On April 2, Impact Recovery Systems, Inc.® President Greg Hannah, his wife Camilla, and Product Manager Ken Parrott visited the company’s European Office in Aarschot, Belgium. This marked an exciting and momentous occasion for everyone present, particularly because due to the pandemic, the U.S. team (from San Antonio, Texas) had not been able to visit. After a tour of the facilities, the team gathered together to celebrate the visit. Despite the cold weather, Greg and Camilla could not resist the opportunity to pose by the Impact Recovery Systems, Inc. sign.
The Aarschot Office officially opened in January of 2021, almost a year after the pandemic began. By then, travel was highly restricted, making it nearly impossible to visit. Greg recalls, “Opening a stand-alone facility of this size in Europe was a big deal. I had planned on flying to Belgium, were we would host a Grand Opening Ceremony at the Aarschot location. I was looking forward to seeing Aarschot for the first time, and hosting a celebration with our European customers and distributors.”
Originally housed in the Heroes & Co. facilities in Holsbeek, Belgium for six years, the company quickly outgrew the space. After much searching, a prime location was selected to serve as the European Office. This dedicated location, allows Impact Recovery Systems, Inc.® to ship products from its SlowStop Guarding Systems, LLC.® division quickly and efficiently, focusing on European customers.
Located in the KMO Unit Ever Green complex in Aarschot, Belgium the 10,000 sq. ft. facility is spacious, modern, and functional. The Basque company Sellex provided colorful and comfortable furnishings for the offices, waiting room, and meeting room.
Kristel Wolters, who has worked with Impact Recovery Systems, Inc. since 2013 was selected as the office/logistic manager for the Aarschot Office. In her role, Kristel manages inventory, workflow, budget, and a plethora of other logistics. While Kristel tackles the day-to-day operations of the company, Beau Bellemans and Peter Brion work in the warehouse to ensure orders are fulfilled correctly and on time. Kristel sums it up best, “When we decided to open the Aarschot Office, it was a rush to be involved with searching for a great location, hiring for personnel, creating the warehouse footprint, and helping with the design of the modern offices. I like the fact that as a part of Impact Recovery Systems, Inc. I have the opportunity to work with an international and diverse group of people from my colleagues, to the clients, to our suppliers.”
We love our Aarschot team … they are doing a wonderful job of serving our international customers. We look forward to many more visits with them in the future.
