LMJ Construct is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The family-owned business was founded during turbulent economic times. Extensive experience in the automotive sector, passion, and a spirit of daring fueled healthy growth in a unique area of specialization.
Users are looking for solutions tailored to their specific transportation challenges and daily work situations.
LMJ Construct stands for “Luc” Van Gorp, “Martine” Noyens, and their “boys”—their sons Rik and Carl—the driving force behind a team that now numbers 20. “Construct” refers to the company’s original line of business: the manufacture of trailers and truck bodies. “The payload ranges from 3.5 metric tons to 38 metric tons,” explains Martine Noyens. “When we first started, we built everything ourselves, fully tailored to each customer’s individual needs. Over the years, we’ve moved beyond our role as a manufacturer and now offer the most appropriate solution for every request. Sometimes that means custom work from our own workshop, sometimes a standard solution from our range of imported products, and sometimes a combination of purchased products with personalized modifications.”In our own workshop, we carry out installations and outfitting, renovations, conversions, and servicing of new or existing commercial vehicles. The LMJ BE range of trailers is also built in our own workshop. This includes various trailers and commercial vehicles with a payload capacity of up to 10 metric tons. Customers can choose from machine transporters, open trailers, trailers with sliding tarpaulin covers, and enclosed trailers. For each type of BE trailer, numerous variations are possible depending on the customer’s line of work and intended use. LMJ Construct is the exclusive importer for Belgium of the German brand Humbaur. Humbaur offers a very wide range of standard trailers for trucks, as well as a range of heavy-duty vehicles such as trailers, semi-trailers, and flatbeds. Humbaur provides an extremely comprehensive range of flatbeds for contractors, earthwork specialists, landscaping firms, and various finishing specialists in the construction sector.In addition, LMJ Construct has also acquired the exclusive import rights for the Polish company Konar, which specializes in curtain-sided trailers and offers a wide variety of freight vehicles designed for high-volume transport.
Commercial Vehicles for Professionals
LMJ Construct’s product range is vast, but it can best be summarized as an optimal selection of transport solutions for every professional. These include custom solutions and standard models that are reliable, efficient, and easy to use. “The market has evolved since we started, so today we constantly weigh the pros and cons of in-house manufacturing versus purchasing,” explains Martine Noyens. “Manufacturing has declined in favor of purchasing and resale. It’s important to know the market well, both in terms of product offerings and pricing. Our own experience as manufacturers helps us make the right assessment.”
“We are a one-stop shop for functional commercial vehicles for professionals,” adds Sales Manager Carl Van Gorp. “This applies to both interior fittings and equipment, as well as to a completely new trailer or flatbed. Customers often require fast delivery, and that’s where our purchasing department offers the best service. Custom-built flatbeds require a long lead time, if only because of the mandatory certifications and inspections.” The sales price to the customer is inevitably a criterion that is strictly monitored when choosing between in-house manufacturing and purchasing. Delivering or creating valuable products is paramount to ensuring customer satisfaction.
That certainly doesn’t mean our work as a bodybuilder is coming to an end! “We receive a lot of requests for various truck body installations and modifications—such as installing a side door in the body—as well as for refurbishing existing commercial vehicles, giving them a second life,” explains Carl Van Gorp. “Another specialty is installing tailgates. Dealers of various brands of vans, buses, and tour buses, as well as truck and trailer owners and end users, all come to us for this.”
Satisfied customers, satisfied employees
“Trailers must undergo an annual inspection,” explains Rik Van Gorp, service manager. “That means they’re brought here for maintenance and repairs before being presented for inspection. We offer multi-brand service and also handle the inspection.”
The service life of trailers also exceeds that of trucks, which means they are not only regularly serviced but also come in for refurbishments from time to time over the years. Repairing damage after an accident, brake testing, system diagnostics, and roadside assistance are just a few examples of the wide range of services offered. “We strive for lean operations and prevent waste by focusing on the added value we can offer our customers—the professionals,” says Rik Van Gorp. “Satisfied customers have a positive impact on our employees, and vice versa. LMJ delivers the right products—well, quickly, and reliably—which simply makes work much more enjoyable.”
After moving into new business premises on Industriedijk in Turnhout in 2016, LMJ Construct has new construction plans to complete an additional facility by 2020. “The goal is to strengthen our construction workshop and the service department for routine maintenance and modifications,” explains Martine Noyens. “Trucks, trailers, and commercial vehicles used by professionals need efficient service.” The expansion will also lead to the hiring of new employees.
Sustaining Growth
Trailers are purely mechanical in nature, which makes it somewhat easier to define the competencies of our employees. But in addition to “manual dexterity,” creative input is also valued. “We maintain good relationships with mechanical engineering departments at various educational institutions,” says Martine Noyens. “We also frequently work with interns, which is beneficial for both parties as it allows us to see if there’s a good fit and if there’s potential for future collaboration. Finally, we’ve had very positive experiences with our own employees referring acquaintances. They understand what matters, are familiar with the work environment, and have every interest in maintaining it at its best by recommending the most suitable colleagues. Internal mentoring and training do the rest.”
At LMJ Construct, employees in the workshop work on a project basis, which makes the work much more enjoyable. They get to see their projects grow from start to finish each time.
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