongside partner Vondelmolen.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wase Werkplaats competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Recipharm: Swedish contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving pharmaceutical clients with packaging, assembly, and supply services. Directly comparable to W-pharma's pharmaceutical packaging and assembly offering, but operating as a commercial CDMO with much greater scale.
- ISS A/S: Global facility services provider offering workplace, cleaning, and support services across industries. Comparable to Wase Werkplaats's W-green and facility support functions at much greater scale, but without a sheltered-employment or social-mission focus.
- Sodexo: French multinational providing food and facility management services, including on-site workplace services. Comparable to Wase Werkplaats's diversified B2B service offering, particularly the facility-support and operations dimensions; lacks the social-economy positioning.
- Veolia Environmental Services: Global environmental services leader in waste management, recycling, and circular-economy solutions. Comparable to Wase Werkplaats's W-green division and the Indaver circular partnership; operates at vastly larger scale and without the sheltered-employment focus.
- Serco Group: British multinational providing facility management, employment, and public-sector support services. Comparable to Wase Werkplaats's combination of facility support, employment, and government-administration services; larger scale and broader portfolio without the sheltered-workshop mission.
- Catalent: Global pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization offering packaging and assembly services. Comparable to Wase Werkplaats's ISO 13485-certified pharma packaging operations; operates as a multi-site commercial CDMO without a social-employment mandate.
Direct peers
- Groep Intro: Flemish social economy organization supporting people at a distance from the labor market through employment pathways. Confirmed referral partner for Wase Werkplaats; directly comparable as a Belgian social-economy employment and integration enterprise.
Others
- Indaver: European hazardous-waste and circular-economy company with operations in Kallo where it runs a precision-sorting partnership with Wase Werkplaats. Not a competitor but a key partner—useful as an ecosystem comparable for circular-economy integration models.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Wase Werkplaats social profiles
Digital presenceWase Werkplaats compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Wase Werkplaats financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wase Werkplaats leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Wase Werkplaats funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wase Werkplaats M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wase Werkplaats
What does Wase Werkplaats do?
Wase Werkplaats is a nonprofit sheltered workshop (maatwerkbedrijf) that provides B2B contract manufacturing and green services through three commercial divisions: W-pharma (healthcare assembly and packaging under ISO 13485), W-technics (industrial technical custom work, packaging, and disassembly), and W-green (sustainable green and nature management for public administrations and industry). Services are performed at its four Belgian facilities or on-site at client locations (enclave work), delivered by a workforce of 670 persons with a distance to the labor market supported by 130 coaching and staff employees.
Is Wase Werkplaats a public or private company?
Wase Werkplaats is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wase Werkplaats founded?
Wase Werkplaats was founded in 1965. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Wase Werkplaats based?
Wase Werkplaats is headquartered in Temse, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Wase Werkplaats make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom manufacturing services (maatwerk).
Who are Wase Werkplaats's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Recipharm, ISS A/S, Sodexo, Veolia Environmental Services, Serco Group and Catalent. Groep Intro is listed as a direct peer. Indaver is listed as an others.
Does Wase Werkplaats have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wase Werkplaats.
What industry is Wase Werkplaats in?
Wase Werkplaats's product category is Social Enterprise Contract Manufacturing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAOAL, Manufacturing, MSAT & Operations Staffing (API/Biologics/Cell & Gene). Its NAICS code is 56132 and its SIC code is 7361.