Dewulf Group: “We quickly went from acute breathing difficulties to structural breathing room”
In the summer of 2022, Dewulf Group, a developer and manufacturer of potato and root crop harvesters, added a Veldeman tent structure to their Roeselare site. An investment that was enthusiastically received not only by the company’s technicians but also by the planning department. The structure was to become the new hub for their sometimes massive just-in-time deliveries and a reliable channel to the end customer, all during a growth spurt.
The challenge: increasing supply from all directions
By mid-2021, Dewulf Group was struggling under capacity pressure. Demand for agricultural machinery, mainly potato harvesters, was peaking, as was the supply of large welded structures from Romania, destined for assembly in Roeselare.
“To give you an idea: from our Romanian site, five trucks full of welded parts travel to Belgium every week. Before we can assemble these onto the agricultural machines, everything has to pass through the paint shop for anti-rust treatment and a coat of paint,” explains Klaas Declerck, Technical Strategic Buyer at Dewulf Group.
“So until then, all these components need a dry place to stay. The same goes for the finished vehicles ready to be shipped to customers. And these are real giants, up to 4 meters high and over 12 meters long.”
Before Veldeman: time as the enemy
In the meantime, they had to make do with what they had in Roeselare. “We were literally running out of breathing space. Our existing warehouses were almost full, but demand kept increasing. For example, to test our machines, we sometimes had to go outside, which was certainly not the most comfortable solution for our staff.”
“Moreover, because we mainly work with just-in-time deliveries, any obstacle in the supply chain threatened to heavily disrupt our planning. Far from an ideal scenario.”
The turning point: a quick path to a flexible solution
In autumn 2021, Dewulf Group contacted Veldeman. Storage capacity urgently needed to increase, preferably before the start of the next harvest season.
“In spring, all potatoes are planted; harvesting starts in summer and often continues until November. In the months leading up to the harvest, all harvesters are assembled and delivered to our customers on very short notice. So things had to move fast.”
“Within a few weeks, we had the first discussions with Veldeman. They helped us make the right choice, which solution best matched our growth strategy? The potato market is constantly changing.”
“We were also looking for a solution that could be built quickly but still offered options for the future. A building that we could potentially relocate later to our sites in Romania or the Netherlands. That flexibility was essential for us. That’s why we opted for a steel hall that also met the significantly higher snow load requirements in Romania.”
Implementation: from signing to operational in 4 months
“When we discovered that a demountable structure from Veldeman required hardly any foundations and only simplified permits, everything accelerated. In February 2022 we signed the order, and by June we were already using the structure. Even more impressive: barely 10 days after the Veldeman transport arrived, everything was ready for use. A tent structure the size of two tennis courts, unprecedented!”
No more limits for Dewulf Group: the numbers
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10 days installation time
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A fully enclosed demountable steel structure of 38 by 30 meters
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A covered area of over 1,100 m²
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Ridge height of 10.5 meters and side height of 5.4 meters
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3 gate passages (including one extra-high for the largest vehicles)
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0 foundations
The impact: finally breathing room
Since delivery, the structure has served as a storage and testing zone. Vehicles and parts waiting to be assembled have a dry place to stay, while employees can work safely and comfortably in all weather conditions.
“The difference compared to before is enormous. Veldeman’s rapid approach gave us immediate breathing room. First by helping decide on the most suitable solution, and second by quickly moving to construction. Despite tight timing, everything went perfectly, even regarding coordination. As a result, we could enter the next peak period in top form and reorganize our logistics for the many years to come.”
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