'Bee-friendly' TVH Builds mega-insect hotel

The Waregem family business TVH, known as a one-stop shop for forklifts, industrial vehicles and parts for those machines, constructed an insect hotel with adjacent flower and fruit fields during the spring months of 2019. With an area of 11.25 m², this insect hotel is one of the largest in Flanders. In this way, the company wants to make an additional commitment to biodiversity.

Last spring, TVH and Green & Clean, the green division of WAAK, joined forces to build a grand insect hotel in TVH Park, the green zone of the headquarters in Waregem. The insect hotel offers solitary insects a shelter and nesting opportunity. The surrounding area (500 m²) was sown with 28 different species of flowers and plants and was soon in full bloom. Besides this ecological gesture, TVH also laid 120 m² of fruit fields, so that TVH employees can pick fresh berries and raspberries during their afternoon walk.

MAKE BELGIUM GREAT AGAIN

"With this insect hotel, TVH wants to help provide an answer to the extinction of bees, which would be a disaster for nature and the food industry," said Marc Jonckheere, Technical Facility Operations Manager at TVH. "Fortunately, there is an increasing focus on solutions. On Sunday, for example, Fleming were called upon to make their environment more 'bee-friendly' in the VTM program 'Make Belgium Great Again.' We hope our bee hotel will inspire others in the same way."

WELLNESS PROGRAM TVH NUDGE

It has been just over a year since the official opening of TVH Park, a recreational park where employees can take an active and relaxing afternoon break. Among other things, you can play petanque, kubbing, basketball, soccer and jogging on the Finnish track. Recently, bicycles have also been made available. All this is part of one large-scale health project called "TVH Nudge," or a push in the right direction.