HHIE director Johan Thiels

By Luc De Smet
Hyundai Heavy Industries Europe (HHIE) is building a new EUR30 million (USD34 million) European headquarters in Tessenderlo, Belgium, some 15 km from its current premises in Geel.

The current building in Geel, set up in 1995, is too small for the expanding business of the Korean forklifts and construction machinery manufacturer.

The search for a new site started way back in 2008, before the financial crisis hit the industry.

In February 2013, HHIE acquired the 80,000 sqm site at ENA Genebos, with plans to start building immediately and to move operations to Tessenderlo by the end of 2014. At that time, investments were budgeted at EUR22 million (USD25 million). However, a combination of factors including a change in the Korean management led to revisions of the schedule.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in September 2015.

Infrabo, a Belgian architecture firm, designed the new building, which is being built by construction company Cordeel.

The building will be close to energy-neutral and make use of geothermal techniques for heating and cooling and features LED lighting. Solar panels may be installed later.

HHIE's investment includes the land and construction of a new head office, warehouses, showroom, training complex and events hall, covering a total of some 20,000 sqm. "We want to create an experience centre where we not only can show our machines, but also demonstrate them to clients," says Johan Thiels, finance and administrative director at Hyundai Europe. Currently, the training centre welcomes two groups of 10 every week. "In the future, it will operate as the training centre for the whole of Europe and Africa."

The warehouses will stock over 65,000 different parts - a figure that will keep growing - and distribute them around Europe.

The new HQ will not affect the distribution flow for machines. All forklifts and construction machines built in Asia are inspected on arrival at the Hyundai Logistics Centre in the port of Antwerp (Zwijndrecht) before they are dispatched to dealers and customers in Europe.

HHIE operates in 30 countries with some 100 dealers.

By the end of 2016, HHIE will move its 84 (rising to 90) personnel from Geel to its new HQ. All current personnel will stay with the company.

"In the new complex, there is room for 150 people," says Thiels, who believes growth will continue and lead to some 100 employees in the very near future.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Europa (HHIE) specialises in the sale, marketing and after sales of forklifts and construction. The company wants to boost its marketshare to double digits.

In 2015 HHIE sold 31% more Hyundai forklifts and 7% more Hyundai parts than in 2014.