Steenbakkerij Scheerders van Kerchove's Verenigde Fabrieken

Steenbakkerij Scheerders van Kerchove's Verenigde Fabrieken, commonly known as Scheerders-Van Kerchove or SVK nv, is a Belgian building-materials company based in Sint-Niklaas in the province of East Flanders. It was founded in 1905 by Leon Jean Colette Marie Scheerders and his wife Camilla van Kerchove, and for most of its existence it was a family enterprise. The original business was a brickworks: clay was dug from the company's own pits on the site and fired into bricks, and during the interwar period the firm grew steadily. After the death of Leon Scheerders, who had no male descendants, the direction of the company passed to his son-in-law August de Schryver-Scheerders, and management was subsequently exercised by heirs of the Scheerders-de Schryver family. In the second half of the twentieth century activities were gradually wound down and the workforce declined. Clay extraction ceased and the board of directors stopped brick production. By 2020 the company had two production divisions: one for fibre-cement products such as corrugated sheets and slates, and one for architectural concrete. It was also active in the distribution of building materials. Over its lifetime the site grew into a large industrial complex, parts of which are recognised for their heritage value. Old railway tracks remain on the grounds, although the connection to the railway network has not been preserved. Heritage elements include two old clay dredgers, which are described as seriously threatened, and the old clay pits, where the population of Sint-Niklaas once came to swim; swimming is now prohibited but the diving board remains. Part of the old clay pits were used for a period as a landfill, including for the storage of asbestos-containing waste, and SVK was convicted for careless handling of asbestos waste, both as regards the protection of workers and of local residents. In 2024 Stones NV, owned by the Aertssen and Beerens business families, took over SVK for 13.5 million euros. In January 2025 the closure of the production site in Sint-Niklaas was announced, with 79 of 117 employees losing their jobs. The brand therefore remains a Belgian building-materials name with a long industrial heritage, now under new ownership and facing the contraction of its historic production base.

Scheerders-Van Kerchove, also known as SVK nv, was a Belgian company active in the production and distribution of building materials. Its historic family brickworks is located in Sint-Niklaas in the province of East Flanders. The company was founded in 1905 by Leon Jean Colette Marie Scheerders and his wife Camilla van Kerchove. The Scheerders family belonged to the Catholic bourgeoisie. The old brickworks fired bricks from its own extraction, for which several clay pits were dug. During the interwar period the company experienced steady growth. As of 2016 the business was still a family enterprise. Leon Scheerders had no male descendants, and management was exercised by the heirs of the Scheerders-de Schryver family. After the death of Leon Scheerders, he was succeeded as director by his son-in-law, August de Schryver-Scheerders. In the second half of the twentieth century various activities were gradually wound down and the number of employees declined. For some ten years no clay was extracted, and brick production was stopped by the board of directors. By 2020 the company had two production divisions: one for fibre-cement products such as corrugated sheets and slates, and one for architectural concrete. In addition, the company had been active in the distribution of building materials. Throughout its existence the company grew into an extensive industrial complex, parts of which are recognised for their heritage value. Numerous old railway tracks remain on the site, along which trains and wagons carrying clay once ran, although the connection to the railway network has not been preserved. The industrial heritage includes two old clay dredgers, which are currently seriously threatened, and the old clay pits, where the population of Sint-Niklaas used to swim; as of 2026 swimming is prohibited, but the diving board is still there. Part of the old clay pits were used for a period as a landfill, including for the storage of asbestos-containing waste. SVK was convicted for careless handling of asbestos waste, both with regard to the protection of workers and that of local residents. In 2024 Stones NV, owned by the Aertssen and Beerens business families, took over SVK for 13.5 million euros. In January 2025 the closure of the production site in Sint-Niklaas was announced, as a result of which 79 of the 117 employees lost their jobs.

• 2025

  Closure of the production site in Sint-Niklaas announced; 79 of 117 employees lose their jobs.

• 2024

  Stones NV, owned by the Aertssen and Beerens business families, took over SVK for 13.5 million euros.

• 1905

  Company founded by Leon Jean Colette Marie Scheerders and Camilla van Kerchove.

• The company experienced steady growth.

• Various activities were gradually wound down and the number of employees declined.

• The company had two production divisions: fibre-cement products and architectural concrete, and was also active in building-materials distribution.

A long-established Belgian family building-materials producer, historically a brickmaker and later a supplier of fibre-cement and architectural concrete products, with a site of recognised industrial-heritage value.

• Bricks

  Fired from clay extracted from the company's own clay pits.

• Fibre-cement products

  Including corrugated sheets and slates.

• Architectural concrete

  Produced by one of the company's two production divisions as of 2020.

• Building materials distribution

  The company was also active in the distribution of building materials.

1. 1Steenbakkerij Scheerders van Kerchove's Verenigde Fabriekenwikidata.org
2. 2Scheerders-Van Kerchovenl.wikipedia.org