Ivens can look back on a successful company history of more than eighty-five years. Ever since the very first tank – throughout all the moves, construction projects, recruitments and expansions – Ivens has had one big ambition: to build the best storage tanks on the market. We cherish our rich history, but always keep our sights set on the future.
1930: Humble beginnings
Metalworker and blacksmith Leon Ivens started a company in Kapellen as an installer of all kinds of boilers. When Leon died early, his father – already retired at the time – kept the company running, waiting for son Eduard to come into the business and take over.
1948: The first fuel oil boilers
The young Eduard – Ward – Ivens saw many opportunities in the production of fuel oil boilers. Thanks to the advent of central heating, orders for the boilers flooded in. To complete all the orders on time, Eduard and his employees worked almost day and night.
1955: The move to Leugenberg in Ekeren
Soon the small workshop in Kapellen was completely bursting at the seams. Constructiewerkplaatsen Ivens moved to larger premises on Leugenberg in Ekeren.
The 1960s: The expansion of the port
Numerous petrochemical companies established themselves in the port of Antwerp in a short period of time. The new companies needed large storage terminals. Eduard Ivens saw the gap in the market and started making ever-larger storage tanks for the fast-growing petrochemical industry.
The mid-1970s: the step abroad
Ivens dared to look beyond national borders and, in addition to its home market, also started working in faraway countries. Our teams demonstrated their skills in Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, … Ivens tanks could even be found at the South Pole.
1976: Ivens Transportbedrijf sees the light of day
Of course, the storage tanks produced had to reach their final destination. A job that required a great deal of expertise, given the enormous size of the tanks. Ivens started its own transport company, which quickly carried out orders for other customers as well.
1979: the move to the port of Antwerp
Ivens continued to grow, forcing the need for new, larger workshops. The company found the perfect location in the heart of the port of Antwerp, on Noorderlaan, near the Lillo bridge. Following a subsequent extension, Constructiebedrijf Ivens has a perfectly situated location of 89,000 m².
1980s and 90s: consolidating the family aspect
Daughter Greet Ivens was appointed managing director of the company. Together with her father Eduard Ivens and grandson Peter Van de Perck, she has perpetuated the family aspect of Ivens within the Executive Committee.
2005: expansion of production space
The construction of ever-larger storage tanks went hand in hand with a regular expansion of the production space. In 2007 Ivens commissioned the brand-new ‘Hall 7’. This gigantic workshop is 30 metres wide, 25 metres high and 72 metres long. Since then, Ivens has had two gigantic workshops where the complete prefabrication of storage tanks takes place indoors.
2007: Start-up of Roll It NV
Roll It specialises in exceptional transport using SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Trailers). Roll It now has more than 150 main lines, which carry out transport all over the world. Roll It has its own quay facilities right across from Ivens’ headquarters.
2008: Ivens Transport & Kraanbedrijf moves to new location
The move to Wilmingtonstraat provides greater flexibility for the transport and construction department
2009: New extension of production space
with 2,160 m² of the prefabrication facility.
2010: a new office building as the icing on the cake
The rapid growth of Construction Company Ivens also required extra staff in the technical and administrative departments. At the end of 2010, all employees moved into a modern and brand-new office building on the existing site on Noorderlaan. The transparent office building is the perfect business card for this dynamic family business.
2011: Move and extension of warehouse
The extra 7,500 m² on Wilmingtonstraat ensured better and centralised management of the site equipment.
2012: Start-up of Roll It Cargo,
your partner in exceptional cargo projects all over the world.
2013: Start-up of Ivens Civil Contracting,
a civil division within the group to carry out renovation works in a more flexible way or to have your civil works of any kind carried out by our experienced team.
2014: Further expansion of piping department
Setting up a separate workshop for the piping department and investing in specialised pipe fitters and modern equipment ensured that we can tender for larger projects. To be able to offer an even better total package, in combination with our tank construction.
2015: Expansion of Noorderlaan site
This expansion enlarged the site by 8,145 m², providing more space for the production of shop-fabricated tanks.
