Erwin de Vos and Frank Visscher open a new industrial bakery in Lommel
Lommel, 16 March 2010. Erwin de Vos and Frank Visscher are opening a new industrial bakery for the production of pre-baked bread in reduced-oxygen packaging. The total investment involved for the new factory in Lommel is 17 million Euros.
Bread mix
In the bake-off market for pre-baked bread rolls there is an additional demand for different varieties of high-quality pre-packed rolls. This new initiative is aimed at meeting this demand. The range will consist of bread rolls for hotel and catering, ‘pistolet' rolls, German buns, ciabattas, paninis etc. The bakery will also be catering to the rising demand for low-salt and/or allergen-free products, and products containing added vitamins and omega-3.
Initiative
Erwin de Vos and Frank Visscher are capitalizing on the demand in the market and taking the initiative to set up a new industrial bakery.
Erwin de Vos is very experienced in the bakery sector and over a period of 15 years has held different functions in various industrial bread and confectionery bakeries in the Netherlands.
Frank Visscher has been working as an independent consultant in the field of production automation and project management for several years. Before that, he worked as an optimization project leader in various automation/robotization projects with companies worldwide.
To ensure financing, they are appealing to LRM, its ARKiv daughter and the business angels. The investors together are bringing in 5.5 million Euros.
The rest of the total investment budget will take the form of a bank loan.
‘Green’ rolls
An industrial bakery uses a lot of energy. To anticipate the demand, a CHP will be integrated in the new production process. This small-scale power plant, combining heat and power, will supply the factory with the necessary electricity. The heat created during the production of electricity can be directly integrated in the production process. All of this will ensure an extremely efficient and environmentally-friendly energy balance.
After extensive research where the factory should be built, Lommel was chosen because of its good infrastructure, large plots and focus on ‘green’ industry.
The ideas on energy usage and environmentally-friendly production fit in very well with the vision of the city. The cooperation with the city government and services is running very smoothly.
About Harvest Time Bakeries
Harvest Time Bakeries, the innovative baker, young and dynamic. The right choice for all of your bake-off products. Harvest Time Bakeries is aiming to serve the entire European market, with a special focus on Belgium and France.
About LRM
LRM is a profit-oriented investor, offering entrepreneurs a unique combination of venture capital and real estate. Oxygen for growth! LRM is a generalist, but has developed specific competencies in ICT, Life Sciences and Cleantech. LRM's activities contribute to the economic development and general employment in the province of Limburg. It targets all sectors and companies, from starting companies to growing SMEs and larger businesses. Access to LRM runs via five domains: ICT & Media, Life Sciences, Cleantech & Energy, SMEs and Large Businesses. www.lrm.be
About Lommel
Under the motto of ‘pure energy’, the city of Lommel is already playing a pioneering role in alternative energy and energy saving. Several notable ‘green’ companies have already come to Lommel, such as BioEnergy, Hansen Transmissions and Comac Solar. Lommel is already extracting green energy from the sun, wind and fermentation processes, and with Harvest Time Bakeries can now add a CHP to this list.
www.lommel.be
More information
Harvest Time Bakeries
Erwin de Vos
Delegated governor
M +31 62 71 79 884
E info@harvesttimebakeries.com
LRM
Jeffrey Alenus
Commercial director
T +32 11 24 68 19
M +32 475 93 03 61
E j.alenus@lrm.be
Lommel
Peter Vanvelthoven
Mayor
T +32 476 900040
E peter.vanvelthoven@lommel.be