Biermans
Encyclopedia
Biermans was a Belgian
printing company, located in Turnhout, Belgium
. It was one of several companies located in the printing valley of Turnhout.
factory. In 1875, he started his own company to produce playing card
s and colored paper
, close to the railway in Turnhout, with ten employees. He married with Marie-Thérèze Poupaert, daughter of Carolus F. Poupaert, who was director of the Van Genechten
company.
When one of the banks, where Biermans had lent money to fund his company, went bankrupt Fr. Van Dooren and Georges Dupret provided him capital to continue his business and saved his company, AT. When Leonard Biermans died in 1897, his company was incorporated to a N.V., and Georges Dupret became the President of the company, whereas the Management Board of the company was led by Henri Van den Bosch. At that moment the company had already about 330 employees. In 1899, the Biermans factory was connected to the new electricity power supply, five years before the Brepols factory. When France
levied high import taxes on Belgian paper products, Biermans started a new paper mill in Lille
(France) to circumvent these import taxes. In order to start the new factory, 40 families moved from Turnhout to France and settled near Lille.
In 1930, the son of Georges Dupret, Marcel Dupret, took over the management of the company, and decided to start with the production of industrial bags and to expand the printing business and cardboard production. In 1934 the demand for playing cards on the Asian market increased, and a new factory was established in Calcutta (India
), which would continue its business until the independence of India. In 1960, the company Copa was founded, which became a strong competitor on market for special paper. When the market for special paper decreased, several paper manufacturers from the Turnhout region, Copa, Mesmaekers, Biermans and Van Genechten, founded Turpa. In 1970 Biermans, together with Brepols and Van Genechten, founded Carta Mundi as a joint venture
. In 1971, Biermans was acquired by Van Genechten
, to create Van Genechten Biermans (VGB).
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
printing company, located in Turnhout, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It was one of several companies located in the printing valley of Turnhout.
History
The company was founded by Leonard Biermans after he had been working for three years for the BrepolsBrepols
Brepols was once one of the largest printing companies of the world and one of the main employers in Turnhout . Besides its printing business, Brepols is also active as a publisher...
factory. In 1875, he started his own company to produce playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
s and colored paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, close to the railway in Turnhout, with ten employees. He married with Marie-Thérèze Poupaert, daughter of Carolus F. Poupaert, who was director of the Van Genechten
Van Genechten Packaging
Van Genechten Packaging is a Belgian printing company, located in Turnhout. It is one of the companies of the printing valley located around Turnhout, Belgium.-History:...
company.
When one of the banks, where Biermans had lent money to fund his company, went bankrupt Fr. Van Dooren and Georges Dupret provided him capital to continue his business and saved his company, AT. When Leonard Biermans died in 1897, his company was incorporated to a N.V., and Georges Dupret became the President of the company, whereas the Management Board of the company was led by Henri Van den Bosch. At that moment the company had already about 330 employees. In 1899, the Biermans factory was connected to the new electricity power supply, five years before the Brepols factory. When France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
levied high import taxes on Belgian paper products, Biermans started a new paper mill in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
(France) to circumvent these import taxes. In order to start the new factory, 40 families moved from Turnhout to France and settled near Lille.
In 1930, the son of Georges Dupret, Marcel Dupret, took over the management of the company, and decided to start with the production of industrial bags and to expand the printing business and cardboard production. In 1934 the demand for playing cards on the Asian market increased, and a new factory was established in Calcutta (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), which would continue its business until the independence of India. In 1960, the company Copa was founded, which became a strong competitor on market for special paper. When the market for special paper decreased, several paper manufacturers from the Turnhout region, Copa, Mesmaekers, Biermans and Van Genechten, founded Turpa. In 1970 Biermans, together with Brepols and Van Genechten, founded Carta Mundi as a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
. In 1971, Biermans was acquired by Van Genechten
Van Genechten Packaging
Van Genechten Packaging is a Belgian printing company, located in Turnhout. It is one of the companies of the printing valley located around Turnhout, Belgium.-History:...
, to create Van Genechten Biermans (VGB).
Source
- De Turnhoutse Kempen, haar economische en sociale betekenis, Vlaams Economisch Verbond, pp. 88-90
- Biermans (Dutch)