From contractor to project developer
Uplace's DNA is the expertise we have built up in the past thirty years. From contractor to project developer and real estate investor. From home construction to warehouses, future-proof offices and innovative retail. The driving force at Uplace, Bart Verhaeghe, took his first steps into real estate in 1992, when he met contractor Luc Verelst. The duo built up a project developer, Eurinpro, within the classical contracting firm Verelst.
This mainly focused on the offices and logistics market. In the Benelux in particular, Eurinpro was the largest player in the market, with developments including various innovative office buildings in Mechelen and around the national airport. The synergy between Verelst and Eurinpro resulted in an efficient design and construction process, to which quality, flexibility and innovation were always central.
Mechelen Campus
The unique approach, whereby Eurinpro translated the client's wishes into attractive and flexible real estate for hire instead of acquiring this oneself, also led to the establishment of two real estate funds. In the late nineties, Bart Verhaeghe was a co-founder of Siref (now Intervest Offices & Warehouses) and Retail Estates. The funds became the long-term owner of countless real estates products developed by Eurinpro.
Mechelen Business Tower
The international road for logistical developer Eurinpro
When the project development activities eclipsed the contracting activities at Verelst after some time, they parted ways and became two separate companies. Bart Verhaeghe led the project developer Eurinpro from then on. In 2004, he brought Jan Van Lancker, the present CEO of Uplace, on board as a partner. Under their leadership, Eurinpro entered the international scene apace,
becoming the European market leader in the development of tailor-made warehouses. In 2006, Bart Verhaeghe received an offer from the Australian Goodman Group that offered Eurinpro a very rosy long-term future. The Australians acquired Eurinpro and successfully continued its further expansion.
JVC, Carrières-sur-Seine, France
DHL, Kassel, Germany
Ingram Micro, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Amazon, Leipzig, Germany