50 years of Delme workshops: anniversary celebration brings people together!

50 years of Delme workshops: anniversary celebration brings people together!

The anticipation in Sulingen is great! On June 20, 2025, the Delme workshops will celebrate their 50th anniversary. This celebration will take place on the Informa site on Hasseler Weg, and expectations are high: around 1,000 employees and employees are invited to celebrate a very special anniversary. This not only honors half a century of work, but also pursues the major goal of bringing people from all 16 locations together reports the district newspaper.

The basis for this successful development was laid in 1975, the year the company was founded in Harpstedt. At that time, people with disabilities often had no access to education and were housed in institutions. Thanks to the vision of several life support organizations and the association for the support of spastically paralyzed children, the situation has changed significantly. With over 1,800 employees at 16 locations, including the Diepholz and Oldenburg districts, the Delme workshops are now the largest employer for people with disabilities in the region states the Weser-Kurier.

Insights into the work of the Delme workshops

The Delme workshops have changed significantly over the years. From a small company that started work in Sulingen in 1980 to today's 20 different work areas, the focus has shifted significantly. Today, the focus is not only on employment, but above all on meaningful activities and qualifications for the primary labor market said the district newspaper.

In total, the workshops employ around 1,350 people with disabilities and 450 employees. Their activities range from manufacturing and services to document destruction and their own candle factory. Impressive amounts of food are prepared, laundry is washed and cables are assembled every day. The team takes part in these tasks with great commitment, which not only contributes to economic stability, but also promotes the employees' individual quality of life notes the Weser-Kurier.

The path to inclusion

A central theme at the anniversary celebration will be the importance of inclusion. Annetraud Grote, the state representative for people with disabilities in Lower Saxony, emphasizes the need for people with disabilities to find their place in the regular job market. According to her, the transition from workshops to regular jobs is crucial for participation and social integration. In the Lower Saxony region, around 30,000 people with disabilities currently work in workshops, which significantly reduces their chances on the job market emphasizes the bpb.

In the discussion about inclusion and participation, the Delme workshops' strategy to promote “Team for the Transition” is also mentioned again and again. Social contacts, a fixed time structure and the self-confidence that comes from working are of immense importance for many employees. At the same time, these aspects also have a positive impact on the state budget if more people become part of the labor market. The bpb emphasizes that social challenges such as the aging of the population and digitalization will continue to intensively accompany the topic of inclusion.

The Delme workshops not only look back on an impressive past, but also have a firm eye on the future. The combination of commitment, passion and the will to change is the key to continuing to successfully navigate the next 50 years.