Vandeputte

Over the last sixty-seven years, the Vandeputte Group has grown from a Belgian family-run company in Boechout into a European expert in industrial health and safety. The business has built up special expertise in the development and distribution of products and services to optimise health and safety on the shop floor. It all began in 1947 when Mother Vandeputte took the initiative to start a business with her five sons, specialising in off-the-peg fashion and the production of handbags. Production was shifted when customers began to ask about the possibility of making safety gloves and gas packs. Barely three years later the company had specialised entirely in the production of safety gloves and clothing. But before Vandeputte could sell safety clothing, it had to sell the idea of safety itself. After all, the war - not exactly a safe time - was only just over and when peace came, everything was regarded as safe by definition. Safe working conditions were regarded as a luxury because it was not understood that unsafe working conditions cost a lot of money. Economic studies demonstrating this were not carried out until much later. The critical factor highlighting the importance of safety ultimately turned out to be the human and social aspect of safe working conditions. The history of the Vandeputte Group continued to run in tandem with the evolution of safety regulations. From the 1950s onwards, statutory regulations and provisions were put in place and completely changed the buying behaviour of industry in respect of safety. This prompted Vandeputte to diversify its output and to offer its customers a full range of safety products. Over recent decades, employers, employees and governments have attached more and more importance to safety at work. This change in mentality has allowed the Vandeputte Group to grow into the market leader in Benelux. With a complete approach to health and safety, the company enables businesses to comply with their social responsibility to their employees. Central to the group's philosophy is the welfare of the individual: everyone is entitled to optimum protection.