WLN

What WLN does

WLN is a Dutch water quality laboratory headquartered in Glimmen, in the province of Groningen, that delivers laboratory water analysis, water technology consulting, and applied water research. The company operates as a joint subsidiary of two regional drinking water utilities, Waterbedrijf Groningen and WMD Drinkwater, and serves industrial water users, municipalities, and recreational facilities across Northern Netherlands, including Groningen, Drenthe, and Friesland. It is one of only four nationally recognized drinking water laboratories in the Netherlands and holds ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation under registration L 075, which positions it as a regulated reference provider for third-party drinking-water compliance testing.

WLN's core capabilities combine chemical, microbiological, and molecular water analysis with applied water treatment research. The laboratory has developed or co-developed proprietary analytical methods, including a legally recognized RT-PCR method for enterococci, Non-Target Screening (NTS) for emerging contaminants, Antraciet Enting (anthracite inoculation) for biological filtration, and process combinations such as BAKF + RO + EDI alongside BODAC filtration. It also operates Data Gestuurd Rioolbeheer (DGR), a sensor- and data-driven sewer management service for municipalities. Customers include the two parent utilities, regional industrial water company North Water, Heineken, Avebe, Google Eemshaven, Groningen Seaports, Wildlands Adventure Zoo, and various municipal authorities.

WLN's revenue model blends fee-for-service laboratory testing (priced per sample or per parameter), multi-year technical and research contracts with industrial clients, and project-based consulting income supported by subsidy programs such as REGAIN. The company tenders for municipal and industrial monitoring contracts, develops and applies proprietary analytical methods, and monetizes applied research through partnerships with academic institutions and Dutch water-sector consortia. Headcount sits in the 51-100 range and the legal entity WLN B.V. was established in 2019, with a separately organized WLN Business B.V. handling commercial operations.

Name

WLN

Legal name

WLN B.V.

Website

https://wln.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

WLN is a Dutch ISO/IEC 17025-accredited water quality laboratory in Glimmen that provides analytical testing, applied water treatment research, and consulting to utilities, industry, and municipalities in Northern Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Quality Laboratory Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services (in-house/contract labs; microbiology, metals, organics) (EUANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Sampling, Testing & Laboratory Analysis (Legionella/Microbiology) (BPABAJAB), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK), Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation) (EUANAJAE)

Keywords

• Water quality analysis
• Drinking water testing
• Wastewater treatment consulting
• Laboratory research services
• Swimming pool water testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glimmen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Water Analysis Services: Accredited laboratory testing for water quality analysis including drinking water, groundwater, surface water, wastewater, and swimming pool water. Covers chemical, physical-chemical, metal, organic, and microbiological parameters.
2. Water Technology Consulting: Advisory services for water treatment design, optimization, troubleshooting, process guidance and training. Includes process support for water installations.
3. Research Services: Custom research projects for companies, institutions, and governments including water quality inventories, sensor testing, and water treatment equipment verification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WLN provides accredited water quality laboratory analyses and applied research for drinking water, industrial water, wastewater, and swimming pool water, combined with water technology advisory services covering treatment design, optimization, troubleshooting, process guidance, and training. It operates an NEN-EN-ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory (RvA L 075) and is one of only four recognized drinking water laboratories in the Netherlands, serving regional water utilities, industrial clients, municipalities, and pool operators across Northern Netherlands. WLN also develops proprietary methods such as RT-PCR for rapid microbiological detection and supports flagship projects like the Puurwaterfabriek and REGAIN circular water reuse program.

Product overview

WLN is a water quality laboratory offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around water quality monitoring, risk management, and water treatment advisory for drinking, industrial, and wastewater in Northern Netherlands. The core offerings include laboratory analyses (the foundation service), water quality monitoring, and technological research. These are supported by specialized services including drinking water research, Legionella testing, swimming pool water research, lead pipe detection, troubleshooting, and risk-based monitoring. The portfolio also includes Data Gestuurd Rioolbeheer (DGR) for data-driven sewer management, process guidance, design, optimization, and water chain collaboration services. All services are delivered under ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation with strong theoretical knowledge, lab expertise, and practical experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Quality Monitoring (Waterkwaliteit Monitoring) Comprehensive water quality monitoring service covering drinking, industrial, and wastewater across Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Drenthe, Friesland), including periodic controls, sampling, and analysis for various water types.
• Laboratory Analyses (Laboratorium Analyses) High-quality accredited laboratory analyses covering all water types, with WLN performing sampling, a wide range of chemical, physical-chemical, metal, organic, and microbiological analyses, and serving as helpdesk and advisor for clients.
• Technological Research (Technologisch Onderzoek) Specialized water technology research including water quality inventories, sensor testing, and research into the functioning of new water treatment equipment, with advisory services ranging from simple adjustments to full new water treatment technology implementation.
• Drinking Water Research (Drinkwateronderzoek) Drinking water research and quality control services delivered by one of four recognized drinking water laboratories in the Netherlands, providing daily monitoring from source to tap.
• Legionella Research (Legionella Onderzoek) Legionella testing and prevention services for swimming pools and water installations.
• Swimming Pool Water Research (Zwembadwateronderzoek) Swimming pool water quality research including monthly controls, Legionella testing, pseudomonas analysis, and compliance with new swimming water regulations under the Environment Act.
• Lead Pipe Detection (Opsporen Loden Leidingen) Detection services for lead pipes in water distribution systems.
• Trouble Shooting Problem diagnosis and resolution services for water treatment issues, with analysis, research, and advisory co-located to enable fast, flexible, and efficient service and 24/7 availability for urgent cases.
• Water Chain Collaboration (Samenwerken Waterketen) Collaboration service for the water chain in which WLN represents Waterbedrijf Groningen and WMD in various research projects and coordinates joint research between water companies and northern water boards.
• Data-Driven Sewer Management (Data Gestuurd Rioolbeheer, DGR) Data-driven sewer management tool for smart and climate-adaptive water management in areas with combined sewer systems, using conductivity sensors and valve control to optimally utilize hydraulic capacity and reduce pollution overflow.
• Process Guidance and Training (Procesbegeleiding & Training) Process guidance and training services for water management and treatment operations.
• Water Treatment Design (Ontworpen Waterbehandeling) Design services for water treatment systems and installations.
• Optimization (Optimalisatie) Optimization services for existing water treatment processes and installations.
• Risk-Based Monitoring (Risico Gestuurd Monitoren) Risk-based monitoring of drinking water quality, where monitoring programs are established based on risk assessments to safeguard drinking water quality, including automated 30/60 analysis and annual evaluation for ILT approval.

Quantifiable outcome

• E. coli detection within 4 hours instead of 24+ hours using RT-PCR methods
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• North WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Water is a joint industrial water company of Waterbedrijf Groningen and Evides Industriewater. WLN partners extensively with North Water on water sampling, analysis, troubleshooting, and technology development. Notable projects include the Garmerwolde industrial water purification facility serving Google Eemshaven, Zout Afvalwater Zuiveringsinstallatie (ZAWZI) at Delfzijl, and Kisuma water treatment. WLN provides operational support and continuous quality monitoring across all North Water locations.
• Waterbedrijf GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and primary customer. WLN is a subsidiary performing drinking water quality research and water technology support for Waterbedrijf Groningen serving Groningen province.
• WMD DrinkwatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and primary customer. WLN performs drinking water quality controls for WMD serving Drenthe province.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with significant water and environmental testing operations. Comparable to WLN as a provider of independent water quality analysis for industrial and municipal clients, though at broader geographic and portfolio scale.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification firm with environmental and water quality services. Comparable to WLN as a credentialed water testing provider, though operating as a diversified incumbent across many industries and regions.
• Eurofins: Global testing laboratory network with extensive water testing capabilities. Comparable to WLN as a contract lab serving industrial and environmental clients, though at vastly larger scale and scope across multiple geographies and verticals.

Others

• KWR Water Research Institute: Dutch water research cooperative that WLN participates in and contributed to (NTA 8033). Comparable as a research-driven water quality authority, though KWR is non-profit and focused on broader drinking water and wastewater research rather than fee-for-service testing.
• Wetsus: European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology based in the Netherlands. WLN maintains close research ties with Wetsus. While not a commercial peer, Wetsus is an R&D partner in the same water technology ecosystem and helps shape the talent pipeline and knowledge base that WLN draws on.

Regional players

• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with strong water and environmental practices, including Dutch heritage. Comparable to WLN's water quality advisory and treatment design services, though operating at much larger scale and broader international footprint.
• Witteveen+Bos: Dutch engineering and consulting firm specializing in water, infrastructure, and environmental projects. Comparable to WLN's water treatment design and advisory capabilities, though Witteveen+Bos operates at national scale with broader engineering services.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Dutch engineering consultancy with deep water sector expertise, including water treatment design and advisory. Comparable to WLN's water technology consulting and design services, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader international scope.

Direct peers

• Het Waterlaboratorium (Waternet): Amsterdam-region water utility laboratory, also one of the four RvA-recognized drinking water laboratories in the Netherlands. Direct comparable to WLN as a water utility-owned lab combining accredited testing with water technology advisory for a regional water company.
• Aqualab: Dutch water quality laboratory providing accredited chemical and microbiological analyses for drinking water, swimming pool water, and industrial clients. Directly competes with WLN in the water testing market for the Northern Netherlands and beyond.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wln.nl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wln
• Xtwitter.com/WLN

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 WLN