Industrial Construction with a Personal Touch – Company Profile – Vandaele Construct. Originally launched as a one-man business focused on agricultural construction, Vandaele Construct has today grown into a thriving, family-run contractor. With the second generation at the helm, this Ypres-based company delivers a wide range of industrial building projects. Its custom-made steel structures are expertly fabricated in the company's own workshop and then carefully installed on site. “We take on projects from the foundation all the way to the completed shell. On top of that, we coordinate everything around it with dedication, so the client doesn't have to worry about a thing.”
More than thirty years ago, Philip Vandaele founded his contracting business. As an agricultural engineer, his one-man company focused on the farming sector. From storage facilities to barns for pigs, cattle and poultry, Vandaele Construct has built them all. Over the years, the company has developed organically. Subcontractors were gradually replaced by in-house staff, and as market demand shifted, the focus moved increasingly towards industrial construction projects. “We're still active in the agricultural sector, but its share has become smaller, partly due to issues such as the nitrogen dossier,” explains Silke Vandaele. Like her brother Martijn, she has now also joined the family business. “Our current projects mainly involve office buildings, workshops, storage spaces, SME units and similar structures.”
The company's continued ties to the agricultural sector are still clearly noticeable. What the business carries out in-house today is directly linked to its earlier focus. “Barns, for instance, required manure cellars, so we started pouring cellars. Many old buildings still had roofs containing asbestos. That's why my father trained his team in asbestos removal back then. Now we're reaping the benefits, because not every industrial builder can offer these services in-house.”
Even so, Vandaele Construct remains a relatively modest company. This means you always deal with a familiar face and that any issues are addressed quickly. The person handling your project during the preparatory phase and when drawing up the quote also stays involved throughout the execution. “We commit ourselves fully to every project. Our family business carries our name,” Silke concludes. “That's why we place great importance on the quality of our work. We optimise existing plans in terms of value for money and make clear agreements, which promotes customer satisfaction and loyalty.”