Flemish workwear brand Herock® now wants to conquer Spanish and Portuguese markets too

Herock® builds on European growth story through deal with Spanish distributor Fegemu: ‘double sales in five years’

- Herock®, specialist in workwear and footwear, now wants to conquer the Iberian market too. Following an agreement with Fegemu, a Spanish distributor of quality work tools and equipment, will soon offer their workwear in more than 2,000 outlets in Spain and Portugal. The small, Wase-based player from Hamme has grown in recent years into a solid, international challenger in the workwear market. “Besides southern Europe, we are also setting our sights on Scandinavia and Poland,” says business manager Laurent Van Laere.

Herock® grew by a whopping 45% over the past 3 years, mainly thanks to their expansion in France, Germany and the Netherlands. But Van Laere clearly likes a challenge: by 2028, he wants to see sales doubled. “As a Belgian player, the country of camionettes and bricks in the stomach, we know the construction market like no other. We know exactly what craftsmen need and customers notice that in our products.” To realise this ambition, Herock® plans to recruit 12 more profiles over the next six months.

Laurent Van Laere is nevertheless proud to announce the agreement with Spanish company Fegemu. It therefore immediately kicks off the collaboration with an impressive B2B salsa network through 35 agents and representatives, who have been distributing quality work equipment at more than 2,000 points of sale in southern Europe for more than 50 years.

“With more than 58 million inhabitants, we have a huge sales market in Spain and Portugal,” says Van Laere. “In our sector, expansion hinges on finding a suitable B2B partner on the one hand and on providing sufficient stock and resources on the other. We are delighted to have found that partner now and we are fully building up our stock in San Sebastian. The fact that we can achieve this growth with our own capital makes us particularly proud!”

Because the Southern European market differs from the Belgian one, Herock® cleverly adapts its offering and positioning to the local context:

“Spaniards generally spend less on work clothes than Belgians. They are used to less high-quality clothing from cheaper, local players. Herock® injects quality into the market, so to speak, allowing us to position ourselves there as a premium brand. Of course, this does not change our DNA: Herock® remains workwear for rebellious daredevils, doers and daredevils. Not only in Belgium.”

View of Poland and Scandinavia

Meanwhile, the Flemish workwear specialist is also fully exploring other European markets, focusing on Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Since 2018, they have deliberately chosen to place experienced sales profiles in potential growth markets. After France, Germany and the Netherlands, they are now also doing so in Poland and Scandinavia, for example.

“The Polish market has been growing very fast in recent years. The potential there is extremely high, so our sales colleagues work day and night to get a concrete foothold there too. In Scandinavia, it's a different story. There, people tend to spend a lot on high-quality workwear. After all, they have been familiar with big Scandinavian brands for years. Last year we opened our first, exclusive Herock® store in Kopavogur, 10 km from Reykjavik in Iceland. A bold move to challenge our big competitors in the lion's den as a challenger, but I haven't regretted it for a second. On the contrary. It's just a start!”, sounds ambitious at Van Laere.

Outside Europe, ambition remains modest. For now, anyway.

“Of course we dream of global growth. We are currently planting seeds in Canada, USA, but also in New Zealand for example, but all in due time. Initially, we want to continue producing decent and fashionable clothing at an affordable price and we want to continue serving our existing customers correctly. After that, we will convince Europe of our strengths and then... well, we will see”, says Laurent.

Doubling turnover in five years

Herock® achieved sales growth of 45% over the past 3 years. The Ham-based SME turns 15% of its turnover in Flemish-speaking Belgium, 25% in French-speaking Belgium and 60% abroad. By 2028, Herock® wants to double its total turnover. A very strong action plan has been put in place to achieve this ambition:

“The whole team is putting its shoulders to the wheel to achieve this goal. Growth will mainly have to come from growth in new European markets, but there is also a lot of potential in existing markets. The ambition is challenging, but certainly not unachievable if we look at the fine evolutions we have seen in France, the Netherlands and Germany in recent years. Today, we work with a team of 60 people, 16 of them in those three countries. If we find the right people for our new markets, I am convinced we will write a great story there too,” Laurent says.

Currently, Herock® is still looking for 7 profiles, including a finance manager, internal sales support, management assistant and a representative in Wallonia. Herock® also plans to recruit 5 additional profiles in the coming months. Info about working at Herock® can be found at here find. Want to know everything about Herock®? Check out the website, facebook, instagram EN linkedin.