Van Hool administration and takeover by VDL

[johncrossley]

Van Hool announces strategic realignment: around 1,100 jobs are lost | Busworld Europe 2025

Belgium bus and coach manufacturer Van Hool is in financial trouble and has presented the outlines of a "Recovery Plan". This plan would result in the departure of about 1,100 employees over a three year period. The company expressed its intention to strategically refocus its activities. Van...

www.busworldeurope.org

Belgium bus and coach manufacturer Van Hool is in financial trouble and has presented the outlines of a "Recovery Plan". This plan would result in the departure of about 1,100 employees over a three year period. The company expressed its intention to strategically refocus its activities. Van Hool says it will engage with customers from various markets, including public transport, "to discuss the implications of this potential realignment" and states that "this change means that the company will be more selective in accepting new orders from public transport".

Furthermore Van Hool says the production of buses and coaches will mainly take place at the plant in Skopje, northern Macedonia. In Belgium Koningshooikt, the IV (Industrial Vehicles) division would focus on semi-trailers requiring a higher degree of expertise and offering higher added value for the customer as well as for Van Hool. The B&C (Bus & Coach) division would keep its knowledge centre, research & development, prototype building and after-sales in Koningshooikt. To support this strategic change of direction, organisation, working methods and number of employees will have to be brought in line. The 1,100 redundancies will be in effect in the period 2024-2027, to implement a necessary restructuring at the Belgium Koningshooikt site.

I knew they had a factory in North Macedonia so I had assume they had already moved production from such an expensive country as Belgium. Arguably they make the best coaches. Do they already make coaches in North Macedonia? What buses do they still make in Belgium?

 

[borage]

This article has a bit more information and links to further articles in the Belgian press:

Van Hool announces exit from electric bus business and faces unclear future | electrive.com

The Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool wants to completely discontinue the production and sale of city buses. The company no longer sees any chance of being competitive in the increasingly electric city bus segment. The economic situation is also likely to be very tense.

www.electrive.com

It is difficult to compete with European players such as MAN or Solaris, both of which manufacture vehicles in Poland and are heavily focussed on electric buses, as well as having placed their investments in the technology already. Van Hool recently lost a large order from De Lijn to the Chinese manufacturer BYD, which was 20 per cent cheaper than European bus manufacturers. However, De Standaard also refers to internal disputes within the Van Hool owner family. “The family is very divided internally, which has often led to wrong decisions being made in the past – such as deciding in favour of electric buses too late,” the newspaper wrote on the crisis at the company. In addition, the family had held on to a top manager from its own ranks for too long and had not opted for an external, experienced manager. Marc Zwaaneveld was only appointed as a crisis manager in January.

However, it is not just about a change of strategy for the models and the type of drive, but also about the locations. As a result of the reorganisation, Van Hool will no longer produce many coaches in Belgium, which means that many jobs in the Belgian factory, which employs 2,000 people, are likely to be lost. According to the Belgian media reports, “most or all” of the buses will be produced in North Macedonia. Van Hool already operates a plant there, which has been producing city buses up to now. If their production is discontinued, capacity will be freed up there – and the luxury coaches could be produced much more cheaply there than in Belgium. The calculation here is that Van Hool could undercut the competition on price.

 

[Towers]

Unfortunately it’s highly likely that the bus manufacturing industry is likely to see a bit of an onslaught from China in coming years, I would thi

. Whilst their previous attempts with traditional diesel products have barely made an impact, and even then only in the coach sector, european manufacturers seem to be very late to the party where electric vehicles are concerned and this has allowed the competition to steal a march on them. The financial climate being what it is, I suspect that there may be plenty of operators willing to choose price over quality and shun their traditional suppliers in favour of alternative offerings. How long long that will last remains to be seen; certainly there are plenty of reports of those taking a similar path when buying cars coming to regret their decision a bit further down the line when it comes to long term quality, and of course any similar outcome would be magnified in the bus industry where vehicles are expected to built to last. But that won’t stop plenty of sales over the next few years at the very least.

I saw a few months back Excelsior posting publicity pictures on their X/Twitter proudly showing off a new Yutong coach; if even large UK-based businesses are happy to go for this sort of stuff then the domestic & european names really will have a battle on their hands.

Even without going anywhere near the global politics of it all, it’ll be a sad day indeed if our roads become full of bargain basement Chinese PCV products and we see the traditional european manufacturers suffer as a result.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Unfortunately it’s highly likely that the bus manufacturing industry is likely to see a bit of an onslaught from China in coming years, I would thi

. Whilst their previous attempts with traditional diesel products have barely made an impact, and even then only in the coach sector, european manufacturers seem to be very late to the party where electric vehicles are concerned and this has allowed the competition to steal a march on them. The financial climate being what it is, I suspect that there may be plenty of operators willing to choose price over quality and shun their traditional suppliers in favour of alternative offerings. How long long that will last remains to be seen; certainly there are plenty of reports of those taking a similar path when buying cars coming to regret their decision a bit further down the line when it comes to long term quality, and of course any similar outcome would be magnified in the bus industry where vehicles are expected to built to last. But that won’t stop plenty of sales over the next few years at the very least.

I saw a few months back Excelsior posting publicity pictures on their X/Twitter proudly showing off a new Yutong coach; if even large UK-based businesses are happy to go for this sort of stuff then the domestic & european names really will have a battle on their hands.

Even without going anywhere near the global politics of it all, it’ll be a sad day indeed if our roads become full of bargain basement Chinese PCV products and we see the traditional european manufacturers suffer as a result.

Quite by chance my YouTube feed the other day pointed me to a video contrasting US bus designs with those from Europe. The creator was particularly taken by a Turkish built design that was actually an Isuzu. So it's possible that it won't all be Chinese though vehicles built outside what we might consider to be the usual manufacturing strongholds do seem likely to become very much more common.

 

[GusB]

Van Hool has been declared bankrupt, with VDL and Schmitz-Cargobull taking over.

Van Hool's bankruptcy is done. Announcement of takeover by VDL - Schmitz Cargobull awaited

Bus manufacturer Van Hool has been declared bankrupt. The information has been stated by the manufacturer itself this morning, 8th April

www.sustainable-bus.com

Bus manufacturer Van Hool has been declared bankrupt. The information has been stated by the manufacturer itself this morning, 8th April, and the topic got high attention on local media, in particular from De Standaard. The company is set to be taken over by Dutch VDL and German Schmitz Cargobull, but together they would only have jobs for 650 to 950 Van Hool employees.

The industrial duo is the only remaining candidate, after previously West Flemish entrepreneur Guido Dumarey and Dutch company Vlastuin were also in the running, as was reported last week.

Van Hool announced the plan to stop production of city buses (and relocating business in Macedonia) on 11th March. Later on, the company asked for protection from creditors.

Van Hool bankruptcy is real​

According to trustee Jeroen Pinoy, who has to manage the relaunch of Van Hool, a relaunch by VDL and Schmitz-Cargobull is coming very soon, De Standaard reports. VDL Bus & Coach stressed once again that the interest is mainly in the touring coach division. VDL Group would be indeed particularly interested in Van Hool’s Class 3 bus business, with potential takeover of the US market, where Van Hool has a good foothold through its dealer ABC Companies.

The acquirers have indicated that “in a first phase they will keep 600 to 900 people employed”, he said at a press conference after the special works council, still according to the newspaper.

At the beginning of the press conference, crisis manager Marc Zwaaneveld had also explicitly referred to the role of the owners. “Unfortunately, due to an inheritance dispute, bankruptcy was inevitable,” he said. “At this moment it is over for everyone, an independent Van Hool is coming to an end.”

In a previous interview Marc Zwaaneveld was asked about trambuses for Paris, showcased at Busworld and whose delivery has just began. Well, future is uncertain: “I think those tram buses are technically beautiful, only they cost too much to make. So as with the other city buses, I think we don’t earn enough from them and so it’s better to stop production. It’s up to the acquirer to decide whether to adopt that strategy.”, Zwaaneveld told De Standaard.

 

[ClydeCoaster]

Van Hool has declared bankruptcy. VDL Groep is to take on the bus and coach side, and the trailers business to GRW.

Van Hool declared bankrupt; VDL to take coach and bus activities - routeone

Van Hool has been declared bankrupt by the Commercial Court of Mechelen and its coach and bus activities are to be purchased by VDL Groep.

www.route-one.net

Van Hool has been declared bankrupt by the Commercial Court of Mechelen and its coach and bus activities are set to be purchased by VDL Groep, it has been confirmed.

The news brings an end to weeks of intense speculation around the future of the Belgian manufacturer, which in March published a recovery plan in recognition of its difficulties. Progress on implementing that quickly faltered owing to internal difficulties, and in early April the business announced that it was taking a further week to secure its future.

Bankruptcy was declared on 8 April and the Court appointed four trustees to oversee that formal process. It had been suggested that Van Hool was carrying debt of around €400 million.

In a sombre statement, Van Hool acknowledges that with bankruptcy “an end comes to a leading company in the Flemish manufacturing industry.” It has again highlighted difficulties in securing its future created by “an inheritance dispute” involving shareholders and members of the Van Hool family.

VDL Groep has submitted a binding offer for the Van Hool coach and bus activities. A definitive agreement will be entered into via “a very short timeframe,” Van Hool says. Its trailer activities will be purchased by GRW, competence partner of Schmitz Cargobull, on the same basis.

Hopes remain that under new ownership, operations at Van Hool can restart quickly, although only between 650 and 950 employees are expected to transfer. Headcount was around 2,500 prior to the difficulties, although the recovery plan had called for 1,100 jobs to be shed by 2027.

Further clarity on the future will be provided by the purchasers over the coming weeks. It is not yet clear whether coaches will continue to be manufactured in Belgium and/or North Macedonia under new ownership, or whether the Van Hool name will be retained. VDL says that the conditions of its offer must be met before any further information can be shared.

In a statement after it was declared bankrupt, Van Hool says that sale of the business to VDL and GRW represents “the best achievable outcome for all parties involved, although unfortunately, many employees will have to seek employment elsewhere.”

Early in 2024, Mark Zwaaneveld was appointed Co-CEO alongside longstanding chief Filip Van Hool with a remit to secure the business’s future.

Speaking about the bankruptcy, Mr Zwaaneveld says: “Both VDL Groep and GRW made it clear in their acquisition bids that they highly value the expertise and experience of Van Hool and its employees in the field of buses, coaches, and industrial vehicles.

“We are pleased that these two strong international companies will each integrate a part of the Van Hool Group. In the initial phase, employment is foreseen for between 650 and 950 employees, a workforce that can grow in the long-term. Exact number will be announced in the coming weeks by the two acquirers.”

 

[F Great Eastern]

An inheritance dispute has caused it? Really.

Sad to see them swallowed up by VDL, considering how superior VanHool coaches are to VDL's stock.

 

[Leyland Bus]

An inheritance dispute has caused it? Really.

Sad to see them swallowed up by VDL, considering how superior VanHool coaches are to VDL's stock.

Have you ever been on a VanHool EX? Definitely not their finest hour and miles behind the TX series sadly...

 

[F Great Eastern]

Have you ever been on a VanHool EX? Definitely not their finest hour and miles behind the TX series sadly...

Of course, but the EX was always built to be cheap, the TX/TDX was built to be quality.

 

[GusB]

Apparently the deal to take over Van Hool should be concluded by the end of May, but operators are still in limbo as to the status of their orders. It must be incredibly frustrating with the summer season fast approaching.

Van Hool sale to VDL set to conclude as customer patience wears - routeone

Media reports in Belgium suggest that the purchase of Van Hool coach and bus activities by VDL will conclude by the end of May 2024.

www.route-one.net

VDL has maintained silence on the status of its binding agreement to purchase the coach and bus activities of bankrupt manufacturer Van Hool, but a media report in Belgium has suggested that the transaction should be concluded by the end of May.

One party involved in the sale has via that Belgian source described the process as “a very complex file.” It is understood that the ongoing work by court-appointed curators of Van Hool means that there is still no clarity on Van Hool UK, with staff there awaiting news.

No communication has been made by curators or VDL with UK operators that have Van Hool coaches on order. That has been received in a mixed manner, with one such customer “not overly worried” about the process but another calling for urgent information on the status of deposits and deliveries.

Despite its general calmness, the former operator is troubled by delays to vehicles that are understood to be largely or fully complete at the Van Hool factory in North Macedonia, with a member of its senior team noting that “they are due here now, and we are desperate for them now.”

 

[cambsy]

It’s sad news that there will be job losses, but at least the name and make will live on, and looks like National Express will get their Van Hools, albeit a bit slower than maybe expected.

 

[GusB]

Latest update: The company has now been formally diced and sliced, with VDL taking over the North Macedonia operation and part of the Koningshooikt operation. Approximately 1600 jobs are to be saved, split 1350/250 across the two sites.

VDL completes deal for parts of Van Hool coach and bus business - routeone

VDL has confirmed which parts of the bankrupt Van Hool coach and bus business it has acquired after the purchase process was completed.

www.route-one.net

VDL has confirmed which parts of the coach and bus affairs of the bankrupt Van Hool business it has acquired after completion of a drawn-out purchase process.

The Dutch conglomerate is buying “parts” of the Van Hool operation in Belgium and it will also take ownership of Van Hool’s factory in North Macedonia. VDL says it will not reveal the sums involved in the deal, but around 1,600 jobs will immediately be saved.

VDL will “not yet” integrate the activities acquired from the bankrupt Belgian manufacturer into its own coach and bus undertaking, it continues.

In Belgium, around 250 former Van Hool employees will be recruited to work on parts production, aftersales, procurement, development and finance at the Koningshooikt plant. Agreement has been reached with unions representing those individuals on terms and conditions of employment.

Around 1,350 staff will continue at the factory in North Macedonia. VDL will also purchase all intellectual property, design rights, software, product names, equipment and machines from Van Hool.

While details of what the news will mean for the Van Hool brand in the UK are awaited, VDL says it has reached a distribution agreement with longstanding Van Hool partner in the United States and Canada ABC Companies.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I knew they had a factory in North Macedonia so I had assume they had already moved production from such an expensive country as Belgium. Arguably they make the best coaches. Do they already make coaches in North Macedonia? What buses do they still make in Belgium?

I think you will find that Van Hool have been making buses near Skopje since 2014, possibly 2013.

EDIT: Make that making buses near Skopje since 2013.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Quite by chance my YouTube feed the other day pointed me to a video contrasting US bus designs with those from Europe. The creator was particularly taken by a Turkish built design that was actually an Isuzu.

This video?

By the way, Anadolu Isuzu is 55% Turkish owned, and Isuzu only own 16.99% of the company.

 

[GusB]

It would seem that orders placed before Van Hool went into administration are still very much up in the air and not guaranteed to be delivered. While there's no obligation on any new owner to fulfil any previous orders, VDL's lack of communication is rather poor; surely it's better to be up-front about matters so that those companies affected can at least make other plans.

Anger as Van Hool buyers have coaches in limbo - Bus & Coach Buyer

Van Hool coaches in build have been left stranded by the VDL takeover and buyers say that they do not know when or if they will get them

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Van Hool customers with vehicles in build say they have been left high and dry by new owners VDL, who have not told them when or if they will see their money or their coaches.

VDL Groep acquired the North Macedonia Van Hool factory and elements of Van Hool in Belgium which between them have many UK operators’ coaches in build. Yet since the acquisition from the receiver in March, operators have faced silence, not knowing what to do, although B&CB has obtained a statement from VDL Groep to say they will be contacting Van Hool customers about completion of coaches.

Dave Parry, of Parrys International – one of Van Hool’s most devoted customers – had paid in full for one coach and paid a deposit on another: “It’s a shocking mess,” he told B&CB. “We have written to both VDL and the receivers to find out what is happening to our coaches, and haven’t had the courtesy of a reply, only an email address which also didn’t get a reply.”

Dave said that his exposure is around £600,000, and most worryingly, he’d spoken to a former employee who said VDL was planning to sell off the vehicle stock, possibly for scrap or parts: “It just seems to me that VDL is only interested in Van Hool’s American market and ‘deckers. Nobody has has been given any information.”

This was confirmed by Russell Sharpe, of Sharpes of Nottingham, another Van Hool devotee with a coach on order: “The communication has been extremely poor. I’ve been given four new email addresses and emailed all four. The only response has been from parts procurement, who said they are working on a new structure for parts importation. It’s been tortuous.”

Russell said that Sharpes had placed an order for new T series at Busworld in Brussels: “They have had the deposit. The question now is whether VDL are going to honour the order.” Russell said a WhatsApp group has been established of affected operators, including some in the EU.

Another customer, Paul Cartwright of A&P Travel of Sleaford, told B&CB: “To says I’m absolutely devastated is an understatement. In my opinion, it is commercially suicidal, as VDL have now antagonised all former Van Hool customers.”

In response to B&CB’s inquiry, a statement from VDL Groep said: ‘For matters pre-dating the Van Hool bankruptcy, parties should contact the trustees. Regarding your second question, about completing the build of the coaches: we are, or will be, in contacts [sic] with Van Hool’s former customers.’

Things may be difficult for Van Hool UK, based in Wellingborough. The ‘curator’ [receiver] has told Van Hool staff: ‘It is indeed the case that VDL will not be taking over Van Hool UK.

‘The receivers had a brief encounter with another potential candidate expressing his interest in Van Hool UK, but we have not heard from him again.

‘We are currently looking into the possibility of liquidating the entity, however this does not seem to be easy under UK Law due to the fact that both directors have resigned and are not willing to cooperate any more.’

Among vehicles ‘stranded’ in Van Hool factories are those from operators across Europe, and B&CB believes the 24-metre electric artics being built jointly by Van Hool, Alstholm and Keipe Electric, which were expected to be available for this year’s Olympics.

 

[37114]

It would seem that orders placed before Van Hool went into administration are still very much up in the air and not guaranteed to be delivered. While there's no obligation on any new owner to fulfil any previous orders, VDL's lack of communication is rather poor; surely it's better to be up-front about matters so that those companies affected can at least make other plans.

Anger as Van Hool buyers have coaches in limbo - Bus & Coach Buyer

Van Hool coaches in build have been left stranded by the VDL takeover and buyers say that they do not know when or if they will get them

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Agree, the whole handling of the situation by VDL seems weird. In these situations you almost want to over communicate with affected customers and make sure they are fully aware of what the plans are even if it is "Unfortunately we probably won't be able to complete your order, here are some options etc..." as they are the potential future customers as well as past.

 

[Towers]

It sounds rather as though the new owners have ended up with various partly-built coaches inside the factories they’ve bought, but either the money is still with the former UK operation or has been swalled up in all the goings-on of bankruptcy. Either way, it wouldn’t have hurt for VDL to just get the things completed and dispatched, quite possibly retaining some former Van Hool customers in the process. Surely the capacity must exist to get the vehicles finished, the supply chain won’t have just disappeared overnight. Instead, as one of the operators is quoted as having said, they’ve alienated people who have parted with good money, and bad reputation travels fast.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Among vehicles ‘stranded’ in Van Hool factories are those from operators across Europe, and B&CB believes the 24-metre electric artics being built jointly by Van Hool, Alstholm and Keipe Electric, which were expected to be available for this year’s Olympics.

I wonder if VDL are prioritising the Paris buses over the other orders. The price of not delivering them on time is potential lawsuits from Île-de-France Mobilités and the consortium partners, as well as undermining VDL's reputation among all potential customers in France. Given the Olympic angle, Alstom will be anxious to avoid a scandal and will be putting pressure on VDL to get things sorted.

 

[GusB]

The Van Hool saga rumbles on. There have been conflicting reports about the status of the UK arm of Van Hool.

Bus & Coach Buyer reported last week that the company had closed, although the article has since been edited to say otherwise:

Van Hool: deposits likely lost. Van Hool UK at risk? - Bus & Coach Buyer

VDL says the receivers for Van Hool are responsible for coach deposits and closes the Wellingborough-based Van Hool UK

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

THIS STORY HAS BEEN EDITED IN LIGHT OF FURTHER INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED REGARDING THE VAN HOOL UK OPERATION AT WELLINGBOROUGH

Van Hool customers whose deposits for vehicles were trapped in the company’s insolvency have been told that they must apply to the ‘curators’ (receivers) for a refund, though it is believed unlikely they will receive more than a fraction of money owed.

The VDL Groep has pointed out that its purchase of many of the coachbuilding assets of Van Hool did not include any debts, but they have indicated that customers who had coaches on order can re-order the vehicles – in some cases, with the quoted price honoured – from VDL Groep, and the North Macedonia coachbuilding plant will build them. VDL says it will match the warranty.

In the UK, fear over parts supply and service from Van Hool UK has been stoked by documents suggesting that the Wellingborough-based company has been closed. However, since we published out original story, we have been informed that Wellingborough is operating as normal. Calls from our office have not been answered at the time of this amendment.

Coach & Bus Week reported:

Van Hool UK still open - CBW

Contrary to reports elsewhere, CBW understands that although the situation remains unclear, Van Hool UK at Wellingborough is still open, and that the company’s staff remain available to assist UK customers as far as possible. [...]

cbwmagazine.com

Contrary to reports elsewhere, CBW understands that although the situation remains unclear, Van Hool UK at Wellingborough is still open, and that the company’s staff remain available to assist UK customers as far as possible. We understand that operators who have paid deposits or who have coaches in build have been directed to contact the administrators, though at the present time we await an official statement from either Van Hool or new owner VDL.

Today's news is that the National Express order for Van Hool Altanos is cancelled and that Van Hool UK appears to be closed:

Van Hool update: National Express cancels Altano order - Bus & Coach Buyer

National Express has cancelled its order for 25 Van Hool Altano TDX21 tri-axle coaches. The announcement follows the news that Van Hool customers whose deposits for vehicles were trapped in the company’s insolvency have been told that they must apply to the ‘curators’ (receivers) for a refund. A...

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

National Express has cancelled its order for 25 Van Hool Altano TDX21 tri-axle coaches.

The announcement follows the news that Van Hool customers whose deposits for vehicles were trapped in the company’s insolvency have been told that they must apply to the ‘curators’ (receivers) for a refund.

A statement from National Express said the cancellation is due to the uncertainty over warranty and parts for the manufacturer’s vehicles.

Explaining what the alternative will be, the statement said: “In the short term, the vehicles will be replaced by Caetano Levante III, however we are keen to bring in a new high-capacity vehicle in the future and continue to discuss options with vehicle manufacturers.”

The order for the 25 Altanos was announced in March this year, with a preview of one of the vehicles at Van Hool UK’s Wellingborough site.

Van Hool UK now appears to be closed, with the company listed on Google as ‘permanently closed’. B&CB was passed on a message earlier this month from an employee at the firm which confirmed the company is to cease operations.

Calls and emails to Van Hool UK have so far been unanswered. A recorded message on every attempt to call says there is no one available to answer and asks to leave a message or email parts.uk@vanhool.com for parts enquiries.

It's not a good look for VDL. Understandably, it's under no obligation to fulfil any warranty commitments, or even any outstanding orders, but keeping customers completely in the dark is going to make sure that they give VDL a wide berth in future.

 

[Man of Kent]

VDL's apparent lack of communication may be because they have not been given access to correspondence of the old Van Hool. They have not bought the business, they've acquired certain assets from the Receiver, which may or may not include details of vehicles on order.

 

[Mwanesh]

Was looking forward to the Van Hools on National Express work..Plaxton may get a chance

 

[PG]

Was looking forward to the Van Hools on National Express work..Plaxton may get a chance

I suggest taking a look at the Bus manufacturer news discussion thread, Plaxton aren't taking new orders for coaches at the moment - or possibly at all!

 

[signed]

Hints of wider Van Hool coach range under VDL as deliveries restart - routeone

Confidence in the future of the Van Hool coach range under VDL ownership has grown as delivery of those vehicles restarted in the UK.

www.route-one.net

The above article seems to hint to rumors of further T base coaches

It is understood that several further new Van Hools are due imminently. Meanwhile, sources close to the marque have said that more T range variants are set to be retained by VDL in the long-term than had previously been anticipated.


However, it has now been indicated to multiple customers that other T variants – possibly including two-axle models – will remain in production at the former Van Hool plant in North Macedonia.


One source believes that VDL has taken onboard the versatility of the T range and its ability to suit many use cases. Preparation of the coaches under delivery is being undertaken at VDL Bus and Coach UK’s premises in Barnsley.