WFBM

What WFBM does

WFBM (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen – workshops for people with disabilities) is a non-profit social services organization headquartered in Aurich, East Frisia, Germany, that provides an integrated suite of housing, employment, and care services for people with disabilities. Founded in 1962 and operating under the legal form of a gGmbH (gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, i.e., a charitable limited liability company), the organization is part of the Lebenshilfe Aurich-Wittmund network, which is structured as a holding company (Lebenshilfe Aurich-Wittmund Holding gGmbH) with affiliated operating entities including wfbm Aurich-Wittmund gGmbH and w.i.r. gGmbH. The organization delivers its services through 18 physical locations spanning the districts of Aurich and Wittmund, serving over 500 residents in long-term care arrangements and an additional cohort of workshop participants.

The service portfolio is organized into three pillars: (1) participation in working life (Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben) through sheltered workshops offering vocational training and contract manufacturing services such as cable assembly (Kabelkonfektion) and food production; (2) housing and living arrangements (Besondere Wohnformen), outpatient assistance (Ambulante Assistenzleistungen), and child, youth, and family support services (Kinder-, Jugend- & Familienhilfe); and (3) public-facing retail operations including five sub-brands — Moor5 (café/restaurant in Wiesmoor), Pütt (café), nah&frisch (grocery), fairfactum (fair-trade shop), and Floristik (florist). The organization's technology stack is not a software or platform offering; it is a service-delivery organization whose principal assets are physical facilities, trained care staff, and contractual relationships with government payers and industrial clients.

WFBM's revenue is derived primarily from publicly funded social services — including reimbursements from the German social security system, disability insurance funds, and municipal authorities — supplemented by income from contract manufacturing for industrial customers (most notably ENERCON, a major German wind turbine manufacturer) and consumer-facing retail revenue from its cafés and shops. The organization markets through a local website (wirsindwfbm.de), Instagram, and Facebook, and pursues manufacturing partnerships through direct sales outreach. It is not a venture-backed or publicly listed entity, and operates as a regional, community-anchored non-profit with no disclosed expansion beyond the Aurich-Wittmund catchment area.

Name

WFBM

Legal name

wfbm Aurich-Wittmund gGmbH

Website

https://wfbm-aurich-wittmund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WFBM is a non-profit gGmbH in East Frisia, Germany, operating 18 locations that deliver sheltered employment, residential care, and social participation services to over 500 people with disabilities, funded primarily by government social insurance with supplemental contract manufacturing and retail revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Social Services and Sheltered Employment

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability vocational services
• Sheltered workshop employment
• Residential disability care
• Social participation programs
• Supported employment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government-funded disability services: Publicly funded social services for people with disabilities, including sheltered employment (Werkstätten für Menschen mit Behinderung), residential care, and social participation programs. Revenue derived from government contracts and social security funding.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WFBM (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen Aurich-Wittmund gGmbH) delivers sheltered employment, vocational training, residential care, and social participation services for people with disabilities across 18 locations in the Aurich and Wittmund districts of East Frisia, Germany. It also operates contract manufacturing (cable assembly, food production) for industrial and craft clients and runs five public-facing retail outlets (cafés, a grocery, a fair-trade shop, and a florist). Services are primarily publicly funded through German social security and disability insurance programs.

Product overview

WFBM (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen – workshops for people with disabilities) is a social services organization operated by Lebenshilfe Aurich-Wittmund. The organization offers a portfolio of services organized into three main pillars: (1) vocational workshops and employment services for people with disabilities, offering cable assembly and manufacturing services; (2) residential and assistance services including special living arrangements, outpatient support, and family services; and (3) retail operations including five cafés/shops (Moor5, Pütt, nah&frisch, fairfactum, and Floristik). The organization serves over 500 people across 18 locations in the Aurich and Wittmund districts of East Frisia, Germany, combining vocational training, residential care, and social inclusion programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moor5: Café and breakfast location in Wiesmoor offering East Frisian breakfast and homemade delicacies.
• Pütt
• nah&frisch
• fairfactum
• Floristik

Products and services

• Werkstätten für Menschen mit Behinderung (WfbM) Sheltered vocational workshops providing meaningful employment and professional training for people with disabilities, including cable assembly (Kabelkonfektion) and food production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 people live in their facilities, some for over 20 years

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ENERCONminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENERCON is shown as a partner in the 'Unsere Partner' (Our Partners) section. ENERCON is a major wind turbine manufacturer based in Germany. The partnership likely involves manufacturing services provided by the sheltered workshop, such as component assembly or cable manufacturing.

Scale indicators2 records

Broad incumbents

• Lebenshilfe (Bundesvereinigung): National umbrella federation for disability services in Germany, of which Lebenshilfe Aurich-Wittmund is an affiliated local chapter. Directly comparable parent/peer network operating WfbM workshops, residential care, and family services across all federal states.
• Caritas Deutschland: Major Catholic welfare association operating sheltered workshops, residential care, and social services for people with disabilities across Germany. Directly comparable in funding model and integrated service delivery.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Largest German welfare confederation providing disability services, sheltered workshops, and care facilities nationwide. Comparable mission, funding mix (government + church), and service portfolio to WFBM.
• AWO Arbeiterwohlfahrt: Major German welfare organization providing disability services, sheltered employment, and care facilities. Comparable non-profit operator with government-funded service model similar to WFBM.

Direct peers

• Stiftung ICP München: Munich-based foundation operating residential facilities, workshops, and therapeutic services for people with physical and multiple disabilities. Closely comparable integrated workshop + residential model with government funding.
• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten Frankfurt: Frankfurt-based Lebenshilfe workshop operator providing sheltered employment and vocational training for people with disabilities. Direct comparable within the same Lebenshilfe network serving a different region.
• Lebenshilfe Wittmund (local network): Local Lebenshilfe chapter in the Wittmund district, organizationally adjacent to WFBM under the same parent Lebenshilfe Aurich-Wittmund Holding gGmbH. Provides directly comparable disability services in the same operating geography.
• Gelsenkirchener Werkstätten: Sheltered workshop operator in North Rhine-Westphalia providing vocational training and employment for people with disabilities. Comparable WfbM business model with contract manufacturing and government funding.
• Von-Vincke-Schule / Diakonie Werkstätten: Diakonie-affiliated sheltered workshops across Germany providing WfbM-equivalent vocational services and contract manufacturing for people with disabilities. Direct comparable in funding and service structure.

Others

• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Werkstätten (BAG WfbM): National association representing German sheltered workshops (WfbM). Comparable institutional context, though as an umbrella body rather than direct service operator; useful for benchmarking peer WFBM operating models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wfbmAurichWittmund
• Instagraminstagram.com/wirsindwfbm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 WFBM