Multi Masters Group takes over Van Alem Schoonmaak in the Netherlands

International group Samsic and its Belgian subsidiary Multi Masters Group are expanding their operations to the Netherlands. The facility service provider with head office in Merksem (Antwerp) takes over its Utrecht colleagues Van Alem Schoonmaak. The full workforce of Van Alem Schoonmaak will join Multi Masters Group.

Multi Masters Group offers a comprehensive range of facility services in Belgium. Under the leadership of president Nicolas De Schutter, the company now enters the Dutch market. “This is a logical step in our development. Our parent company Samsic operates all over Europe, except in the Netherlands. We are very proud to have filled this blank spot on their European map.”

In recent years the facility industry has been trending towards international tenders. “This takeover will enable us to improve our competitiveness in this process and to offer even better services.”

Belgian facility service provider Multi Masters Group, a subsidiary of French group Samsic, takes over cleaning company Van Alem Schoonmaak from Holland.
From left to right: Stefan Faaij (general manager of Van Alem Schoonmaak), Wil and Gerard van Alem (founders of Van Alem Schoonmaak), Philip Paelinck (managing director of Multi Masters Group), Nicolas de Schutter (president of Multi Masters Group).

A two-pronged growth in the Netherlands

As a top player in the facility industry, Multi Masters Group wants to repeat its Belgian success story in the Netherlands with Van Alem Schoonmaak. “A little over 30 years ago, a small cleaning business was created in Antwerp: Cleaning Masters. Since those early days, the company has evolved into a comprehensive facility service provider and IFM specialist known today as Multi Masters Group, with a total of ten divisions, established all over Belgium, and a workforce of 4,000. We intend to go in the same direction with Van Alem Schoonmaak”, says managing director Philip Paelinck. “We therefore want to achieve a two-pronged growth: on the one hand we will expand operations all over the Netherlands and, on the other hand, we will offer additional services.”

Much similarity between Multi Masters Group and Van Alem Schoonmaak

At the other end of the takeover, in Utrecht, there is also much satisfaction. “We had been looking for a buyer for some time. We had many talks, but we always felt that something was missing”, says general manager Stefan Faaij. “With Nicolas de Schutter of Multi Masters Group we got along right away.”

The many similarities between Van Alem Schoonmaak (Netherlands) and Multi Masters Group (Belgium) explain this. “Being attentive to personnel, taking clients facility concerns off their hands through a long-term partnership, focussing on CSR and finally an uncompromising attitude regarding quality, integrity and reliability. Obviously, it is very important that that the takeover will not lead to restructuring. Our workforce of almost 300 people will all keep their jobs.”

“We see the takeover as the beautiful end of a story, but also as a promising new beginning. It is a nice ending, since our founders Gerard and Wil van Alem will be able to leave the company in complete serenity. It is a promising new start, because Multi Masters Group has ambitious plans with Van Alem Schoonmaak. We will be able to serve our clients even better in the future.”

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