Limburg loses one of its absolute ‘captains of industry’: Jef Machiels (87) of Group Machiels passed away

Jef Machiels passed away in Hasselt at the age of 87. He was an entrepreneur pur sang who, thanks to his business instinct, a good portion of guts and his charismatic character, managed to develop his company Group Machiels into an international player, with today about 1,300 employees and a turnover of 400 million euros.

Kurt Meers

Yesterday at 23:02

Jef Machiels took over the contracting company that his father Louis had founded 81 years ago in Diepenbeek. He subsequently ensured a major expansion by investing in links of the construction process, such as a concrete plant or sand and gravel extraction in the Maasland. He also saw bread in other sectors, such as recycling. That is why he started to operate the Remo landfill in Houthalen-Helchteren, among other things. Machiels was also a pioneer in setting up business abroad. As early as the 1970s and 1980s, he found business opportunities in Nigeria, South Africa and South America. In this way, Group Machiels became an important player in Chile and Peru, where activities are still being developed in housing construction, environmental management and renewable energy. Jef Machiels also initiated important projects in Vietnam and Ethiopia.

Pioneer

Although he always shunned the public forum, Jef Machiels was also an economic pioneer in our province. He further expanded innovation and employment in Limburg. He initiated investments in solar parks and other sources of sustainable energy, and he championed progressive companies such as Machiels Building Solutions (wood frame construction) and Genk Green Logistics (real estate campus on the old Ford site). In 2002 he was awarded the Herman Dessers Prize of Voka Limburg.

Jef Machiels is described by his employees as a very warm and charismatic person, who always managed to inspire and motivate them. He was also a father figure who was highly regarded in family circles. His business partners characterize him as “a reliable, no-nonsense entrepreneur with an unprecedented feeling for new opportunities”. A gutsy guy too, and a very tough negotiator, who liked to achieve his goal from the underdog position.

helicopter crash

His death at the age of 87 comes as somewhat of a surprise because his health has been improving recently. However, this had deteriorated considerably after a helicopter crash in 2004. Nevertheless, Jef Machiels continued to research business opportunities all the while and, also from his temporary stays in France and Switzerland, he was the main advisor in all projects that Group Machiels has set up in recent years. he also remained a bon vivant. Jef loved conviviality at the table, in good company. “He never spoke loudly, but always knew how to give color to the conversations with wit and a good dose of humor,” it sounds.

With Jef Machiels, Limburg loses one of the absolute ‘captains of industry’ who has meant a lot for the prosperity of many families in the province and abroad. Jef leaves behind a wife, Maggy, and two children, Louis and Fanny.