Van Genechten Packaging
Belgian printing and packaging company based in Turnhout.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Van Genechten Packaging is a Belgian printing and packaging company headquartered in Turnhout, one of the principal centers of the historic printing cluster around the city. Its origins can be traced to the nineteenth-century printing trade in Turnhout, where Antoine Van Genechten and J.E. Glénisson established a competing business after working in the factory associated with the Brepols family. The company initially produced printed goods similar to those made by other Turnhout printers, including illustrated material and playing cards, before developing a longer-term specialization in packaging printing. The founders began their own business in the Hofstraat in Turnhout and moved to the Warandestraat in 1837. The enterprise also experimented with publishing: in 1839 it issued the French-language magazine L’abeille de la Campine, later changing to the Dutch-language De Kempische Bie in 1842. Neither publication became a lasting commercial success, but the episode illustrates the broad printing activities undertaken by the company in its early period. The business expanded from approximately 80 employees in 1841 to about 155 in 1847. In 1855, the original Glénisson & Van Genechten partnership was dissolved. Glénisson continued separately, while Van Genechten established a new factory in Den Dijk, now Merodelei, under the name Etabl. Antoine Van Genechten. The company obtained a licence to press Chinese playing cards in 1868 and expanded its factory the following year. It discontinued the printing of children’s picture prints in 1870, selling the related printing blocks to another printer. After Antoine Van Genechten died in 1874, management passed to his eldest son-in-law, Jean De Somer. The enterprise subsequently grew and received recognition at exhibitions in Belgium and abroad. The company was incorporated as a Belgian public limited company in 1909. In 1912, Jan-Antoon De Somer succeeded his father and Paul De Somer joined the management board. By this period, the business had begun printing on packaging and had also developed advertising-oriented playing-card production. Packaging printing became an increasingly important part of the company’s identity and provides the historical foundation for the modern Van Genechten Packaging name. In 1970, Van Genechten joined Brepols and Biermans in establishing Carta Mundi as a joint venture. The following year it acquired Biermans, creating Van Genechten Biermans, commonly abbreviated VGB. The company is now presented as Van Genechten Packaging and remains associated with printed packaging production in Turnhout. Publicly available reference material identifies its principal business as printing and packaging, but does not establish a complete current product catalogue, ownership structure, executive roster, financial profile, or corporate website.
History
Van Genechten Packaging developed from the nineteenth-century printing industry of Turnhout, Belgium. One of its early originators, J.E. Glénisson, was born in Keeken, Germany, in 1808. Through family connections he entered the Brepols factory in Turnhout, where he became first clerk in 1830. After P.J. Brepols introduced a son-in-law into the business, Glénisson perceived limited prospects for advancement and joined Antoine Van Genechten in forming an independent printing enterprise in the Hofstraat. The new business competed directly with Brepols and initially produced comparable printed goods. It moved to the Warandestraat in 1837 and expanded rapidly, employing around 80 people in 1841 and approximately 155 in 1847. The partners also pursued publishing. On 2 January 1839 they launched the French-language magazine L’abeille de la Campine. After three years it was replaced by the Dutch-language De Kempische Bie from January 1842; that publication ended on 30 December 1843. The partnership was dissolved in 1855. Glénisson remained at the Warandestraat factory, while Van Genechten established a separate factory in Den Dijk, now Merodelei, under the name Etabl. Antoine Van Genechten. The new company continued the established printing activities. It received a licence to press Chinese playing cards on 15 December 1868, and the factory was expanded in 1869. The company stopped producing children’s picture prints in 1870 and sold the associated printing blocks to Beersmans-Pleek. Antoine Van Genechten died on 14 July 1874. The business then continued under his eldest son-in-law, Jean De Somer, and expanded substantially. Its work received honors at exhibitions in Belgium and abroad. In 1909 the company was converted into a Belgian public limited company. Jan-Antoon De Somer succeeded his father in 1912, while his brother Paul De Somer joined the board. During the early twentieth century, the business moved beyond traditional printed goods and began printing on packaging. It also specialized in playing cards carrying advertising. This combination of commercial printing, card production, and packaging work shaped the company’s later development. In 1970, Van Genechten joined Brepols and Biermans to establish Carta Mundi as a joint venture. In 1971, Van Genechten acquired Biermans, resulting in the formation of Van Genechten Biermans, or VGB. The modern Van Genechten Packaging identity reflects the company’s continuing association with printed packaging and the Turnhout printing cluster. The available reference material confirms its location and broad industrial activity, but does not provide enough verified information to document current ownership, leadership, financial performance, manufacturing footprint, or a detailed contemporary portfolio.
- 1971
Biermans acquired
[1]Van Genechten acquired Biermans, creating Van Genechten Biermans, also known as VGB.
- 1970
Carta Mundi joint venture founded
[1]Van Genechten, Brepols, and Biermans established Carta Mundi as a joint venture.
- 1912
Management succession in the De Somer family
[1]Jan-Antoon De Somer succeeded his father, and Paul De Somer joined the company’s management board.
- 1909
Incorporation as a public limited company
[1]The enterprise was incorporated as a Belgian public limited company.
- 1868
Licence granted for Chinese playing cards
[1]The company received a licence to press Chinese playing cards, expanding its role in specialized printed products.
- 1855
Original partnership dissolved
[1]Glénisson & Van Genechten was dissolved, after which Antoine Van Genechten established a separate factory under his own name.
- 1842
Publishing switched to De Kempische Bie
[1]The unsuccessful French-language publication was replaced by the Dutch-language De Kempische Bie, which continued until the end of 1843.
- 1839
Launch of L’abeille de la Campine
[1]The company launched a French-language magazine, marking an early publishing activity.
- 1837
Factory moved to Warandestraat
[1]The company relocated its operations from the Hofstraat to the Warandestraat in Turnhout.
- 1833
Independent printing venture established
[1]J.E. Glénisson and Antoine Van Genechten started their own printing business in the Hofstraat in Turnhout.
Products and positioning
A Turnhout-based Belgian printing and packaging specialist whose heritage combines nineteenth-century commercial printing, playing-card production, and packaging printing.
Packaging printing
Printed packaging
Printed packaging is the company’s central documented contemporary activity. The historical business began printing on packaging alongside its earlier work in commercial print and playing cards. The available reference material identifies Van Genechten Packaging as a printing and packaging company, but does not provide verified technical specifications, formats, substrates, end markets, or a complete current product range.
Specialty printed products · 1868
Playing cards
Playing-card production was an important historical specialization. The company received a licence to press Chinese playing cards in 1868 and later produced playing cards carrying advertising. This activity connected Van Genechten to Turnhout’s long-established printing tradition, although the available material does not confirm the extent to which playing-card production remains part of the current business.
Publishing and commercial printing · 1839
Printed publications
The company’s early activities included magazine publishing and other printed matter. It issued L’abeille de la Campine in French from 1839 and later De Kempische Bie in Dutch from 1842 to 1843. These publications were short-lived and represent the historical breadth of the enterprise rather than a documented current offering.
Brand decisions
1971
Acquisition of BiermansM&ABackground
The acquisition followed the creation of the Carta Mundi joint venture with Brepols and Biermans.
Action taken
Van Genechten acquired Biermans and formed Van Genechten Biermans, commonly abbreviated VGB.
Aftermath
The transaction created a combined company associated with the later VGP identity and the Turnhout printing cluster.
1970
Participation in Carta Mundi joint ventureM&ABackground
Van Genechten collaborated with Brepols and Biermans in the context of the Turnhout printing and playing-card industry.
Action taken
The three companies founded Carta Mundi as a joint venture.
Aftermath
The following year Van Genechten acquired Biermans, leading to the Van Genechten Biermans or VGB structure.
Sources1 sources
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