Bekaert restructures Belgian operations after Covid-19
Bekaert, the Belgium‑based steel wire transformation and coating specialist, has launched a Bekaert Belgium restructuring plan to respond to Covid‑19’s impact on economies and demand. The company wants to streamline operations, strengthen knowledge centers, and speed up digital capabilities. For more on Bekaert’s activities, visit https://www.bekaert.com.
Bekaert Belgium restructuring plan and engineering changes
Bekaert plans to reorganize its global engineering activities, several functional departments that support global and local business needs, and support and technical roles at the Zwevegem production plants. The Group aims to build stronger knowledge centers and invest further in shared services. As a result, it intends to consolidate expertise and activities that serve its global footprint. These changes may include decisions to relocate or outsource specific activities, and the company will continue to review its footprint to drive value creation.
Job impact and timing in Belgium
The restructuring plan would affect 160 jobs in Belgium, with implementation scheduled from 2021 onward. Bekaert aims to align engineering, functional, and plant support structures with new market conditions. In addition, the company links these measures to its need to adapt its organization after the Covid‑19 disruption.
Bekaert Engineering as a global equipment knowledge center
At Bekaert Engineering in Ingelmunster, the company plans to create a global knowledge center for innovative equipment solutions. The design, service, and project management teams will focus on new and digital technologies and on Equipment Lifecycle Management (ELM). As part of this shift, Bekaert will discontinue workshop activities in Belgium. It will then move expertise activities and a prototype lab from Ingelmunster to Deerlijk. These changes would affect 95 jobs, including 63 operators and 32 white‑collar employees and managers.
Functional areas in Zwevegem and new centers of excellence
In the functional areas in Zwevegem, Bekaert is building stronger centers of excellence within Group Services. The company plans to accelerate digital capabilities in operational, commercial, and administrative process excellence. In this way, it seeks to create new value for both the business and its customers. However, this reorganization would reduce headcount by 46 white‑collar employees and managers in Belgium.
Production plants in Zwevegem and support realignment
For the Zwevegem production plants, Bekaert wants to realign and regroup support and technical functions. The new structure would affect 19 white‑collar employees and managers in the respective plants. With this step, the company aims to simplify support structures and better connect them to digital initiatives.
Redeployment options and open vacancies
Despite these measures, Bekaert notes that its Belgian engineering organization and production sites currently have 50 vacancies. The company will consider applications from employees in the affected roles for these openings. In this way, Bekaert hopes to reduce the social impact of the restructuring while retaining key skills.
