historiography

After the war, in the years 1945-1946, Henri Willems started up with a familial company. It all started humbly in Snaaskerke with a cart, later with a car with trailer. He traded in straw, coal, car wrecks, scrap iron and sawdust. After a lapse of time he employed several employees and lorries at his disposal.

30 years have passed since. His sons, both independent joined the company in 1974. This was caused by the premature decease of their father. They added the renting of containers at their program. Dirk started as a truck-driver and Noël cared for the administration of the enterprise. They stopped selling coal and straw and they specialized in buying and selling boneshakers and sawdust. From 1988 on they traded also new metal.

 

In 1993 a new enterprise was founded in Ostend, the «Recuperatiebedrijf Willems nv» Ltd, directed by Dirk and his son, Christophe . The company expanded in a short lapse to a well-kept business. After nearly 8 years it was decided to join both firms into one plant. No?l left the day-to-day management, which Christophe takes over. Since January 2, 2005 the youngest daughter of Dirk joined the company.

 

Some years later it was decided to stop all the activities in Ostend and move all the activities to the only site of Snaaskerke.

 

Doing this, gave a greater benefit and became the planning easier and the all more flexible. A little reorganisation became necessary . The infrastructure was updated and modernised . New machinery were purchased, such as new cranes, a new set of draw containers, cutting-machines, machines for plying and sawing for virgin metals.

 

The company is actually acknowledged centre for the construction, demolition and class II waste and the recuperation and conditioning of metals needing undisputed certificates by OVAM. We are also acknowledged to collect plumb-batteries and as a decontamination centre of car-wrecks The plant took an engagement with VAL-I and is completely updated after the actual standards and those of Vlarem.