Dokwurk

What Dokwurk does

Dokwurk is a Dutch social development company (sociaal ontwikkelbedrijf) structured as a Gemeenschappelijke Regeling (GR NEF) jointly owned by the municipalities of Noardeast-Fryslân, Dantumadiel, and Schiermonnikoog, and headquartered in Dokkum. Founded in 2012 with 501–1,000 employees, the organization operates a sheltered-employment model under the Participatiewet and Wet Sociale Werkvoorziening, serving two distinct customer groups: individuals with barriers to employment (welfare recipients, refugees, people with disabilities, youth) and regional businesses seeking staffing, outsourcing, or detachment services. Its service portfolio spans coaching, re-integration, integration (inburgering) programs, and a dedicated Dokacademy comprising seven specialized training academies (Industrie, Hout, Schoonmaak, Horeca/ByDok, Groen, Logistiek, plus an IT track via Hacklab), supplemented by VR-based habit and skills training through the GripVR program.

The company's production infrastructure includes professional packaging lines (with an automatic form-fill-seal machine certified to worldwide food safety standards), assembly departments, woodworking workshops, a hospitality training restaurant (ByDok), and a retail outlet (Dokshop) selling handcrafted products. B2B services include contract manufacturing in packaging, assembly, cleaning, and green management, plus personnel detachment and recruitment (including support for the Banenafspraak Jobs Agreement). The organization also runs a holding structure (NEF Holding B.V.) with stakes in adjacent social-enterprise subsidiaries (NEF Askare B.V., Visser Houtbewerking Dokkum).

Revenue is generated primarily through municipal contributions via the GR NEF, supplemented by EU Social Fund subsidies (EUR 3.58M secured across ESF+ Actieve Inclusie II and ESF+ Sociale Inclusie, running through late 2025), B2B contract fees for outsourcing and detachment, and retail sales through Dokshop. Go-to-market is hybrid: individuals enter through municipal referrals under the Participatiewet, while business customers are acquired through direct outreach by an account team. A new consolidated headquarters was completed in 2025 under director Hans van der Meulen, who succeeded Jan Knol on June 1, 2025.

Name

Dokwurk

Legal name

Dokwurk

Website

https://dokwurk.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Dokwurk is a Dutch municipal social development company (Gemeenschappelijke Regeling NEF) serving three Friesland municipalities, providing vocational training, re-integration, and staffing services to benefit recipients and regional businesses through its Dokacademy and work outsourcing operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Workforce Development and Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Social workforce development
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Contract packaging manufacturing
• Staffing and detachment
• Integration and reintegration

Headquarters

HQ city

Dokkum

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Municipal Subsidies: Dokwurk is a social development company (sociaal ontwikkelbedrijf) of municipalities and receives funding through the Gemeenschappelijke Regeling NEF. Operates under the Participatiewet and Wet Sociale Werkvoorziening (WSw).
2. EU Social Fund Subsidies (ESF): Received ESF+ Actieve Inclusie II subsidy of 2,773,200 EUR and ESF+ Sociale Inclusie subsidy of 808,850 EUR for helping people with employment difficulties.
3. Work Outsourcing Services: B2B services where companies outsource packaging, assembly, cleaning, and green management work to Dokwurk. Revenue generated through service fees for contracted production work.
4. Detachment/Staffing Services: Detaching employees to local companies. Companies pay a lease fee for the employee, who remains employed by Dokwurk. Covers flexible capacity needs for businesses.
5. Dokshop Retail Sales: Sale of handmade products including bird feeders, greeting cards, serving boards, geometric decorations, birdhouses, insect hotels, and wooden coasters. Products are sold at the physical shop in Dokkum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dokwurk is a social development company that operates production facilities for packaging, assembly, cleaning, green management, and woodworking while providing vocational training, reintegration, and personnel detachment services. It serves individuals with barriers to employment (welfare recipients, refugees, people with disabilities) through coaching and academy training, and supplies local businesses with outsourced labor and contracted production capacity.

Product overview

Dokwurk is a social development company offering an integrated portfolio of services focused on vocational rehabilitation, labor market integration, and professional training. The core offering combines work outsourcing services (packaging, assembly, green management, cleaning) with staffing/recruitment and re-integration support. Central to the model is the Dokacademy, which comprises seven specialized training academies: Industrie Academy, Hout Academy, Schoonmaak Academy, Horeca Academy (ByDok), Groen Academy, and Logistiek Academy. Additional services include Inburgering (integration programs for newcomers), Dagbesteding (day activities), and the Dokshop retail outlet selling handcrafted products. The ecosystem is designed so that participants enter through coaching and development programs, progress through academy training, and transition into outsourced work, staffing placements, or independent employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dokacademy: A training and development academy within Dokwurk offering vocational learning lines including Industrie Academy, Hout Academy, Schoonmaak Academy, Horeca Academy, Groen Academy, and Logistiek Academy.
• ByDok
• Dokshop
• GripVR
• Meedoen

Products and services

• Dokacademy Training and learning program that helps individuals discover and develop talents through practical work experience and personal guidance, with the goal of moving closer to paid employment and personal growth. Comprises six specialized academies (Industrie, Hout, Schoonmaak, Horeca, Groen, Logistiek).
• Industrie Academy Production and packaging training program that teaches participants to pack products neatly and safely and to operate and troubleshoot packaging machinery.
• Hout Academy (Wood Academy) Woodworking training program in a workshop environment teaching measuring, sawing, sanding, assembly, hand tools, machines, and reading simple drawings.
• Schoonmaak Academy (Cleaning Academy) Cleaning training program teaching use of cleaning supplies, cleaning of offices and living spaces, hygiene and safety practices, and customer communication.
• Horeca Academy (ByDok) Hospitality training program operating in the ByDok restaurant, where participants learn cooking, guest service, hygiene rules, and build confidence.
• Groen Academy (Green Academy) Green maintenance training program teaching pruning, mowing, weeding, planting, use of machines like lawnmowers and leaf blowers, and teamwork.
• Logistiek Academy (Logistics Academy) Logistics training covering receiving, storing, and shipping goods, warehouse work with pallet trucks and forklifts, planning, teamwork, and problem-solving.
• Werk Uitbesteden (Work Outsourcing) Contract manufacturing and outsourcing services for businesses, including food and pet-food packaging, assembly, green management, and cleaning services, with food-safety-certified operations and automatic form-fill-seal packaging machinery.
• Personeel Vinden (Staffing and Detachment) Staffing, mediation, and personnel detachment services connecting businesses with candidates, including temporary staffing, candidate mediation, and support for the Banenafspraak (Jobs Agreement) for people with disabilities. Detached employees remain employed by Dokwurk while on assignment.
• Re-integratie (Re-integration) Re-integration services that help people with welfare benefits return to work rhythm through planned support, work-experience placements, and job-search assistance.
• Inburgering (Integration) Integration programs that help newcomers learn the Dutch language, understand Dutch culture, find work experience, education, certifications, and participate in Dutch society.
• Dagbesteding (Day Activities) Daytime activity program for individuals needing more time before transitioning to regular work, offering furniture repair, woodworking, and home decoration activities.
• Dokshop Physical retail shop selling handcrafted sustainable products made by day-activity participants, including bird feeders, greeting cards, winter shelters, serving boards, geometric decorations, bird houses, insect hotels, and wooden coasters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 people placed at Rol Techniek Benelux, 3 subsequently hired directly by the company
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, regional, major, core and subsidiary.

• 't Stationnete (Stichting Yfke)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Since 2026, 't Stationnete in De Westereen is an official collection point for ANWB Kinderfietsenplan (children's bicycle plan), a collaboration also involving Dokwurk.
• Caparis, Empatec, MOAregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2025Collaboration with other Friese social development companies for joint inspiration session 'Werk(t) voor Iedereen' focusing on sustainable employment and regional cooperation.
• HacklabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint IT training trajectory in Noordoost-Fryslan. Helps job seekers develop valuable IT skills and provides regional companies access to qualified IT talent. Also involves Stichting MICA and De Visuele Vertalers, supported by Stichting QOP.
• Rol Techniek BeneluxmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Since 2022, five people have started through Dokwurk at Rol Techniek Benelux, with three now employed directly by the company. Partnership focused on giving people with barriers to employment a chance to work.
• Gemeenschappelijke Regeling NEF (GR NEF)coreOthersThe formal governance structure connecting Dokwurk with municipalities Dantumadiel, Noardeast-Fryslan, and Schiermonnikoog. The GR handles collective and individual interests of participating municipalities in subsidized labor and (labor) reintegration of target groups under the Participatiewet and Wet Sociale Werkvoorziening.
• FortuinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership creating opportunities on multiple fronts. The fresh perspective of Dokwurk aligns with Fortuin's innovative character. Bart Post, Plant Manager, states the collaboration is sustainable and meaningful.
• TillwoodmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership combining craftsmanship and societal strength. Sytse Monsma, Director of Tillwood, emphasizes how craftsmanship and maatschappelijke kracht (societal strength) come together through this collaboration.
• Hellema en HelwamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration extends beyond outsourcing of packaging work. Working together on solutions for common benefit with pleasure and trust for years. Employees are also detached to their facilities in Hallum.
• NEF Askare B.V.subsidiaryOthersSubsidiary company under the NEF Holding B.V. structure, part of the organization's social enterprise ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Amfors: Amersfoort-region social development company (formerly Swetterhage) operating packaging, assembly, cleaning, and green services with workforce drawn from welfare recipients, closely paralleling Dokwurk's product/service mix.
• Empatec: Friesland-based social development company offering reintegration, training, and contract manufacturing services to municipalities and regional businesses. Co-participates with Dokwurk in Friese collaboration initiatives like 'Werk(t) voor Iedereen'.
• Pantar Amsterdam: Amsterdam's municipal social development company providing sheltered employment, training, and work outsourcing services. Comparable operating model and municipal mandate, though serving a different urban geography.
• WNK Bedrijven: Social enterprise in the Arnhem/Nijmegen region delivering packaging, assembly, and personnel services to businesses while employing people with a distance to the labor market, structurally analogous to Dokwurk's B2B outsourcing model.
• Caparis: Social development company (sociaal ontwikkelbedrijf) headquartered in Leeuwarden, Friesland, operating under comparable municipal GR structures to deliver work reintegration, sheltered employment, and B2B outsourcing services across the same province as Dokwurk.
• Baanbrekers: Regional Dutch reintegration organization providing employment services, training, and job placement for welfare recipients and people with employment barriers, competing for the same Participatiewet-funded mandates as Dokwurk.
• MOA (Mensen Ondersteunen in Arbeid): Northern Netherlands social employment and reintegration provider collaborating with Dokwurk in joint Friesland inclusion programs, offering overlapping services in labor market entry and sheltered work.
• Diamant-groep: Dutch social development group with multiple regional operating companies providing sheltered employment, contract manufacturing, and reintegration services under a similar SW/Participatiewet framework as Dokwurk.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dokwurk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Dokwurk