After an internal six-month run-in period, Sven Pieters became the new CEO of transport and logistics group ECS at the beginning of June. Since scaling up from 2017 and the shareholder change in 2022, this is the next logical step for growth.
In early June, Zeebrugge-based ECS appointed Sven Pieters (49) as its new CEO. “The final appointment of a first non-family CEO is a planned step for the company. The acquisition of sector peer 2XL in 2017 was followed by five years of integration and scaling up. Then came a family shareholder change in April 2022, setting out a clear operational structure with two divisions: integrated supply chain logistics on the one hand and intermodal transport on the other. In April 2022, chairman Philippe Mathieu became temporary CEO, while new people were being sought.”
In October, Pieters joined the company as managing director of the suppychain logistics division. “That was an ideal way to get to know the operations, colleagues and customers. This company possesses in all ranks a nice mix of people with years of internal experience and complementary newcomers.” Even as CEO, he will remain in charge of the supply chain logistics division for the time being.
State-of-the-art high bay warehouse
Pieters is a civil engineer in electromechanics and remained a doctoral student at UGent for two years. “After that instructive period of research for companies, I spent three years at dairy company Friesland Campina as a project engineer for starting up production lines. From 2001 to 2011, I worked at Balta Industries, mainly in operations and supply chain. That included working in the state-of-the-art automated high-bay warehouse of subsidiary International Tufting Company (ITC) in Tielt, as well as the two highbay warehouses of ECS.”
Meanwhile, he attended Vlerick Business School’s industrial management course. “In 2011, I went to Barry Callebaut Group, the largest chocolate company in the world. From plant director in Wieze, I grew to European positions. Six years ago, I became responsible for a business unit with a large factory in Sweden, where I stayed from Monday to Friday for three years. After working from home during the pandemic, I led the Decorations business unit, which makes specific chocolate items, for another two years.”
Human values
At ECS, Pieters succeeded experienced investment manager Philippe Mathieu. “He was the ideal person to lead the transition following the sale of the shares from couple co-CEOs Kelly De Dijcker and Pieter Balcaen to sister Christine De Dijcker and her husband Marc Lanckriet. This left the company, founded by their father Gustaaf De Dijcker in 1995, 100% in family hands.”
ECS was an attractive choice for Pieters. “Besides being a family business, with the accompanying stable vision for further long-term growth, this is a large company and a reference in the sector. The number of employees recently went from 620 to 660 and turnover rose above half a billion euros for the first time in 2022. Add to this the great focus on training and people’s well-being. With all these values, I had a natural click.”
Being alert on a daily basis
“This is an exciting sector in full swing. To the general public, it seems obvious that shop shelves are filled and all goods are transported. But there is a lot of experience and skill behind this. For example, we supply the distribution centres of seven UK department store chains directly from Zeebrugge. With market coverage of 80% of the UK retail sector, you could call us the pantry of the UK. Every day something happens that you have to be flexible and alert to. One eye-catcher was brexit, which ECS seized as an opportunity to help customers. For instance, we arrange all customs declarations and certificates, which completely relieves producers and retailers,” says Pieters.
“On top of that comes a big sustainability component. This company is fully pulling the card of intermodal transport with the ambition to do half of the ‘door to door’ road kilometres via rail or water by 2025. Our branches in Zeebrugge (more than 500 people), Dutch Venlo (60), northern France’s Dourges (50) and UK’s Hull (20) are strongly rail-focused. By the way, we are now gradually commissioning a new, second high-stack warehouse in Zeebrugge. That operation is on schedule to be ready shortly after the summer.”
Without traffic jams
Pieters grew up in the East Flanders border village of Boekhoute. The new CEO lives with his wife and three children aged 13, 16 and 18 in the hamlet of Balgerhoeke near Eeklo. “After years of travelling far away, I now work half an hour from home. And what’s more, without traffic jams.”
