COPPA CLASSIC LTD 2021

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De Lidl groep en Heylen Warehouses slaan de handen in elkaar en bouwen een nieuw uiterst duurzaam distributiecentrum

Heylen Warehouses en de Lidl groep bouwen samen aan het meest duurzame distributiecentrum van de supermarktketen in België. De nieuwe logistieke vestiging komt op de oude Henradsite in Herentals, dewelke sinds 2016 eigendom is van Molenwater Groep en Heylen Group. Het nieuwe DC is reeds het zesde Belgische distributiecentrum voor de smart discounter. De komst van de logistieke site zal zorgen voor zo’n 230 nieuwe jobs in de regio. Het is de eerste keer dat beide partijen een samenwerking aangaan.

Door te investeren in een zesde distributiecentrum wil Lidl zijn expansieplannen als smart discounter in België voortzetten en zo anticiperen in de markt van morgen. Het logistieke knooppunt in Herentals zal gebouwd worden volgens de BREEAM* Outstanding normen, wat ervoor zorgt dat dit in het rijtje van de duurzaamste distributiecentra van het land komt te staan.

Werkgelegenheid

De komst van het nieuwe distributiecentrum betekent ook een flinke toename van de werkgelegenheid in de regio. Zo creëert het distributiecentrum zo’n 230 nieuwe jobs, waarvan een 200-tal binnen logistieke functies en 30-tal jobs bij ondersteunende diensten zoals HR, verkoop en IT. Dit biedt de inwoners van Herentals en de omliggende gemeenten kansen op werk dicht bij huis.

Burgemeester Mien Van Olmen: “Het stadsbestuur is blij met deze geplande duurzame investering in onze samenleving. We zijn er van overtuigd dat dit een echte meerwaarde is voor onze stad. Het is bovendien ook een belangrijk gegeven voor de werkgelegenheid in onze stad. Herentals kent nog altijd een hoger werkloosheidspercentage van 8 procent tegen het gemiddelde van 6 procent in Vlaanderen. Deze investering kan helpen de werkloosheid in onze regio naar beneden te halen.”

Duurzaamheid

Het nieuwe DC zal gebouwd worden volgens de hoogste Breeam norm Outstanding, waarbij het doel is een minimale milieu-impact te garanderen. Dit door energie- efficiënte installaties, minimaal waterverbruik, doorgedreven afvalmanagement en minimalisatie van de geluidsimpact, lichtverontreiniging en het ecologische effect op de omgeving.

Door gebruik te maken van daglichttoetreding, aangepaste verlichting, ventilatie, aangename klimaatregeling en akoestiek, wordt een gezonde en productieve werkomgeving met maximaal comfort gecreëerd.
Heylen Warehouses bouwt hiermee een duurzaam pand, klaar voor een tweede en derde generatie.

Schepen Pascal Van Nueten: “De site van Henrad ligt vlakbij de E313 en kan zo een belangrijke draaischijf betekenen voor transport en verdeling. Iedereen in Herentals kent de locatie, en het historische belang ervan voor onze stad. Nu kunnen we deze plaats opnieuw een belangrijke plaats geven in ons stedelijk weefsel.”

Boudewijn van den Brand, CEO Lidl België en Luxemburg: “Lidl blijft groeien in België. Jaar na jaar openen we nieuwe filialen en werven we nieuwe mensen aan. Dit 6de distributiecentrum is dus noodzakelijk om onze winkels dagelijks te blijven bevoorraden met verse producten. Zo bouwen we hier, samen met de stad Herentals verder aan onze duurzame toekomst. Dit 6de distributiecentrum wordt opgetrokken volgens BREEAM* Outstanding voorschriften. Zo werken alle koelinstallaties op natuurlijke koelmiddelen die geen uitstoot veroorzaken in tegenstelling tot meeste bestaande koelgassen. Meer nog, de logistieke hal en de kantoorruimtes worden volledig verwarmd dankzij de warmterecuperatie uit die koelinstallaties. Op het dak plaatsen we zo een 15.000 m2 zonnepanelen die onder meer ook de uitgebreide laadinfrastructuur voor elektrische wagens en fietsen zullen voeden.”

Vogelhuisjes, bijenhotels en wilde bloemenweides zorgen voor de natuurlijke inpassing in de omgeving. Belangrijk hierbij is de gemeenschappelijke duurzaamheidsambitie en de visie om de ecologische voetafdruk te beperken.

Over HEYLEN WAREHOUSES

Heylen Warehouses ontwikkelt en belegt in hoogwaardige logistieke vastgoedprojecten. Het gehele proces, van opstart van een ontwikkeling tot het verhuren ervan, gebeurt volledig in- house met behulp van een multidisciplinair en ervaren team.

Dé drijfveer voor Heylen Warehouses is om telkens te achterhalen welke meerwaarde wij kunnen bieden aan onze klanten en hoe we hen kunnen ondersteunen met onze opgebouwde kennis en ervaring in op maat ontwikkelde gebouwen. Dit komt ook tot uiting in ons eigen DNA: Heylen Warehouses versterkt zichzelf en haar klanten met de juiste expertise en persoonlijke begeleiding met betrekking tot de optimale huisvesting van hun logistieke operaties.

www.heylenwarehouses.com

Over Lidl

Lidl België is een supermarktketen met 318 filialen in België en Luxemburg. De meer dan 10.000 werknemers zetten zich dagdagelijks in om verse groenten, fruit en sterke eigen merken aan te bieden voor de hoogste kwaliteit aan de laagste prijs. De Belgische onderneming vertaalt eenvoud en klantgerichtheid in budgetvriendelijk winkelen – zonder afbreuk te doen aan kwaliteit. Bovendien zet Lidl duurzaamheid voorop en werkt het onder het credo. ‘Op weg naar morgen’ aan een betere toekomst voor mens en milieu. www.lidl.be

Over Molenwater Groep

Molenwater Groep is een Belgische investeringsholding van de familie Eddy Hendrickx , met industriële roots.
De focus ligt op duurzame real estate investeringen en participaties in diverse sectoren, zoals bv groene energie.

De groep heeft door de jaren heen een kwalitatieve vastgoedportefeuille opgebouwd in voornamelijk residentieel vastgoed. Maar huidig project past perfect in de verdere diversificatie naar industrieel vastgoed.
Molenwater Groep ontwikkelt voor zichzelf en voor eindinvesteerders door partnerships met slimme partners, zoals o.a. Heylen Warehouses.

Het is niet toevallig dat zij de Henrad site terug haar welvaart wil geven gezien Eddy Hendrickx , historisch eigenaar was van de site en Henrad.

* BREEAM is een evaluatiemethode die ontwikkeld werd door het Building Research Establishment – een instantie die bouwkundig onderzoek verricht – om de milieuprestaties van een gebouw te beschrijven.

Vlog Heylen Warehouses: What’s inside a box? Black Friday

Black Friday has flown over from the United States and is traditionally the start of Christmas shopping after the Day of Thanksgiving. That Friday most of the employees are free and the stores give high discounts. In Europe, it’s mainly the online stores that join in the fray.

How does Black Friday affect the logistics operations of a warehouse?

Heylen Warehouses was allowed to take a look at Bleckmann in Grobbendonk, where, among other clients, order picking and shipping takes place for the largest e-commerce company in the world, Gymshark. Hundreds of thousands of parcels a day are shipped from the warehouse in Grobbendonk to customers all over the world. To encourage the hard workers to reach the targets, they surprised them with delicious Tony’s Chocolonely bars.

Heylen Group acquires PAB and expands business portfolio in retail and hospitality segment

With the acquisition of PAB, wholesaler in the food segment, RV Food (Heylen Group) acquires a complementary partner within the retail and on-trade segment of the holding company.  The acquisition of PAB is the result of a search for a suitable buyer as part of the succession of Ludo Sleurs, who was active in the food sector for 50 years.

With PAB, based in Mechelen, Heylen Group takes over a renowned name within the retail industry and strengthens its food cluster. Besides being a wholesale distributor in the food sector, PAB acts as a “sparring partner” for brands such as Innocent, Tabasco, Kikkoman, Maille, Weight Watchers, Tony Chocolonely, Benecol and others and offers market, product, marketing and sales knowledge, as well as support regarding product innovations. “As a brand builder, PAB represents blue chip principals in retail as if they were its own brands. Our customers are international food producers with both chilled and non-refrigerated product lines. In concrete terms, the brands call on PAB’s regional market and product knowledge, which in turn provides the appropriate support to the brands with the aim of maximizing brand growth. We do this in both retail and on-trade sectors within the Benelux,” says Frédéric Vloeberghs, brand new CEO of the PAB Group.

Complementary partners

For RV Food, which has been part of Heylen Group under the food cluster since 2015, the entry of PAB within Heylen Group means the arrival of a new, complementary partner. “As an importer and distributor of food brands towards the industry and the hospitality sector, RV Food’s mission is to source and distribute the best products and also to continue to surprise and trigger customers with new brand creations and developments. A goal that PAB also has in mind,” says Gert Van de Water CEO of RV Food.

“Where RV Food specializes in the import and distribution of food to industry and the hospitality sector, as well as in private label retail, PAB’s focus lies on retail and the hospitality sector. Both companies have their own expertise, but there is also overlap in the ambition to create new food concepts and to further develop existing brands. This joint ambition is, among other things, the start of a complementary collaboration. This not only benefits the identity of both companies, but also gives suppliers and customers more perspective,” says Johan Steyaert, also CEO at RV Food.

Farewell after 50 years

“After 50 years I’m saying goodbye to PAB and it’s time to pass on the torch to an experienced management team that in turn is well equipped for the next 50 years,” says Ludo Sleurs, former CEO of PAB.

“As brand builders, the relationships with our customers and stakeholders are invaluable. In order to guarantee the continuity of the company, we have therefore started to look for the right party to help shape that continuity. We found that partner in RV Food and Heylen Group. By joining forces, PAB’s position within food service, industrial sales and food creation will be strengthened. This gives both RV Food and PAB just that extra scale and the means to serve both principals and customers even better”.

This continuity will also be guaranteed by Frédéric Vloeberghs, who will take over as the new CEO. Peter Verlinde, CFO of PAB and Johan Steyaert and Gert Van de Water, both CEO of RV Food, will strengthen the management team. The goal: to form one coherent whole with a clear focus on expertise and strong long-term ambitions within the food sector.

About PAB

PAB is a leading food supplier on the Belgian market for both dry and dairy & chilled food. It acts as a sparring partner and brand builder for food producers in the Benelux market.

PAB was founded in 1957 and, as a subsidiary of Danone, is responsible for the commercialization of the group’s dry food products in the Benelux. In 2002 PAB became an independent company. In 2008, PAB Chilled & Dairy Food was established as a separate entity, led by Frédéric Vloeberghs. Since then, PAB has grown into a successful company with 2 well-balanced business units.

About RV Food

Rv Food was founded in 1959 and evolved over the years from a modest jam factory into a full-fledged company that imports food from almost all over the world and distributes it to customers in the Benelux and France.

In 2015, Johan Steyaert and Gert Van de Water, together with Heylen Group, took over the company “Ronald Vandeputte” with the mission to look for only the best products destined for distribution, but also to continue to surprise and trigger customers with new creations and developments. RV Food’s portfolio includes high-quality pastas, jams, olive oils and tomato preparations. Belcampi, Léonce Blanc, Lesieur and Petti are part of the brand portfolio.

Corporate movie Heylen Group in finale of Golden Award of Montreux

With the titel “Whatever you dream, together #wemakeitpossible!” Heylen Group and Medialife launched the corporate video of Heylen Group last year. That corporate video recently made it to the top 3 of the best ‘Corporate Image Films 2020’ according to the Golden Awards of Montreux, which presents awards for the most excellent ideas within Advertising, Digital and Events.

Commissioned by Heylen Group, Medialife started working on the development of the group’s corporate film in 2018. ‘We are a family holding with a buy-and-build strategy and we focus on long-term investments. How do we get this explained outside the context of our familiar office environment?’, sounded the assignment. With that message in mind, Medialife travelled with cameraman and drone pilot to various locations in Amsterdam, the Ardennes, Riemst and Hasselt.

The Golden Award of Montreux honours companies and individuals who dedicate themselves to the creation of great advertising, multimedia and events within the cultural environment of television and music festivals. This under the heading ‘communication is part of the all-encompassing world of creativity’. Each corporate film is scrutinised by an international jury of CEOs, filmmakers, Art Directors and creatives from 16 countries around the world. ‘Whatever you dream, together #wemakeitpossible’, as the film is called, reached the top 3 in the category ‘Corporate Image Film’.

Have a look at our corporate movie here.

 

Wim Heylen and Heylen Group featured in Sterck Magazine

With Heylen Group, Wim Heylen is building an impressive group of companies that is active in numerous countries and sectors. ‘Helping his companies and clients to grow, preferably across generations.’ That is the main ambition of the passionate serial entrepreneur. And he still has spectacular plans for the next few years.

Interested in knowing more? Read the article here.

Article available in Dutch only.

Heylen Group acquires Eltra from Sonepar Belgium

Subject to the approval of the competition authorities, Heylen Group acquires the company Eltra from Sonepar Belgium.

With Eltra, thé reference for electrical equipment intended for more than 1000 DIY retailers in Belgium and the Netherlands, Heylen Group in turn expands its activities to 10 sectors.

Since the establishment of Eltra, headquartered in Temse, East Flanders, in 1954, the company has grown to become the reference within the sector of electrical equipment supplying more than 1000 DIY retailers in Belgium and the Netherlands on a daily basis. Eltra supports the entire value chain on the one hand by acting as a brand ambassador on the shop floor for A-brands such as Niko, Legrand, Ledvance and Duracell, and on the other hand by offering retailers maximum support. This is done by offering such support in the areas of purchasing, sales and marketing support, logistics and optimal stock management. With its own brands such as Profile and Prolight, as well as private label products for a limited number of customers, Eltra complements the wide range of A-brands.

Over the years, Eltra has managed to strengthen its position on both the Belgian and Dutch markets, within the Sonepar Belgium structure, where it has been since 1995. The professional organizational structure driven by an experienced management team, combined with a strong focus on customer as well as supplier, are at the basis. “Through years of dedication to the business, Eltra is the player it is today. With the support of its previous shareholder Sonepar Belgium, Eltra managed to grow in an extremely sustainable way,” says Heylen. “As the new owner we will continue this sustainable growth together with Dirk Baum, CEO of Eltra, as a partner-shareholder. With the appropriate support we will make sure that Eltra can spread its wings further,outside the familiar environment of Sonepar”. 

About Eltra

Since its foundation in 1954, Eltra has become the undisputed market leader in the distribution of electrical equipment and lighting to do-it-yourself retailers. From its logistics centre in Temse, East Flanders, Eltra supplies a wide range of products to more than 1000 DIY stores in the Benelux and the rest of Europe. Eltra is not only an indispensable link in the distribution chain of A-brands of electrical equipment and lighting, with Profile and Prolight it also has its own DIY brands with which it approaches the retail market. With over 60 years of expertise and sector experience, Eltra is the ideal partner for both large and small DIY retailers.

Heylen Warehouses builds the world’s most powerful solar roof

As a creative logistic warehouse partner, Heylen Warehouses asked their customers how they could create more value. It became clear that they could do so by neutralizing their customers’ carbon footprints. To do even better, Heylen Warehouses makes them energy positive by creating the world’s most powerful solar roof.

The installation of what will be 49,040 solar panels on the roof of the Venlo E-Commerce Logistic Campus in Limburg, The Netherlands, will cover an area of 12.6 hectares which is the equivalent of 20 soccer fields. The roof will be able to generate enough electricity to power 4,500 homes for a whole year while producing 12,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide. The power generated will be used mainly for the campus, as well as some separate buildings.

Click here for more information.

 

 

CEO Summit December 2019

Heylen Group invited all its business leaders to an inspiring event at the well known Antwerp Port House. CEO’s Pieterjan Bouten (Showpad), Jacques Vandermeiren (Port Of Antwerp), Jan Huysmans (Bol.com, Vanden Borre…) and also our own CEO Wim Heylen reflected on the main topic of the evening: internationalization.

We’ve launched our Corporate Movie

To share our passion, thrive and ambition for enterprises and entrepreneurs we proudly share our corporate movie.
A picture is worth thousand words. Enjoy.