Aachener Werkstätten der Lebenshilfe

What Aachener Werkstätten der Lebenshilfe does

Lebenshilfe Aachen Werkstätten & Service GmbH is a non-profit sheltered workshop (Werkstatt für behinderte Menschen, WfbM) founded in 1964 in Aachen, Germany, and operating under the legal entity name since 2009. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lebenshilfe Aachen e.V. and provides vocational rehabilitation, employment, and training services to approximately 850 people with intellectual, psychological, and severe physical disabilities, supported by approximately 270 qualified staff across two locations (Neuenhofstraße and Hergelsmühlenweg) in Aachen. The organization is led by Managing Director Norbert Zimmermann (since 2007) and holds ISO 9001:2015, MAAS-BGW occupational safety, and AZAV vocational-training certifications.

The company operates a diversified portfolio of production and service lines delivered B2B to regional enterprises and government clients, plus direct-to-consumer offerings. Production services include packaging (climate-controlled halls with ERP-supported batch traceability for confectionery and cosmetics customers such as Lindt, Lambertz, Dr. Babor, Prym, Zentis, and Rössler Papier), electrical and mechanical assembly, CNC-milled and CO2-laser woodwork, gardening and landscaping, back-office/address processing, and professional catering under the Café Life brand (events up to 200 guests). Integrated workplace placements (BiAP) and external work groups at partner sites are coordinated through the LEWAC gGmbH joint venture (52 workers placed), while new metalworking activities are handled by the 2024-founded LEHATEC gGmbH. A 7% VAT applies on the labor portion of contracts, and clients can offset up to 50% of their mandatory disability-employment levy (Ausgleichsabgabe) through commissioned work.

The business model is sales-led, direct B2B relationship selling to regional industrial and commercial customers, with private catering, garden maintenance, and art sales (Kulturwerkstatt 'willsosein') for individual consumers. Marketing combines a website, Facebook and YouTube channels, biannual 'Mehrwerk' magazine, and earned local media coverage (WDR, Aachener Zeitung). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; growth is incremental and supported by a stable regulatory offset-payment demand channel rather than external capital, as the organization is a non-profit gGmbH with no funding rounds.

Name

Aachener Werkstätten der Lebenshilfe

Legal name

Lebenshilfe Aachen Werkstätten & Service GmbH

Website

https://werkstatt-ac.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Non-profit German sheltered workshop (WfbM) in Aachen providing vocational rehabilitation and employment to approximately 850 disabled workers, delivering B2B packaging, assembly, woodwork, gardening, catering, and back-office services to regional enterprises under the regulatory offset-payment scheme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation & Sheltered Workshop Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (61171), Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Supported Employment & Job Coaching (EDAKANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Sheltered workshop services
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Supported employment programs
• Packaging assembly services
• Disability employment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Production Services: Core revenue from providing production and service work (packaging, assembly, woodwork, electro-mechanical assembly, backoffice) to business customers. Charged on a per-project/per-unit basis.
2. Catering and Café Services: Catering for events up to 200 people through Café Life brand; includes food preparation and service staffing.
3. Garden and Landscape Services: Commercial and residential garden maintenance, landscaping, and construction services.
4. Art Workshop Sales: Sale of artwork and artistic products created by disabled artists in the 'willsosein' art workshop.
5. Supported Employment Services: Placement of disabled workers in partner companies via LEWAC subsidiary, with companies paying for the work performed. Income also derived from government funding for vocational rehabilitation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lebenshilfe Aachen Werkstätten & Service GmbH operates a sheltered workshop providing meaningful employment and vocational rehabilitation for approximately 850 people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. It offers businesses a diversified range of production and service outsourcing — including packaging, electrical and mechanical assembly, woodworking, gardening, catering, and backoffice services — while supporting transition into the general labor market through integrated workplace placements and supported employment programs.

Product overview

Lebenshilfe Aachen Werkstätten & Service GmbH is a social enterprise workshop facility providing employment and vocational rehabilitation services for approximately 850 people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. The organization operates a diversified portfolio of production and service businesses at two locations in Aachen, including packaging services (Verpackungsservice), professional catering (Café Life), garden and landscaping services (Gartenbau), woodworking (Holzwerkstatt), electrical and mechanical assembly, backoffice services, and art/cultural workshops. The workshop functions as a unified service platform offering person-centered employment across multiple industries while fulfilling its social mission of inclusion in working life. Services range from manufacturing (packaging, assembly, woodworking) to professional business services (catering, office services) to creative workshops (art, film).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Verpackungsservice (Packaging Service)

Quantifiable outcome

• 52 disabled workers placed in external workplaces across various industries through LEWAC subsidiary
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Partnership established August 2025. Enables students to pursue dual study programs at the workshop and facilitates exchange about the social sector. Located at FOM Aachen center.
• Alemannia AachenstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2024Social partnership established October 2024. Joint actions and projects promoting inclusion and diversity. The workshop's art studio designs products for charitable purposes. Joint events with Alemannia players. Marks a social partnership with a sports club for inclusion advocacy.
• Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen (katho), Standort AachencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Official partner in the 'Hochschule trifft Praxis' cooperation program since April 2024. Enables students to complete their practical semester (Study Project 2) at the workshop, providing vocational rehabilitation experience for social work students.
• everwaveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation agreement signed January 2023. The startup aims to prevent plastic pollution in oceans. The partnership reflects environmental commitment.
• ecoHUB AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst member of ecoHUB. The organization supports Aachen region businesses in transitioning to sustainable and equitable economic practices within planetary boundaries, and promotes young startups in the digitalHUB startup scene.
• digitalHUB AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates as 'Digital User' member, contributing the perspective of people with disabilities to digitalization efforts. Collaborates with startups and established companies. Also places a LEWAC employee in facility management at the Digital Church location.
• VUV - Vereinigung der Unternehmen der Städteregion AachenminorOthersMembership in VUV provides access to information and cooperation events with regional business representatives. VUV also advises on tariff policy, labor law, and social policy matters.
• LEWAC gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture founded in 2015 with WABe e.V. Diakonisches Netzwerk Aachen. Integration company placing disabled workers in external workplaces. Currently manages 52 employees in various industries and provides facility management services including at the digitalHUB.
• LEHATEC gGmbH (Zerspanung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusion company founded in 2024 as a machining/metalworking subsidiary. Handles metalworking orders that were previously managed internally.
• CleanCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegration company founded in 2012 together with Lebenshilfe Aachen e.V., providing cleaning services with disabled employees.
• Ökoprofit InitiativeminorOthersParticipated successfully in 2012 in the joint action of municipalities, local businesses, and regional partners for cost savings and resource efficiency.
• akzente - Arbeitswissenschaftliches KompetenzzentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetence center for ergonomic work in Industry 4.0, focused on human-centered introduction and implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts and technologies in the Aachen region.
• GALA - Gesundheitsregion Aachen: innovativ Lernen und ArbeitenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch project developing branch-specific tools and models for work design and competency management, with the goal of spreading these practices broadly.
• Pro-Idee GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner company hosting 32 disabled workers in integrated workplaces at their site. One of the largest external work group arrangements.
• VygoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedical technology company hosting 10 disabled workers in integrated workplaces.
• Zentis GmbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood preserves company hosting 10 disabled workers in external work groups.
• e.GO Mobile AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElectric vehicle company that collaborated with the workshop on the 'KUNST.TO GO' event at the e.GO Design Shop in December 2017.
• INA24 e.V. (Immobiliennetzwerk Aachen)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional real estate network that co-hosted the 'KUNST.TO GO' art exhibition event with the workshop and e.GO Mobile AG.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Augustinum Werkstätten: Multi-location WfbM operator under the Augustinum foundation providing sheltered employment and B2B production services across Bavaria. Direct peer with comparable production facility footprint and supported employment programs.
• Mainzer Werkstätten GmbH: Sheltered workshop (WfbM) in Mainz serving ~1,000+ people with disabilities across production, packaging, assembly, and services. Operates under identical German WfbM regulatory framework and sells comparable B2B services to regional enterprises — direct structural and operational peer.
• Lebenshilfe Düsseldorf Werkstätten: Sister Lebenshilfe workshop in Düsseldorf operating under the same parent association network with parallel WfbM structure, vocational training, and B2B production services. Closest peer under the Lebenshilfe brand and most directly comparable on mission and operating model.
• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten Köln gGmbH: Regional Lebenshilfe WfbM in Cologne area providing similar sheltered workshop, vocational training, and production services. Direct functional twin with overlapping customer pool in the NRW region.
• CAB Caritas Augsburg Betriebsträger gGmbH: Caritas-operated WfbM network in Augsburg providing sheltered employment, vocational training, and integrated workplace placements. Sister-network peer with parallel service lines (packaging, assembly, catering, gardening).
• Stiftung ICP München Werkstätten: Munich-based WfbM operated by ICP Foundation, specializing in vocational rehabilitation for people with cerebral palsy and physical disabilities. Comparable scale and multi-service production model with strong B2B relationships.
• Diakonie Werkstätten im Rheinland: Network of WfbM facilities operated by Diakonie in the Rhineland region. Provides comparable sheltered employment, vocational training, and supported employment services to people with disabilities under the same regulatory framework.
• Wertarbeit (Caritas Köln): Caritas-affiliated WfbM in Cologne offering production, packaging, and supported employment services for people with disabilities under the same SGB IX framework. Comparable scale, service mix, and B2B distribution model with local enterprises and offset payment clients.
• Berliner Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen (BWB) gGmbH: Major Berlin-based WfbM providing vocational rehabilitation, production services, and supported employment for people with disabilities. Offers comparable packaging, assembly, and B2B services but at significantly larger urban scale.
• GAB – Gesellschaft für Arbeit und Berufsförderung München: Munich-based WfbM offering vocational rehabilitation, B2B production services, and supported employment under identical German regulatory framework. Comparable scope of packaging, assembly, and backoffice services to regional enterprises.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/companies/lebenshilfeaachenwerkst%C3%A4tten&servicegmbh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDCpurGT5fcCeKB93x5y47A
• Facebookfacebook.com/Werkstatt.AC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/werkstatt-ac

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Aachener Werkstätten der Lebenshilfe