Baron Vic Swerts Gets Gulden Spoor for Economic Excellence in Antwerp

Every year, the Movement Flanders-Europe vzw awards the Gulden Spoor for Economic Excellence to a Fleming who has blazed a remarkable trail in Flemish economic life. Baron Vic Swerts received the award on July 11 during the festive session of the city of Antwerp on the occasion of the Flemish holiday. 

An De Moor, president of the 11-day Flanders Feast!, explains the award: "'Daring to undertake' - that is Vic Swerts' trademark. He started from scratch in 1966 in a modest workshop on Antwerp's Ossenmarkt. The production of a polyester repair paste caught on. To grow, Vic Swerts soon moved his company Soudal to Turnhout, in his native region. The company started to focus on 3 market segments: construction, industry and retail. Work, export, innovation and acquisitions became the key concepts.

Soudal is anchored in the Kempen, but the expansions, also internationally, followed each other in rapid succession. Anno 2019, the company has grown into a healthy multinational with 19 production sites in 5 continents, sales offices in 44 countries and approximately 3,000 employees worldwide. The company aspires to exceed the 1 billion euro sales mark next year.

The motto 'Per laborem ad salutem' - 'Through work to prosperity' is clearly on Vic Swerts' mind."

Because of this success story, Vic Swerts has received numerous awards. The Movement Flanders Europe lauds Vic Swerts with a Gulden Spoor for Economic Excellence as the passionate founder of a Flemish company that with brio succeeded in becoming and remaining a global player, thus contributing to prosperity in Flanders and elsewhere.

The presentation of the Gulden Spoor for Economic Excellence is part of the 11-day Flanders Feast! celebrations to mark the Flemish holiday. Recent predecessors of the new Gulden Spoor bearer include Chris Maene, Hans Bourlon & Gert Verhulst, Esmeralda Peleman, the Van Rompuy family, Luc Tack, Hein Deprez, Fernand Huts, Saskia Van Uffelen, Wouter Torfs, Herman Daems and Bart and Ann Claes.