In 1925 Jacques Vandersanden established a small field brick kiln in Spouwen. In 1928 he built the first ring kiln (or ‘Hoffmann kiln’). This was the start of a long tradition of the 'industrial' brickmaking. The first Hoffmann kiln was replaced in 1954 by a larger one with 20-chambers, for which the chimney had to be raised to 33 m.
His son Constant Vandersanden took over the company and is the founder of the current family business. Constant was a real professional, constantly looking for improvement and carefully ambitious. In 1962 a second (tunnel) oven was built in Spouwen and in 1968 a new factory was built in Veldwezelt. A number of brickworks are also taken over: in 1972 one in Hekelgem and in 1984 an other one in Lanklaar.
After this, a third generation takes over the management of the factories. The three sons-in-law of Vandersanden do modernize the factories and expand further, also internationally. In 2000 a new factory in Duijs in Hedikhuizen in the Netherlands was taken over, in 2008 a new factory was built there. In 2010, a brickwork was taken over in the Dutch town of Spijk, in 2016 the Hoskins Brick Ltd in the United Kingdom, in 2017 another three Dutch plants were added, one in Germany and a sales office added in Germany and in Antwerp. That's why Vandersanden Group grows into a family business of now 600 employees.
- Video: © Vandersanden Group - 2025 SABAM
