SPAWN Back together again
SacO2, producer of Microsac bags, recently moved from Eke to Nevele, the same location as spawn producer Mycelia. They already had a shared history and synergy, but now the two companies are physically back
together again. By Roel Dreve
M
ycelia was established in 1986 (see MB29) and moved to a former meat processing plant in Ghent in 1990. In 2008, the
company relocated to Nevele, where the production of mother cultures and spawn products takes place, and training is given. SacO2 became independent to Mycelia in the 1990s, and has acquired a well-respected name for its air-permeable PE and PP bags used for spawn and substrate products. The company was founded, and run successfully for many years by Jos Van de Ponseele, Magda’s partner, and for
years the two directors travelled the world promoting their joint missions and products. However, both companies continued to operate independently until 2015. Last year, health considerations prompted Jos, also director of Combiness - Microbox (micro-propa- gation containers), to step down from the daily management of SacO2 and the company moved to the same location as Mycelia, which had become the owner of the buildings in Nevele. Roel Van de Heyning, formerly the financial brain behind SacO2, is now director of Agro Invest Holding together with Magda. Its subsidi- aries are Mycelia, SacO2 and Combiness. Magda is in charge of the daily running of the first company, Roel manages the other two, while Jos is a member of the Board of Directors. We talked about the recent changes with Magda, Roel and project manager (and son of Magda) Kasper Moreaux.
Rising line The new production hall of SacO2 in Nevele. 38 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
“Jos’ health and finding a successor, and an expansion of the production capacity directly motivated the re-structuring of the companies. The holding offers us more opportunities for growth, and the employees can concentrate more on specialisation. One researcher started at Mycelia, but is now R&D manager at SacO2. The competences available can now be utilised far better for the benefit of the whole company”, explains Magda. “Mycelia has just kept on growing. About two years after the move in 2008 we started seeing a rising line, and in the past years we have noted about 20% growth per year.” Problems with production had been banished to the past, work efficiency had improved and the market was growing as well. “The fact that we serve a market that is too small for the major players acts to our advantage. We have greater flexibi- lity as far as that is concerned and set the limit at supplying four bags of spawn.”
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