"Vandersanden is contributing to solutions for the biggest construction and infrastructure challenges of the future"
The construction sector is going through challenging times. But Johan Deburchgrave believes that the peak of the crisis has been reached and that a slow recovery is gradually in sight and, as the new CEO, he sees plenty of growth opportunities for Vandersanden. In the short term and long term. "Vandersanden is already playing a leading role in the most important construction trends of the future."
Johan Deburchgrave joined the largest family-owned brick manufacturer in Europe in January. Thanks to his many years of experience in the construction sector and his new position within Vandersanden, he is ideally placed to link the company's strategy to what is happening in the construction sector today.
You are joining Vandersanden at a time when the construction industry is struggling.
Johan Deburchgrave: "There is a lot of uncertainty due to the war in Ukraine, unrest in the Middle East, persistent inflation and fluctuating energy prices. Construction has also become more challenging due to tighter regulations and more expensive raw materials. Consumers are biding their time, and new construction projects are being postponed. But I am sure activity will pick up again. Renovation projects have not come to a standstill and there are new housing requirements in the coming years to meet the huge demand. Vandersanden is ready to seize those growth opportunities."
How do you plan to exploit Vandersanden's full potential?
"Vandersanden has become the largest family-owned brick manufacturer in Europe. This growth has been rapid over the past five years, with the acquisition of CRH in 2017 almost doubling the size of the company. Now we have to think very carefully about how to realise our ambitious plans. What do we want to focus on in the next five years? Where do we invest to realise our full potential? We need to make smart choices that will also have an impact in the short term."
Where do you see these growth opportunities in the near and distant future?
"I see four main pillars to achieve growth. Firstly, this starts within our own organisation and our own corporate culture. I believe we can further strengthen and professionalise it after our rapid business growth in recent years. I see our digital transformation as an important driver in this, but not necessarily as an end in itself. We want to digitise to facilitate our goals."
The second pillar then undoubtedly focuses on innovation?
"True, that's where we run a sprint on the one hand and a marathon on the other. Vandersanden has focused very strongly on innovation in recent years. I find that admirable, because the construction industry often has a somewhat traditional, cautious reflex. In that respect, Pirrouet - our CO2-negative facing bricks - and Robobrick - the machine that automatically glues brick strips onto precast elements - are pioneering innovations that have the potential to change our sector forever. While Pirrouet® drastically reduces the construction industry's material footprint, Robobrick® is a solution that could deliver huge efficiency gains. Furthermore, we are looking at how our paving bricks can contribute to better water management in urban environments. Vandersanden offers solutions for both green and blue adaptation. Our Greenflow® and Drainflow® paving bricks are proof of that. They can also be used for garden paths and terraces.
Admittedly, the trick is to find the right balance between short-term and long-term innovations. In this respect, we are a victim of our urge to innovate: we think miles ahead, while in terms of customer experience, energy efficiency or dematerialisation we can also innovate further in the short term."
Is sustainability still a priority for Vandersanden?
"Absolutely, the transition to CO2 neutrality is our third strategic pillar and will remain an absolute top priority in the coming decades. We do not see it as a threat. If we further roll out our Together to Zero programme with a clear roadmap, we strengthen our position as a forerunner in many areas and are able to respond quickly to new evolutions. We have to strike the right balance between where we want to lead and where we want to follow quickly. For construction materials it is logical for us to be a forerunner, for the energy transition in the sector it is smarter to follow quickly."
"Finally, our fourth pillar is to exploit growth opportunities in our existing markets and within our existing product range. We are now active in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, UK and a large number of export countries. There we can still gain a lot of market share with our paving and facing brick solutions."
You believe the construction sector will be in better shape again next year, yet there are challenges that the sector cannot solve next year either. How can Vandersanden help?
"Building is becoming more expensive, the more extreme weather is making construction unpredictable, staff shortages are becoming more acute. These are challenges we already have solutions for today and are setting the tone for new trends. Together with other leading construction companies, for instance, we are working on high-quality technology for modular construction, making construction less dependent on weather and manpower. Prefab technology allows us to build more efficiently, and more cheaply. Therein lies part of the answer to the rising prices that are putting the brakes on new construction."
"We are also investing in circular building solutions, such as dry stacking systems. Construction waste is one of the biggest problems in the sector. This is absurd, because a house in the UK lasts 50 to 70 years on average, and a facing brick 135 years. You can build a house twice with the same brick. We develop solutions to actually make that possible. So we also play an active role in sustainability, for instance with our Greenflow® and Drainflow®pavers. Drainflow® offers water-level paving that infiltrates excess rainwater from extreme peak showers. Greenflow® offers softening solutions to create more space for greenery. This not only makes for a better view and rainwater infiltration, but also provides cooling during the hot periods that we are increasingly experiencing these days. The climate is changing, and we need to keep up."
