Gemeente & OCMW Balen

What Gemeente & OCMW Balen does

Gemeente & OCMW Balen is a municipal government entity serving the residents of Balen, a municipality of approximately 23,000 inhabitants in the Antwerp province of Belgium. The organization operates two integrated arms: the Gemeente (municipality) handling civil registry, urban planning, permits, environmental services, and local administration, and the OCMW (Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn) managing social welfare, financial aid, and the Woonzorgcentrum Ter Vest residential care facility with 94 permanent beds and 7 short-stay places. Core service delivery spans six physical locations including the gemeentehuis at Vredelaan 12, the care center at Rozenstraat 11, a police neighborhood office, and dedicated Bouwdienst and Milieudienst offices, supplemented by a digital e-loket portal and multi-channel newsletter system.

The underlying technology stack consists of a conventional municipal service management platform, an e-loket online smart-cities portal (balen.onlinesmartcities.be), and the DIFTAR differentiated waste-tariff system using chip-embedded containers that charge residents per-kilogram for residual and GFT waste, administered through the regional IOK Afvalbeheer partnership. The website is maintained by LCP with integrated accessibility screening tools. No proprietary AI, ML, or advanced analytics capabilities are evidenced. Service breadth includes waste collection, environmental monitoring (cadmium, dioxin, wolf, Asian hornet), asbestos certification coordination with OVAM, the Cambio car-sharing program across five locations, the Tegelwippen climate initiative, OCMW welfare services, municipal education coordination, and joint policing through Politiezone Balen-Dessel-Mol.

The entity is funded through municipal taxes, Flemish and federal government grants, and service fees including DIFTAR variable waste charges (usage-based), Woonzorgcentrum Ter Vest daily care rates (€76.30-€145.89/day for residents and non-residents respectively, effective 1 March 2026), compost products (€17.50-€120 per unit), and minor permit and attestation fees. As a public administrative body, Gemeente & OCMW Balen is not privately owned or traded, has no parent company, and operates under the oversight of elected municipal officials and the OCMW-raad, with the current Mehrjarenplan 2026-2031 guiding strategy toward carbon neutrality by 2050 and 40% CO2 reduction by 2030.

Name

Gemeente & OCMW Balen

Legal name

Gemeente Balen

Website

https://balen.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administrative and Support Services (561), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF), Active Adult / Senior Community Association Management (BPAJAHAJ), Waste Management & Smart Sanitation (Facilities) (HSAPAPAM)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public administration
• Waste management services
• Elderly residential care
• Social welfare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Balen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal tax revenues: Property taxes and municipal levies collected from residents and businesses within the municipality
2. Residential care fees: Daily rates charged to residents of Woon- en zorgcentrum Ter Vest for permanent and short-term care services
3. Waste management fees (DIFTAR): Variable waste collection fees based on DIFTAR system - fixed fee plus per-kilogram charges for restafval and GFT waste collection, administered through IOK Afvalbeheer

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gemeente & OCMW Balen provides local public administration, social welfare, residential elderly care, waste management (DIFTAR), environmental services, education coordination, and policing services to residents and businesses of the Balen municipality in Belgium. Services are delivered through physical municipal offices, an online E-loket portal, and partnerships such as IOK Afvalbeheer, Politiezone Balen-Dessel-Mol, and Cambio.

Product overview

Gemeente & OCMW Balen operates a comprehensive digital service platform combined with physical municipal services. The core digital offering is the E-loket (Digitaal loket) portal enabling residents to access over 60+ services online. The DIFTAR waste management system with chip-enabled containers forms a key revenue-generating service. The organization also provides residential care through Woonzorgcentrum Ter Vest (94 beds + 7 short-stay), the Cambio car-sharing service, environmental services including composting products and the Tegeltuintjes/Tegeltaxi urban greening programs, OCMW social welfare services, municipal education, and joint police zone coverage. The product portfolio spans digital government services, waste management, senior care, mobility, environmental sustainability, and community services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• E-loket (Digitaal loket) Digital service portal enabling residents of Balen to access over 60 municipal services online, including identity documents, permits, attestations, waste management requests, and administrative submissions.
• DIFTAR waste management system Pay-as-you-throw waste collection system with chip-based weighing of residual waste (restafval) and GFT containers, charging residents based on actual waste volume. Administered in partnership with IOK Afvalbeheer.
• Woon- en zorgcentrum Ter Vest residential care Permanent residential care center for elderly residents with 94 places, including dementia care across six households, with daily pricing differentiated for Balen inhabitants and non-inhabitants.
• Centrum voor Kortverblijf Ter Vest short-stay care Short-stay center offering temporary respite care for seniors aged 65+ with 7 places, available for minimum 14 days, maximum 60 consecutive days, and maximum 90 days per year.
• Compostbak composting bin Large composting bin suitable for gardens with lawn, shrubs, and vegetable gardens. Priced at €120 per unit and available at the containerpark with a containerparkkaart.
• Compostvat composting barrel Small composting barrel suitable for gardens of 100-200 m² for processing kitchen and garden waste. Priced at €17.50 per unit and available at the containerpark with a containerparkkaart.
• OCMW social welfare services Public Centre for Social Welfare services including financial aid, legal aid, home care for seniors, social premiums, disability support, childcare, asylum seeker support, and health services for vulnerable residents of Balen.
• Municipal education services Municipal education coordination including kindergartens, primary schools, art education, secondary education, adult education, and emergency childcare for residents of Balen.
• Politiezone Balen-Dessel-Mol policing services Joint municipal police zone covering Balen, Dessel, and Mol providing neighborhood policing, traffic safety, and emergency response services for residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94 permanent residential care places plus 7 short-term care places serving elderly population
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LCPcoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb services provider responsible for municipal website development and maintenance. Provides screening tools integrated in CMS for accessibility compliance, manages www.balen.be website platform, and provides ongoing technical support for digital services.
• IOK AfvalbeheercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional waste management company managing DIFTAR waste collection system, recycling park (containerpark), textile collection containers, and related waste services. Provides toll-free information line (0800/97 687) and administers waste billing.
• CambiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCar sharing service provider with 5 locations in Balen (station, De Kruierie, Gustaaf Woutersstraat, Kerkplein Olmen, Wit Scholeke Wezel). Provides shared vehicles including electric e-cambio models.
• OVAMcoreTechnology or IntegrationFlemish waste agency collaborating with municipality on group purchasing of asbestos certificates (asbestattesten) and providing guidance on safe asbestos handling for building owners.
• Politiezone Balen-Dessel-MolcoreOthersPolice zone collaboration between municipalities of Balen, Dessel, and Mol for unified police services. Headquarters located in Mol. Responsible for local safety, public order, and neighborhood policing.
• Stichting Kempens LandschapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation collaborating with municipality on joint land purchase for nature conservation. Jointly acquired approximately 8,600 m² of forest at Kopberg in Hulsen to protect and secure the area for future generations.
• Agentschap voor Natuur en BoscoreTechnology or IntegrationFlemish agency for Nature and Forests providing support for wolf protection measures, subsidies for wolf-proof fencing, damage compensation for wolf attacks, Asian hornet control, and environmental monitoring.
• Gezondheidsmakers regio KempenminorOthersRegional health support organization providing medical environmental advisors who assist residents with health questions related to environmental issues such as cadmium contamination and dioxin/PCB concerns.
• Brandweer zone KempencoreOthersRegional fire brigade handling wasp and hornet nest removal services. Charges €80 for hornet nest removal (from January 2026). Also provides general fire safety and emergency response services.
• De Streekkrant - Zoeklicht / In BalenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal newspapers serving as channels for municipal communications and announcements to residents through advertorials and community coverage.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gemeente Ham: Flemish municipality of comparable scale with DIFTAR waste, social welfare, elderly care, and digital e-loket services under the same Flemish municipal governance regime.
• Gemeente Lille: Mid-sized Flemish municipality in Antwerp province operating DIFTAR waste, social welfare, elderly care, and digital municipal services. Comparable governance structure and population scale to Balen.
• Gemeente Meerhout: Small Flemish municipality in Antwerp province with directly comparable municipal operations, DIFTAR waste collection, OCMW services, and residential care offerings.
• Gemeente Retie: Small Kempen municipality with similar population profile and service catalog, including waste management via IOK and OCMW social welfare delivery.
• Gemeente Olen: Kempen-region municipality of similar size operating within the same IOK intergemeentelijk structure. Same Flemish regulatory environment, comparable service portfolio.
• Gemeente Mol: Directly adjacent municipality sharing the Politiezone Balen-Dessel-Mol with Balen. Both deliver the same Flemish municipal service portfolio (e-loket, DIFTAR, OCMW social welfare, residential care, environmental services) to comparable Kempen populations.
• Gemeente Geel: Larger Flemish municipality in Antwerp province with analogous municipal service delivery (DIFTAR waste, OCMW, residential care, e-loket, environmental services). Useful benchmark for Balen's service scaling trajectory.
• Gemeente Dessel: Neighbor in the same police zone and intergemeentelijk samenwerkingsverband IOK as Balen. Similar size, identical regulatory framework, comparable service mix including waste, welfare, and environmental offerings.
• Gemeente Tessenderlo: Comparable Flemish municipality with similar waste, welfare, and elderly care service delivery under identical municipal regulatory framework.

Others

• IOK (Intergemeentelijk samenwerkingsverband): Regional inter-municipal partnership that operates Balen's DIFTAR waste system and containerpark. Functions as a backend service provider for waste, environmental, and mobility services across multiple Kempen municipalities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gemeenteBalen
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/gemeente.balen/469893186405343
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gemeente-balen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Gemeente & OCMW Balen