Colruyt Group Donates Equipment from Its Hal Center to Three Technical Schools

Educational Reuse of Distribution Equipment

During the 2025 dismantling of the Stroppen distribution center automation in Hal, Colruyt Group made industrial equipment available to technical education institutions. TA Brasschaat, VTI Aalst, and Don Bosco Hal have acquired this equipment to integrate into their end-of-study projects. TA Brasschaat reconstructed a complete installation including a PLC control, sensors, emergency stops, switches, and signal lamps. Two students from the institution, Ryan Poppe and Ruben van Dommelen, noted that they 'really did everything' themselves, which they believe makes the project 'special'.

A Modular Approach According to School Needs

At VTI Aalst, 7th-year students in Industrial Electricity Technician reconstructed a sorting automation for bins, incorporating mechanics, pneumatics, electric motors, and PLC control. The installation is set to be expanded next school year. Don Bosco Hal adopted a different strategy by distributing the equipment across several small projects intended to be handled by pairs of students. Frank Pierret, 'Bridge between Industry and Schools' coordinator at Colruyt Group, emphasizes that the materials remain '100% usable' in an educational setting, as opposed to continuous industrial use.

Circular Economy as a Strategic Focus for the Group

This collaboration is part of the Brug naar Scholen program, through which Colruyt Group's technical services formalize its commitment to technical education and STEM disciplines. Pierret states that the reuse of materials allows students to gain 'significant STEM experience' while becoming familiar with 'circular construction and reuse.'