Logistics | Art | Family | Asset Management | Real estate | Policy
Fernand Huts: A 2.8-billion-euro logistics visionary
Fernand Huts
Fernand Huts chairs the group Katoen Natiea company of logistics who plays a key role on a global scale, with his wife Karine as Vice-President. Their company has expanded far beyond simple loading and unloading operations to offer innovative logistics solutions, contributing greater added value to the sector and to the environment. with personal assets of €2,800,000,000 (2.8 Billions).
Public debate on port issues often sees Huts take an assertive stance, sometimes expressing himself through open letters published as press advertisements.
Political career and civil commitment:
- Fernand Huts was elected VLD representative in 1995, but was noted for his absence from Parliament.
- Karine Huts was unsuccessful in her bid for a VLD Senate seat in 1999.
- Their involvement extends to the investment field real estateparticularly in the Antwerp region.
Cultural and artistic contributions:
- Inauguration of "3500 years of textile art" in 2011, a permanent exhibition showcasing their collection of archaeological textiles and artifacts.
- Architect Paul Robbrecht transforms five rooms in their Antwerp headquarters into exhibition space.
- Unveiling of large private collections of antiquesand boosted Antwerp's artistic reputation.
Social conflicts and rewards:
- A major social dispute in 2013 between unions and management at Katoen Natie concerning the use of office staff for logistical tasks.
- Voted "Onderneming van het jaar" in 2014, awarded for excellence and professionalism.
- Astonishing company acquisition Indaver in 2015 forr 416 million euros, demonstrating a competent professional strategy. Fernand Huts has a wealth estimated at over 2.8 billion!
- Fernand Huts and Katoen Natie recently invested more than 80 million in the XIOR company.
Comparison of Indaver and KTN:
- The two companies share many common features: a focus on logistics and warehousing, engineering activities, and a major customer base in the chemical industry.
- Commitment to a Flemish management facilitating commercial interactions between the two companies.
