Company Announcements

Ghent, 19 September 2024, 18:30 CET, press release / regulated information

ABO-Group Environment integrates Eco Reest from Hoogeveen (NL)

• ABO-Group takes a 70% stake in the Dutch company Eco Reest, specialized in ecology, soil, and asbestos. As a result, ABO's team of environmental experts and ecologists in the Netherlands grows from 30 to 80 employees.
• This integration strengthens ABO-Group's geographical coverage in the Netherlands and makes it one of the largest players in the field of ecology in the Dutch market.

Eco Reest

Eco Reest, founded in 1994, is based in Hoogeveen and also has offices in Almere, Groningen, and Lochem. In addition to Eco Reest, the environmental consultancy ‘Van der Poel’ and ‘Gebouwen Inspectie Nederland’ are part of the group, which employs 50 people. In 2023, Eco Reest achieved a turnover of €4.5 million and is on track to exceed €5 million in 2024 with an expected EBITDA margin of 13%.

Founder and director Ronny Huls: “I still believe as strongly in the future of our core activities: ecology, soil, and asbestos as I did 30 years ago when I founded Eco Reest,. There is growing awareness of the importance of our environment and nature, both politically and socially. As regulations increase, we will also continue to grow.”

“Due to the increasing complexity of tenders and projects, the need arose for a strong partner who can provide the necessary impetus for future development and who also has the expertise to service our clients with a multidisciplinary teams of experts."

Complementary offering and geographical distribution

Frank De Palmenaer, CEO of ABO-Group Environment: “Eco Reest's activities are perfectly complementary to those of our four existing subsidiaries in the Netherlands: ecology, soil, asbestos, and geotechnical research and consultancy. We also see great opportunities for developing the multidisciplinary service package in the context of climate adaptation, soil, and water consultancy services."

“Furthermore, the geographical location of the Eco Reest offices, mainly in North and West Netherlands, aligns perfectly with ABO’s existing offices in Central and South Netherlands. With this integration, ABO-Group becomes one of the top players in ecology in the Netherlands."

“Finally, as an international company, we also look across borders. Thanks to the integration of Eco Reest, ABO-Group is creating a strong ecology line across the three countries in which it operates, with more than 100 ecologists in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. An excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and the dissemination of expertise within the group."

Eco Reest will contribute to the consolidated figures of ABO-Group Environment starting in Q4 2024.

About ABO-Group Environment

Founded in 1995, ABO-Group is an international engineering firm specializing in all aspects of environmental and soil issues: geotechnics (stability), ecology, and soil remediation. ABO-Group operates through its various subsidiaries in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. With over 700 experts, the group has a broad expertise to offer its clients a complete solution for the most challenging projects: from preliminary study and advice to monitoring during implementation and follow-up.

ABO-Group Environment is listed on EURONEXT Brussels and EURONEXT Paris.

For a more detailed description of the group's activities in the Netherlands, please visit the ABO-Group Nederland website (www.abo-group.nl).

For more information

Frank De Palmenaer
CEO ABO-Group Environment nv
frank.depalmenaer@abo-group.eu
T +32 (0)496 59 88 88

Attachment

• ABO-Group Environment integrates Eco Reest from Hoogeveen (NL)