About
Manufast

Better known under the former name of “ateliers protégés” (sheltered workshops), ETAs or AWPs (Entreprises De Travail Adapté or Adapted Work Places) provide employment for people with disabilities. To this end, they offer a wide range of services to companies, public authorities and private individuals.

Despite their non-profit status, ETAs or AWPS operate like real businesses. Every day, they deliver meticulous work and quality products to their customers, on time and at market prices.

Each team is supervised by instructors with recognized technical and social skills. This supervision ensures the quality of the work carried out.

An ETA or AWP is a high-performance company, because it takes care to match the needs of production with the skills of its workers.

Despite their non-profit status, ETAs operate like real businesses. Every day, they deliver meticulous work and quality products to their customers, on time and at market prices.

Each team is supervised by instructors with recognized technical and social skills. This supervision ensures the quality of the work carried out.

An ETA is a high-performance company, because it takes care to match the needs of production with the skills of its workers.

The social economy accounts for 12% of employment in Wallonia and Brussels. It prioritizes social purpose, democratic governance and limits the return on capital. Putting people before profit, it offers a concrete response to the challenges of Transition, and an economic alternative recognized by the International Labour Organization for creating decent jobs.

Outsource your work or develop your projects with us.
Within our walls or… yours! We take care of everything!

We offer two types of collaboration:

• Workshop work in our companies
• Sending our teams to your premises to reinforce your production capacity

In each case, disabled workers are supervised by suitably qualified staff.

The inspiring evolution of Manufast: a story of resilience and growth

From its humble beginnings in 1964 as the ASBL Manufast-La Famille, the story of Manufast has been one of resilience, adaptation and growth.

The first steps (1964 – 1975):
Founded in December 1964, Manufast-La Famille ASBL is committed to the well-being of vulnerable adults. In September 1975, the La Famille sheltered workshop was created, laying the foundations for a future focused on inclusion and adapted employment.

Expansion and new identity (1980 – 1998):
Manufast expanded steadily in the 80s and 90s, moving to Berchem-Ste-Agathe in 1994. Renamed Manufast, the company employed 174 people by the end of 1994. In 1998, the merger with the La Famille group’s printing plant introduced the Print & Mail sector, an essential component of the business.

Diversification and merger (2002 – 2005):
In 2002, a new advertising voucher processing business was launched. In 2005, Manufast merged with the Association Belge des Paralysés, strengthening the company, which now has 382 employees, 292 of whom are disabled.

Economic challenges and turnaround (2008 – 2014):
The 2008 crisis hit Manufast, resulting in the loss of major customers. In 2011, a turnaround plan is launched, involving redundancies and diversification into higher value-added activities. In 2013, a new scanned document validation business is launched.

Renaissance and growth (2014 – 2017):
From the end of 2014, the turnaround plan bears fruit. In June 2014, Manufast absorbs another AWP “Mailing & Handling”. At the end of 2017, the company posted sales of €9.4 million, profitable results and a significant reduction in economic unemployment.

Crises and stabilization phase (2020-2024):
From 2020 onwards, Manufast faces several crises: health, cyber-attack, economic and inflation. A turnaround plan refocuses activities on handling, data and e-picking, with the addition of enclaves, offering an in situ logistics service. Manufast refocuses on its values and commits itself to becoming the No. 1 in social logistics in Brussels.

The Manufast story is a lesson in adaptation and resilience. From humble beginnings to a social logistics company focused on efficiency and well-being, Manufast embodies the ability to reinvent itself and thrive in the face of adversity. Manufast’s promising future looks set to be an inspiring continuation of this exceptional story.

A real project for an inclusive society is unfolding in Brussels, where the “entreprises de travail adapté” (formerly known as “ateliers protégés”, translated: Adapted Work Places), subsidized by the CoCoF, offer employment opportunities to 1,450 people with disabilities, their primary mission being professional integration. Because of their disabilities, most of these workers would not be able to progress in the traditional employment circuit. However, they benefit from employment contracts, just like any other employee.

Beyond providing employment, these AWPs aspire to offer a structure for life, social interaction and a meaningful place in society to those who want it. Their objective is successful integration. To achieve this, AWPs recruit qualified supervisory staff, adapt workstations and adjust activities to the specific needs of the workers. To compensate for the loss of productivity due to disability, ETAs are subsidized in proportion to the loss of output, making them competitive with private companies.