About us
A family business with a future
The Bijnen Furniture Group is a true family business and one of the few Dutch furniture manufacturers with the unique production possibilities of a standard collection combined with the possibility of custom-made series production for private labels or projects. At the Bijnen Meubel Groep, furniture trends are translated into an up-to-date furniture collection in its own unique way.
Van de Voorde family
In 1928, father Louis Van de Voorde started a clog factory in Clinge with about five employees. The business flourished. In pre-war Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, people walked on clogs. When father Louis van de Voorde died shortly after the war at the age of 47, eldest son George continued the clogmaking business, together with mother Mathilde and employees.
In the 1950s, most people traded in their clogs for shoes, but despite this, George van de Voorde was able to cheerfully continue clog-making until 1968. Not clogs to wear, but clogs as souvenirs. Moreover, the course was changed to health sandals and later clog shoes.
Etienne, George's youngest brother, joined the company in the late 1960s and proved to have foresight with his trials of a lectern. This was the beginning of the birth of "Meubelindustrie Van de Voorde from Hulst".
Frans Bijnen
Mr Frans Bijnen (2013 †) founded the company Frans Bijnen Meubelen (FBM) in 1974 in Veldhoven and specialised in the wholesale of traditional small furniture. Over the years, the company developed into an all-round supplier of various furniture styles and products.
Mr Frans Bijnen indicated in 1996 that he wanted to quit FBM. At that time, Meubelindustrie Van de Voorde, which had been one of the suppliers since the mid-1970s, took over Frans Bijnen Meubelen.
Relocation
In the year 2000, the company Frans Bijnen Meubelen moved from Veldhoven to its parent company in Hulst. To this end, a completely new factory with warehouses was built on the new industrial estate in Hulst, covering an area of 30,000 m2, of which 16,000m2 was built. This created a short line between the wholesale business and the furniture factory.
Anno now
Today, the Bijnen Meubelgroep has succeeded in creating the ideal mix between customer-made and mass production as a Dutch furniture manufacturer and wholesaler. In the for Dutch standards unique furniture industry in Hulst, the most diverse furniture is now produced. Cabinets, tables, bathroom furniture, children's furniture, desks, bedroom furniture etc. etc. With furniture production on ultra-modern machinery, the customer is always assured of a fast, reliable and well-considered solution that perfectly meets all requirements.
Energy-neutral production
With the installation of over 3,000 solar panels on the factory roof, production within Meubelindustrie Van de Voorde is completely energy-neutral. This results in a gigantic annual energy saving and thus CO2 reduction.
Simultaneously with the investment in solar panels, the climate system in the offices was also upgraded by installing modern air-conditioning systems. At an earlier stage, investment had already been made in a High-Capacity heating system, in which all the waste wood is converted into heat for the entire complex. At times when heating is not necessary, the waste wood chips are pressed into blocks for later use. These investments make it possible for us to produce completely energy-neutral!