Arnhem, 21 November 2023: The wholesaler of truck and trailer parts is firmly expanding its position in Belgium from 1 January 2024 with the acquisition of Remco Belgium. The acquisition brings Remco into the group that also includes wholesalers Wijlhuizen (NL) and Beneparts (BE).
Belgian wholesaler Remco, part of the Swiss Automotive Group (SAG) since 2009, has its headquarters in Drongen, near Ghent. There are also branches in Eupen, Lummen and Herstal. Staff were informed on Monday. The name, location and staffing levels remain unchanged.
Jim Bronkhorst, CEO of the Wijlhuizen Group, explains: ‘With Beneparts, we have made considerable growth in the Belgian market in recent years. However, we strive for market leadership and within that strategy the acquisition of Remco fits perfectly. With the addition of four branches, we have six service points within Belgium in one step, enabling us to offer fast deliveries throughout the country. Furthermore, Remco employs many knowledgeable employees, with whom we are happy to continue serving customers in the future.’
Remco has almost 50 staff and some 20 million euros in turnover. This move makes the Beneparts/Remco combination a leading player in the Belgian market in one fell swoop. Together, Remco and Beneparts offer six branches and coverage throughout Belgium.
Sandro Pifaretti, CEO of SAG, commented on the sale of Remco: ‘We are grateful to Remco’s employees for the cooperation over the past years. With Wijlhuizen Group, we have found a party that offers the best future for Remco’s customers and employees. After all, they are already the market leader within the Benelux and are therefore also able to give Remco the time and attention it deserves. We therefore confidently transfer Remco to the Wijlhuizen Group management.’
Remco’s combination with Beneparts and Wijlhuizen offers a lot of added value for Remco’s customers. Louis Grulois, CEO of Remco, explains: ‘For Remco, this step means we can maintain an even stronger presence on the Belgian market in the future. Together with Beneparts and Wijlhuizen, we are the largest wholesaler of truck and trailer parts. This offers many advantages for our customers. Not only do we have an even much larger product range, but we will also be able to facilitate our customers with complete workshop concepts such as TruckXL and with software links that provide digital packing slips and invoices.’
The Wijlhuizen Group, market leader in the Benelux, employs over 300 people. Besides Wijlhuizen and Beneparts, the companies Parts Factory (import and export of parts for trucks, trailers and buses) and PartsXpert Benelux (formula supplier for wholesalers, independent garages and self-repairing fleet owners) are also part of the Wijlhuizen Group.
Synergy
In the coming months, the management of Beneparts and Remco will jointly investigate the possibilities for synergy. What is certain is that the product range will be greatly expanded and that the faces who are familiar to customers will stay on. Furthermore, the well-known e-commerce platform ‘Connects’ will also become available to Remco’s customers, so that Remco will also lead the way in this field.