International soil nutrition specialist brings in additional know-how and experience

From customer relationship and friend to functional business tandem

As of Feb. 3, 2025, Fert in Time, a renowned and high-end soil nutrition specialist, is no longer a sole proprietorship. Driven by the growth of the company, business manager Philippe Debougnoux brought the former head groundsman of first division soccer club KVC Westerlo, Geert Segers, on board. "The fact that I myself have had both feet in the grass for years and that I already know the Fert in Time products well, will certainly help me to help our customers optimally", says an enthusiastic Geert Segers.

Fert in Time Europe was founded by Debougnoux, an agricultural engineer by training and former dairy farmer, and the late Jean Damseaux, who was active for more than sixty years as a world authority on nitrogen fertilizers for large multinationals. With markets in the Benelux, France, Germany and Poland, Fert in Time today contributes internationally to soil quality for the horticultural, agricultural and recreational sectors. Debougnoux keeps the reins firmly in hand from the Benelux, surrounded by a network of freelancers and experts. "The company has grown in a short period of time. Not in terms of personnel, but in terms of market," says Debougnoux. "Not so long ago I was still driving around myself with our unique products, based on patented molecules, but in the meantime I have built a strong European distribution network."

Reinforcement

To share the workload and continue to guarantee customer-oriented service, Debougnoux went looking for reinforcements. As head groundsman of KVC Westerlo, Segers came into contact with Debougnoux and Fert in Time products several years ago. "I was also active in the landscaping and turf business in the past," Segers says. "That's how I rolled into the world of soccer fields. First as groundsman at Royal Antwerp FC and later at KVC Westerlo." The click between ex-dairy farmer Philippe and Geert, who comes from a farming family, was there right away. Segers: "As a groundsman, I already enjoyed working with Philippe. His advice and solutions were worth their weight in gold. After a few years on and around the soccer field, I was ready for a new challenge. When Philippe came with the proposal, I did not have to think long. The fact that I know Philippe and the products of Fert in Time well is of course a great added value and will only accelerate the integration." The two gentlemen will henceforth form a well-oiled tandem: Segers will focus on the Dutch-speaking sales market, while Philippe will continue to focus on the rest of Europe and invest more time in research and development. "Philippe at the wheel and pedals, and I will mainly pedal along and occasionally whisper something," Segers concludes with a quip.