Belgian brewer Alken-Maes explores deeper integration within Heineken

Alken-Maes is reviewing its internal organisation and plans to work more closely with Dutch brewer Heineken, the Belgian company announced. The precise impact on staff has not yet been determined.

Employees have been informed that the company intends to reassess its structure "to strengthen capacity and productivity and serve customers more effectively". As part of that process, Alken-Maes aims to deepen cooperation with Heineken in the Netherlands. Alken-Maes is fully owned by the Heineken Group. Certain specific services would be centralised in shared service centres.

"We expect the impact on the organisation to be limited," the company said. What the changes will mean for employees remains unclear. "There are a number of shifts at management level, but the rest still needs to be examined," said ACV trade union representative Karin Schaerlaekens.

Alken-Maes stressed that it will maintain a strong presence in Belgium. "Our brands, customer relationships, teams and breweries will remain local. Our intention is to pool certain resources and capabilities across markets so that we can operate and compete more efficiently, respond more quickly to change and continue to build the skills we need for the future," the company said.

Large investment

Last month, Alken-Maes opened a new warehouse at its brewery site in Alken, almost doubling the site’s storage capacity. The project was the largest expansion at the Alken site in around sixty years and involved an investment of 13 million euros.

The Alken site employs between 150 and 250 people. While the expansion did not create additional jobs, it was considered necessary to remain competitive within the Heineken Group, according to CEO Kenny Willems. "We are preparing the brewery for the future," he said.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}

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