Wever & Ducré is an established name worldwide when it comes to design lighting. It should come as no surprise that you will find various AQUALEX water coolers and taps at the Wever & Ducré sites in Kortrijk.
Wever & Ducré was founded in the 80s in Roeselare. Since 2011 it has been a subsidiary of the Austrian group XAL. While the lighting of Wever & Ducré is rather decorative and radiates a 'cosy' atmosphere, the emphasis of XAL is more focused on the technical aspect and performance. " That is what makes both brands very complementary," say commercial director Nathalie Lagae and marketing & facility officer Margot Huysentruyt as they show us around their atmospheric showroom. After moving from Roeselare, the showroom was located in the Cotton Park business centre in Kortrijk.
Wever & Ducré is known for its original look and feel. "We focus on young, fresh designs and a wide variety of colour possibilities. This allows (interior) architects to use a common thread: for example, they can extend the colour of window profiles into the lighting fixtures. We also want to be accessible. On the one hand, with regard to pricing, to enable young people to incorporate our designs into their homes, and on the other hand, with regard to the installation," says Nathalie.
Sustainability is a hot topic here. "We work exclusively with LED technology, use eco-friendly packaging as much as possible and try to limit CO2 emissions coming from our transport. Our headquarters are located in a new building in the Evolis business park in Kortrijk, where you can find innovative, international manufacturing companies that attach great importance to sustainability. The new building - with an adjacent windmill - is future-proof by the way: over time, three extra storeys can be added."
Chauvinistic
Although they export to more than 65 countries and have showrooms on several continents, they don't shy away from a touch of chauvinism. "Design lighting from Belgium with love", is their motto. Nathalie explains enthusiastically: "We are proud to be a Belgian company. The fact that we are located in Kortrijk is also a plus for us, given the UNESCO recognition as Creative City of Design."
Here, creativity goes hand in hand with the motto "a healthy mind in a healthy body", thanks to the open plan offices with ping-pong table, the company bikes to commute between both sites and the free subscription to the Cotton Park fitness facilities. Another plus for the employees is the delicious water, as the company has been equipped with an AQUALEX water cooler for a year now. Margot: "We used to buy plastic bottles of water, which was not sustainable, obviously. So we contacted AQUALEX. The Cotton Park area was already equipped with their appliances. We opted for a practical water cooler in our office. It's a great convenience because we don't have to carry bottles around anymore. And thanks to the leasing system, we have someone coming over regularly to maintain the machine. In the meantime, two designer taps with flat and sparkling water were also installed on the site at Evolis: a black Twin Touch Square in the kitchen downstairs and a touchless Fine Touchpad tap in the refectory upstairs.
Margot and Nathalie clearly feel that there is a match between Wever & Ducré and AQUALEX. “There are some similarities", they believe. "We are both innovative, we invest in sustainability and for several years in a row we have been nominated as West Flemish Trends Gazelle. And last but not least: we recognise ourselves in their passion for the product, the company philosophy and the dynamic working atmosphere."