Flemish Minister Jo Brouns pays a site visit to APK Group in Bekkevoort

Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister for the Environment and Agriculture, visited the construction site of infrastructure group APK Group in Bekkevoort today as part of the Voka summer work experience programme. During the visit, he learnt about how APK Group operates and discussed the challenges currently facing the construction and infrastructure sector.

The visit took place as part of the Voka summer placements, a Voka initiative designed to bring policymakers closer to the sectors affected by their policies. In his capacity as Flemish Minister for the Environment, Brouns visited APK-Group in Bekkevoort, where the microdrilling division K-Boringen operates. In Bekkevoort, K-Boringen is working with Besix to build a new water treatment plant for Aquafin. Projects such as these are an important part of the Flemish ‘construction shift’, which, amongst other things, helps to improve protection against waterlogging and flooding. Alongside the ‘concrete ban’, improving water quality is also a key objective of the construction shift.

Following the guided tour, during which K-Boringen demonstrated exactly how such slurry-free drilling works, Minister Brouns and Ward Kerkhofs, Managing Director at APK Group, were able to discuss a number of shared concerns relating to the infrastructure and water treatment sectors. Topics discussed included the processing time for planning permission applications, the regulations governing the reuse of excavated soil, and the supply of technically skilled staff in a sector facing a persistent labour shortage.  

Afterwards, Ward Kerkhofs was satisfied with the minister's visit. “The Voka summer internships are a fantastic initiative for all sectors. The opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with policymakers offers a unique added value for both parties.” With over 2,600 employees, APK Group is one of the leading players in the infrastructure sector, with the necessary experience to clearly identify the key issues. “We have presented our concerns regarding the bouwshift and its impact on the sectors involved to the Minister. We both agree that there is work to be done and that the sector and policy must work closely together to successfully achieve the objectives of the bouwshift”, said Kerkhofs.

Flemish Minister for Environment and Agriculture Jo Brouns stresses the importance of projects such as the water treatment plant in Bekkevoort. “It is particularly interesting to visit this project via the Voka summer internships, as it fits perfectly within the steps we are taking to improve our water quality.”, said Brouns. “Sewerage and water treatment go hand in hand: you can only treat what is actually transported via a well-developed sewerage network. This sewerage system transports the wastewater of over 3,500 residents to Aquafin's wastewater treatment plant a little further away in Bekkevoort. Both the feeder sewer and the treatment plant are essential to further reduce the pollution pressure of phosphorus and nitrogen on the Pijnbeek. The projects also ensure a much-needed sharp increase in the treatment rate in the region."

For Voka, this site visit was exactly what their Voka Summer Internships stand for. They provide the opportunity to open a direct dialogue between policymakers and businesses. “This site visit shows why the Voka Summer Internships are so valuable. Here, policymakers see first-hand what entrepreneurs and their employees need every day to push important infrastructure projects forward. Faster and predictable permits, workable regulations and sufficient technical talent are crucial in this regard. If we want to renew our infrastructure while simultaneously fulfilling our ambitions regarding water quality and climate, entrepreneurs must be given the space to invest and carry out projects. That dialogue between policy and the shop floor helps to arrive at solutions that also work in practice, thus Johann Leten, Managing Director of Voka – Chamber of Commerce Limburg.