Geopolitical unrest in Europe is causing more and more countries to increase their defense budgets. Advionics, based in Oostkamp (West Flanders), which produces military radar systems, is reaping the benefits. The company is currently building a new factory and intends to significantly expand its workforce. “Today, we have very few contracts with Belgian Defense, and we want to change that.” Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) arrived Tuesday morning to deliver good news.
For forty years, Advionics was the military branch of Siemens in Oostkamp, and it was also part of Airbus for more than a decade. Since 2016, the company has been part of Intersoft Electronics, which has a total of four branches in Belgium. “Sophisticated radars intended for military purposes are produced in a 12,000-square-meter factory in Oostkamp,” says Chief Financial Officer Thibaud Dauw. “We are one of the suppliers to the larger defense companies in Europe.”
New Factory
The geopolitical situation in Europe has changed drastically in recent years. One need only look at the war between Ukraine and Russia. These new developments have had a positive outcome for Advionics. “Our order book filled up to such an extent that, at a certain point, we could no longer deliver. Did the war in Ukraine play a role in that? The tensions on Europe’s eastern borders have certainly boosted our orders.”
About two years ago, the company in Oostkamp decided to act proactively. “We made the decision to increase our production capacity by 50 percent by building a new, additional factory of 6,000 square meters,” says Dauw. “We knew that defense budgets in Europe would be raised, and we are now able to benefit from that. After 2029, we hope to expand by another 6,000 square meters.”
“This is a magnificent company that is growing very strongly. But it has very few contracts with Belgian Defense, and that needs to improve.” – Minister of Defense Theo Francken (N-VA)
Ministerial Visit
Advionics has already supplied high-tech radars to the German navy, but remarkably, the company still holds very few contracts with Belgian Defense. And it wants to change that. On Tuesday morning, a first step was taken with a visit from Minister of Defense Theo Francken (N-VA). He was given a tour of the firm on Siemenslaan and also inspected the new factory building. “This is a magnificent company that is growing very strongly,” stated Francken. “But it has very few contracts with Belgian Defense, and that needs to improve. We must showcase our own industry much more.”
Advionics will continue to invest millions in its Oostkamp site over the coming years, which is also creating many jobs. Currently, the company employs 200 staff members. “The expectation is that we will be able to hire 25 additional employees annually. We are looking for, among others, machine operators, production workers, and warehouse staff, as well as engineers. Thanks to our innovative way of working, we notice that we are attracting more and more young, world-class engineers.”
Source: “Spanningen in Europa deden bestellingen enorm toenemen”