What Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e. V. does

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e. V. (GWO) is a federally recognized Werkstatt für Menschen mit Behinderung (WfbM) under SGB IX, founded in 1960 as an independent organization and now a member of the Diakonisches Werk der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland. Headquartered at Rennplatzstraße 203, 26125 Oldenburg, Germany, GWO delivers an integrated portfolio of vocational and social services for people with physical, intellectual, and psychological disabilities across approximately 800 places distributed among the Berufsbildungsbereich (vocational training), Arbeitsbereich (sheltered employment), and Förderbereich (intensive day support), supplemented by differentiated residential offerings (Haus Hohe Heide 36 places, Haus am Rennplatz 23, Haus Hundsmühlen 24, Wohnen am Kielweg 16, and Hausgemeinschaften for 35 residents across four locations). Adjacent offerings include Seniorentagesstätten, ambulatory care, QVD-mediated transition to the general labor market, the inclusive Atelier Farbsinn arts studio (founded 2005), Café Kurswechsel, and Kantine MachBar inside the Agentur für Arbeit Oldenburg.

Production workshops are equipped with CNC turning (bar-feed magazines, live tooling, opposing spindles), CNC milling on Mazak, DMG, and Haas machines with 4th-axis capability, CNC sawing up to 320 mm diameter, CNC bar processing up to 3.5 m, a CNC double-miter saw up to 4.5 m, hydraulic and eccentric presses from 3 t to 120 t, manual/automated/robotic welding, Engel injection molding for PA/PE/PVC, Ricoma embroidery, and a CNC carpentry unit. The organization's accessibility-first website uses high-contrast mode, adjustable font sizes, and Linguatec Voice Reader Web text-to-speech. GWO also maintains the UKAPO and UK Pflege AAC apps in iOS/Android stores following the dissolution of MEZUK at the end of 2023.

GWO operates as a nonprofit registered association (eingetragener Verein) governed by its members under Vorstand Wolfgang Hündling, with subsidiary structure comprising 100%-owned Teilhabe Arbeit & Bildung gGmbH (vocational education, founded 2010), 100%-owned Teilhabe Wohnen & Pflege gGmbH (ambulatory living and care), and jointly-controlled Oldenburger Objektbetreuung OL-O gGmbH (an inclusion enterprise under §215 SGB IX with GSG Bau- und Wohngesellschaft). Stiftung Teilhabe (founded 17 November 2014) layers philanthropic funding. Revenue is sourced from German social security frameworks (SGB IX rehabilitation funding via Bundesagentur für Arbeit and other Rehabilitationsträger; SGB XI long-term care insurance via Pflegekassen), contract manufacturing and B2B services (CNC, welding, injection molding, embroidery, assembly, packaging, mailing, laundry, grounds maintenance, property management), retail income from café/canteen operations, and donations/grants via Stiftung Teilhabe. Participants access services through statutory referral pathways, not commercial sales channels; geographic scope is regional (Northwest Germany, primarily the Oldenburg catchment). Quality posture is documented via ISO 9001:2015, AZAV Trägerzulassung (parent and TAB), and MAAS-BGW.

Name

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e. V.

Legal name

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e.V.

Website

https://wfbm-oldenburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

German nonprofit sheltered workshop (WfbM) under SGB IX, founded 1960, providing vocational rehabilitation, sheltered employment, residential care, and ambulatory services for people with disabilities across approximately 800 places in the Oldenburg region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Sheltered workshop services
• Vocational rehabilitation programs
• Disability employment services
• Assisted living care
• Contract manufacturing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Vocational Rehabilitation Services (Berufsbildungsbereich & Arbeitsbereich): Government-funded vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities, funded through the German social security framework (SGB IX / SGB III). The Bundesagentur für Arbeit recognizes the workshops, and costs are covered through rehabilitation funding.
2. Residential and Care Services (Wohnen, Freizeit & Begleitung): Ambulatory and residential care services for people with disabilities, funded under SGB XI (long-term care insurance) and related frameworks. Includes services such as Alltagsbegleitung (daily living assistance) reimbursable up to €125/month under §45b SGB XI.
3. Production and Contract Manufacturing: Revenue generated through contract manufacturing and services (metalworking, CNC machining, welding, injection molding, embroidery, textile, packaging, mailing, laundry, grounds maintenance, property management) provided to external commercial clients.
4. Café and Catering Operations: Income from café and canteen operations (Café Kurswechsel, Kantine MachBar) serving the public and institutional customers.
5. Donations and Foundation Grants: The Stiftung Teilhabe (established 2014) funds projects for people with disabilities through donations and endowments. The organization also accepts charitable donations from the public.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e.V. operates a federally recognized sheltered workshop (Werkstatt für Menschen mit Behinderung) delivering vocational rehabilitation, sheltered employment, residential care, and assisted-living services for people with physical, intellectual, and psychological disabilities. Its workshops provide CNC machining, welding, injection molding, embroidery, assembly, packaging, laundry, mailing, and grounds-keeping services, both for in-house training and as contract manufacturing for external commercial clients. Complementary offerings include inclusive cafés (Café Kurswechsel, Kantine MachBar), an inclusive art studio (Atelier Farbsinn), and ambulatory care and supported housing programs across multiple sites in the Oldenburg region.

Product overview

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e.V. bietet ein integriertes Portfolio aus Werkstattleistungen für Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen, bestehend aus Berufsbildungs-, Arbeits- und Förderbereichen mit rund 800 Plätzen. Das Kernangebot umfasst produzierende Werkstattleistungen (CNC-Bearbeitung, Metallverarbeitung, Textilverarbeitung, Montage, Verpackung, Spritzguss) sowie soziale Dienstleistungen (Wohnangebote in Wohnhäusern, Wohngruppen, Hausgemeinschaften, Assistenz beim Wohnen). Tochtersgesellschaften erweitern das Angebot um Bildung (Teilhabe Arbeit & Bildung gGmbH), ambulante Wohn- und Pflegedienste (Teilhabe Wohnen & Pflege gGmbH), Hausmeisterdienste (Oldenburger Objektbetreuung OL-O gGmbH) und eine Stiftung (Stiftung Teilhabe). Gastroangebote (Café Kurswechsel, Kantine MachBar) und ein Kunstatelier (Atelier Farbsinn) fördern die Inklusion. Ein Qualifizierungs- und Vermittlungsdienst unterstützt den Übergang auf den allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt. Die Organisation ist nach ISO 9001:2015 und AZAV zertifiziert.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Café Kurswechsel: Accessible café operated by people with various abilities, featuring coffee and tea specialties, changing daily offerings, and barrier-free access
• Kantine MachBar
• Atelier Farbsinn
• Kaufhaus der Werkstätten (Closed 2025)
• MEZUK
• Stiftung Teilhabe

Products and services

• Werkstätten für Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen (Berufsbildungs-, Arbeits- und Förderbereich)

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 800 places for people with disabilities across training, employment, and support areas.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung Teilhabe (Foundation Participation)coreOthers · 17 November 2014The Stiftung Teilhabe was established on 17 November 2014 by the membership assembly of GWO e.V. Its purpose is to develop offerings for people with disabilities in the Oldenburg region that sustainably promote participation in all areas of society. The foundation provides annual funding to programs such as Atelier Farbsinn and other initiatives of the organization and its affiliated companies.
• GSG Oldenburg Bau- und Wohngesellschaft mbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSG Oldenburg Bau- und Wohngesellschaft mbH co-founded Oldenburger Objektbetreuung OL-O gGmbH (OL-O), an inclusion enterprise (Inklusionsunternehmen nach § 215 SGB IX), together with GWO e.V. OL-O provides property management and handyman services employing people with severe disabilities on the general labor market. The two founding partners jointly govern the inclusion enterprise.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreOthersAs a federally recognized Werkstatt für Menschen mit Behinderung (WfbM), GWO e.V. operates under the regulatory framework of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, which provides recognition, funding authorization, and oversight for vocational rehabilitation services provided to people with disabilities.
• MEZUK (formerly — dissolved end of 2023)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEZUK (a subsidiary/project of GWO e.V.) developed Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps — UKAPO and UK Pflege — for people with communication disabilities. While MEZUK itself was dissolved at the end of 2023 after selling remaining inventory, the apps remain available in iOS and Android app stores, ensuring continued access for the disability community.
• Teilhabe Arbeit & Bildung gGmbHcoreOthersTeilhabe Arbeit & Bildung gGmbH is a 100% subsidiary of GWO e.V., established in 2010 as a vocational education and training provider. It operates independently (with its own AZAV accreditation) providing counseling, education, qualification, and job placement support for people with special support needs.
• Teilhabe Wohnen & Pflege gGmbHcoreOthersTeilhabe Wohnen & Pflege gGmbH is a 100% subsidiary of GWO e.V., providing ambulatory residential and nursing care services for people with physical, intellectual, or psychological disabilities. Services include daily living assistance, companionship, and outpatient care support in the Oldenburg region.
• Oldenburger Objektbetreuung OL-O gGmbHcoreOthersOldenburger Objektbetreuung OL-O gGmbH is an inclusion enterprise co-founded by GWO e.V. and GSG Oldenburg Bau- und Wohngesellschaft mbH. It provides property management, caretaker services, handyman work, playground inspection, electrical maintenance, and grounds maintenance. It employs people with severe disabilities on the general labor market. Address: Rennplatzstraße 203, 26125 Oldenburg.
• Stadt Oldenburg (City of Oldenburg)minorOthersThe City of Oldenburg provides annual funding to Atelier Farbsinn, the inclusive arts studio run by GWO e.V., as part of its cultural support programs. This municipal funding enables the free arts courses and workshops offered at the studio.
• Agentur für Arbeit Oldenburg (Federal Employment Agency, Oldenburg Branch)minorOthersThe Kantine MachBar is operated by GWO e.V. within the premises of the Agentur für Arbeit Oldenburg, serving employees and visitors of the federal employment agency. This partnership provides the organization's café with a captive institutional customer base.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Korian Deutschland: Large private operator of residential care and assisted living in Germany. Comparable on the Wohnen/Pflege side of GWO's offering (residential capacity, ambulatory care) but does not operate sheltered workshops or vocational rehabilitation.
• Alloheim Senioren-Residenzen: Major German private operator of senior residences and care facilities. Overlaps with GWO's residential and Seniorentagesstätten offerings but serves a different (primarily elderly, non-disabled) client base and lacks the WfbM vocational track.

Direct peers

• Caritas Werkstätten: Network of WfbM-style sheltered workshops operated under the Caritas welfare umbrella, delivering vocational rehabilitation, employment and supported housing for people with disabilities across Germany.
• Josefs-Werkstätten: Catholic-affiliated sheltered workshop operator running vocational training and supported employment programs under the same SGB IX WfbM framework as GWO.
• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten (Bundesverband): National federation of Lebenshilfe workshops providing vocational rehabilitation, sheltered employment and supported housing for people with intellectual disabilities. Operates under the same WfbM regulatory framework and similar SGB IX funding logic.
• CAB Caritas Augsburg Werkstätten: Caritas Augsburg Betriebsträger gGmbH operates WfbM workshops, vocational training and inclusion enterprises in the Augsburg region, mirroring GWO's mix of sheltered work and contract manufacturing.
• Diakonie Werkstätten (regional): Diakonie Deutschland is the umbrella organization of Protestant welfare services; regional Diakonie Werkstätten operate as WfbM sheltered workshops under the same recognition framework as GWO.
• Stephanus-Werkstätten: Diakonie-affiliated sheltered workshops in the Berlin/Brandenburg region providing vocational training, employment and residential services for people with disabilities. Closely comparable integrated WfbM-plus-Wohnen structure.
• Von Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel Werkstätten: One of Germany's largest Diakonie-affiliated WfbM networks in Bielefeld, running sheltered workshops, vocational training and supported housing for people with disabilities. Same statutory WfbM status and integrated delivery model.
• Hephata Werkstätten: Diakonie-affiliated WfbM in Mönchengladbach operating sheltered workshops, residential homes and ambulatory services for people with disabilities under SGB IX. Closely comparable integrated workshop-plus-residential model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gemeinnuetzige-werkstaetten-oldenburg

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e. V.