Exhibitor Spotlight: Helexia

Last year’s AntwerpXL took place on 28th-30th November at the Antwerp Expo. Whilst on site, journalist Molly Cooper spoke to Jan Viroux, co-founder and CTO of Helexia in Belgium.

WHAT HELEXIA DOES

Companies need an action plan to reduce emissions that will last and Helexia aims to get companies on board in preparing this. ‘They need to know exactly what they can do in their reduction plans over the coming years because it’s very important to know what your ambitions will be when considering the changes of laws in the European Union and elsewhere. Not only that, but companies need to know what is going to cost of this and how they’re going to finance it,’ says Viroux.

LONG TERM PLANS

Helexia works with lots of companies based in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges – AntwerpXL’s host sponsor – and works with some terminal operators and a few large transport companies.
Helexia often finds that companies have a board of directors with a lot of plans, and then they have a facility manager that needs to go and research myriad different techniques. This is where Helexia steps in.

‘We go in and we say stop. Let’s pause for a while, because what you’re doing now is taking a lot of actions, but there’s no real plan. So first of all, let’s build a plan. Let’s start thinking about what your goals are, what your aims are, what your ambitions are, where you want to go, what you want to learn, how much you want to invest on a yearly basis,’ says Viroux.

The companies will now have a plan of budget and exactly what can be achieved within this budget. ‘On the one hand, we create a charter that is validated by the board. And on the other hand, we create leverage for those who have to implement the plans, such as facility managers,’ he adds.

CHANGE IN TIMES

‘I’ve been in the sector for 18 years and for the first 10 years, the meetings lasted 30 seconds and then you would be talking about something else,’ says Viroux. However, there has been a change. Sustainability, reducing emissions and going green is at the forefront of the industry’s mind, and companies need a plan.

Now, Viroux reads real strategic energy plans that are being carried out by companies and knows that companies will have to act. ‘This is not only because legislation will push them, but also because of the fact that we see suppliers and customers are asking more and more about efforts being done in sustainability,’ explains Viroux.

He believes it will soon be a case of remaining relevant. More and more big companies will be turning their focus on Scope Three emissions to get their suppliers to reduce their emissions too.

FIRST TIME AT ANTWERPXL

Helexia found that a lot of their existing customers were at AntwerpXL so it was great for them to reconnect and meet new potential customers too.

Viroux says: ‘We had the ability to go around and talk to all these companies that are here about their plans in the future for when it comes to sustainability. It’s been good. Next year, we’ll have a bigger stand too!’

For more information:
www.helexia.group

Save the date for next year’s AntwerpXL, 8-10th October 2024.

Source: Molly Cooper, AntwerpXL