Galloo has been a customer of TVH EQUIPMENT for 55 years.

With 45 branches and 782 employees in Belgium, Northern France, and the Netherlands, Galloo has been one of Western Europe’s leading recycling companies for ferrous and non-ferrous metals for 85 years. Every year, it gives more than one million tons of discarded material—from cars, ships, household appliances, demolition and production waste—a new life. TVH Equipment supplies Galloo with machines for both sales and rental that play a crucial role in this process.

At Galloo’s headquarters in Menen, we meet with CEO Jan Vandeputte, grandson of founder Joseph Galloo. He immediately takes us up to the roof of his office. In the distance, we see a telehandler and an aerial work platform from TVH Equipment in action. “This site is about 3.5 hectares and seamlessly connects to the 11 hectares of Galloo France in Halluin,” Jan points out. “At one point, we simply crossed the border because we needed room to expand. A bit further along the Leie River, we have a third site of about 10 hectares: at Ropswalle, we separate non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper, and zinc.”

Do you carry out roughly the same activities at all your sites?

Jan: “Only Menen and Ghent in Belgium and Halluin, Aniche, and Marquette in France are processing sites. All our other locations are pure collection points. In Bruges, for example, we handle cars that fall off ships in the port of Zeebrugge and old sea containers. In Halluin, we also have Galloo Plastics, where we process bumpers into plastic pellets, which we then sell back to the automotive industry. Our goal is to recycle cars up to 98%.”

Impressive! How long have you been a customer of TVH Equipment?

Jan: “We’ve been a customer almost from day one. In 1969, the year TVH was founded, my parents were already buying forklifts from Paul Vanhalst, the company’s founder. Conversely, we processed TVH’s scrap from the very beginning. We’ve always had a great two-way collaboration, and that has never changed. One good turn deserves another, right? Since 2012, we’ve also been renting machines from you.”

How do you proceed when you need a machine somewhere?

Jan: “We always check what the best option is. We usually rent only for temporary assembly, maintenance, or repair work. Site managers generally place those orders themselves. I only step in if a problem arises. Then I contact my fixed rental contact at TVH Equipment, Christophe Cardoen. Machines we use in production we always buy, and that process is entirely my responsibility. I’ve grown with the company step by step. I was only 14 when I had to buy my first car for the company. And at 11, I was already allowed to learn how to operate the crane. That’s how I got hooked.”

What kind of machines do you buy from TVH Equipment?

Jan: “Mainly forklifts from 2.5 to 5 tons. We use them every day, even at our smaller collection sites. In addition, we have telehandlers and aerial work platforms.”

Do these machines need to meet specific requirements?

Jan: “We usually buy standard machines, but we sometimes equip telehandlers with a winch or basket. TVH Equipment also ensures adapted inspections at our French sites.”

Which type of machines do you use for which applications?

Jan: “In production, we have forklifts with a rotating head so the bucket can tilt. For machine maintenance, we usually rent articulated boom lifts because we often need to work at considerable heights. We also use a scissor lift to replace lights in the warehouses. For assembling spare parts or components, we rent telehandlers that reach 20 to 25 meters and sometimes a machine with longer forks.”

Are these mostly short-term rentals, or do you also rent long-term?

Jan: “As soon as you need a machine for six months, it’s better to buy it. Renting is no longer cost-effective for us at that point. But if we need to repair a building, we call to rent a machine.”

Do you already use more sustainable electric machines?

Jan: “We currently have three electric forklifts and several scissor lifts, not coincidentally at sites with solar panels. It’s quite an adjustment because you can’t even hear these machines running. But I definitely think switching is a good idea, especially at smaller collection sites. For large machines and cranes, I honestly still doubt whether electrification will fully break through. And should you take that step today, or is it still a bit early? In any case, we’re committed: all fixed cranes here are directly connected to the power grid. With electric trucks and trailers, however, we’re not very far yet. Still, we’re a green company by nature since we do recycling. So we certainly try to do our part.”

What are the main benefits of working with TVH Equipment?

Jan: “That we have one fixed contact person for sales (Frank Leenaert) and one for rental (Christophe Cardoen). And that’s been the case for many years. If something goes wrong—like a wrong delivery—it’s immediately corrected. Every year, Christophe also visits to evaluate rentals and see what could be more efficient.”

Did the rental process run smoothly from the start?

Jan: “In the past, each branch decided what to rent and from whom. Nowadays, we’ve centralized that with TVH Equipment, and each branch sends me a monthly overview. At first, machines weren’t always delivered to the right place immediately. We have a lot of branches, after all. But now everything runs smoothly.”

Do you use TVH Equipment’s service support?

Jan: “We generally handle all repairs ourselves. For our mechanics, it’s a challenge to work on these machines and, for example, overhaul engines.”

Do you also order online via MyTVHEquipment?

Jan: “We check the range via the portal, but we order through our own system. If we urgently need something, we call or email. TVH Equipment always responds immediately.”

Do you see room to further improve the collaboration?

Jan: “Not really, over the years we’ve become perfectly attuned to each other.” Finally, do you have any advice for companies considering working with TVH Equipment? Jan: “Your company has been around for decades, and that means something. You also have a wide range and extensive stock. Recently, I urgently needed to buy two machines. Well, both were delivered the following week. Since we usually buy more or less identical standard machines, it’s quite easy for your sales rep Frank Leenaert. He just needs to draw up a purchase order, and the deal is done. That’s how it goes when you have a relationship built on trust! It’s the same for rentals. We often call only in the afternoon for a machine we need for an intervention the next day. The fact that this is possible is truly exceptional and makes the collaboration very pleasant.”