Veldeman Group

Veldeman Group, based in Bree, designs and builds some of the most impressive demountable fabric structures in the world. From festivals and industrial sites to military bases – their structures can be found worldwide. And in each of those constructions, you’ll also find a part of SKP: our steel wire rope solutions play a key role in ensuring the required stability. Production Manager Tom Aerts sees the strengths of both companies come together every day. 

"For us, there's no such thing as just a steel wire rope"

The start of the new millennium immediately led to a strong new partnership. Veldeman Group, based in the north of Limburg, found in SKP the right partner to take their activities to the next level.

"SKP has been our exclusive supplier of steel wire ropes and related components since the early 2000s. Their materials are an integral part of our bracing systems, which are essential for absorbing and distributing external forces. Without high-quality wind bracing, you simply don’t get a stable structure."

"You’ll never hear us say we'd just buy any steel wire rope. That’s exactly why we chose SKP. From day one, they've proven to be a reliable and consistent partner. They've never supplied steel wire ropes that were too short or too long, or even a single incorrect component."

"And that’s despite the pace at Veldeman sometimes being extremely high. We can go from first contact to on-site installation in just a few weeks. We need a partner who can keep up. For a major international customer, we once shipped 30 large containers of construction materials in one go for the construction of an aircraft hangar. Our entire outdoor area was packed, and the timeline was incredibly tight. But together, we made it happen."

"We really needed a partner who could keep up with our pace of innovation"

"SKP has shown time and again that they can keep up with our pace, even when it comes to innovation. Twenty years ago, we mainly built smaller, more traditional frame tents. Today, we build bigger, higher, faster and more internationally than ever. Not only our structures have evolved, but also the conditions – and therefore the forces – they need to withstand."

"For example, we once had to deliver a structure capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. Unheard of in Belgium, but not elsewhere in the world. Even in those extreme scenarios, SKP showed they can think ahead and evolve with us."

"Quality must be guaranteed over multiple cycles"

"Because our business revolves entirely around demountable buildings, we must be able to rely on materials that can handle as many usage cycles as possible. At Veldeman, sustainability and safety go hand in hand. We know we can rely on SKP 100% for both. We carry out our own spot checks, but in reality, we already know everything is in order. Tom Put and his team have already done a thorough quality control for us."

"And perhaps the most important reason for our successful collaboration: you can feel that the people at SKP are genuinely proud of their solutions. When you see Tom beaming at events where our structures are installed, you can feel that passion. From the Sanicole Airshow to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, I’ve experienced it myself. A great example is the Zoute Grand Prix in Knokke, where Tom was our guest. He seemed more fascinated by the steel wire ropes in our structures than by the many exclusive cars racing past," he laughs.