Back to the roots
By now you already know that DADDY KATE is a family business. But then you also know that it inevitably mixes work and private life. The second generation, with brother Thijs and sisters Heidi and Sandra, continues the printing business. But the story of DADDY KATE began more than 45 years ago, with mother Nicole and father Guido, in the stables of a farm!
the stables as the perfect location for the printing company
Father Guido was raised on a farm, but he always had a passion for printing. Soon he saw his parents’ stables as the perfect location for his own printing company. But without a diploma as a printer, it was a bit difficult. So, Guido decided to get started right away. Two years later, he can call himself a graphic engineer.
a first job in a small printing company
With a degree in secretary-languages under her belt, mother Nicole gets her first work experience at an import firm of lawn mowers, among other things, as assistant to the big boss. There, she is responsible for the product catalogue. Guido, meanwhile, continues to search for a first job, until help is suddenly asked for from a familiar source.
Nicole’s employer had its own printing company, which printed the yearly product catalogue. However, they also printed booklets for distribution points, but they didn’t have time to do that now. Guido to the rescue! As a graphic engineer, he was the perfect person for the job. What started as a three-month contract quickly turned into a three-year contract. But then Guido discovered he was not so good at working for someone else after all …
Claes Printing was born
Nine months after the birth of their first child, Heidi, Claes Printing also saw the light of day. When Nicole’s company decided to sell its printing business, Guido did not hesitate for a second and decided to take over the printing business and its machinery. In a rented studio in Ruisbroek, Guido makes his big dream come true: running his own printing company.
building and living between other things
They have to leave their rental studio and immediately start looking for a new location. The Bergensesteenweg in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw? Why not! After contacting 12 landowners, one finally wants to sell. It was the start of nine years of additional construction, both on the print shop and on their own house.
dabbling with the machines
The new printing company is ready. But we still need to move the presses, which meant dabbling with the machines for more than 50 metres through the mud.
from the hospital to CĂ´te d'Or
The birth of son Thijs, the youngest member of the family, came unexpectedly and didn’t quite fit into Guido’s schedule. Off to CĂ´te d’Or in Brussels to drop off printed matter. Work continued as usual.
Gulf war and a wave of doubts
The last expansion along Bergensesteenweg was accompanied by the outbreak of the Gulf War in Iraq. For two weeks, their schedule remained empty.
printing at high speed and …
During the holidays, the children each did their thing at Nicole and Guido’s parents’ farms. However, they themselves had little time to pursue their hobbies in between printing. Nicole chose folk dancing, Guido volleyball.
acquisition of Roels Printing
Guido and Nicole acquired Roels Printing from Antwerp. The biggest lesson? Communication. Various processes were optimized along the way. For example, the purchasing policy became more efficient, and there were simply too many directors. The company name was also changed—following the analogy with Claes Printing—to Roels Printing.
In full expansion
In the early 2000s, Claes Printing experienced several golden years. Thanks to a strong market position and continuous investments in quality and service, the company continued to grow significantly during this period. These prosperous years laid the foundation for the company’s further development.
daughters get to work
Although the children initially had no interest in joining the printing company, Heidi and Sandra decide to quit their jobs and get involved. The youngest child Thijs was still studying at the time.
Roels Printing Moves to Lier
Roels Printing relocated from Borgerhout to Lier to make room for the company’s further growth. The new location offered greater opportunities for expansion and modernization of the machinery.
start of second generation
With a degree in philosophy and Germanic languages under his belt, Thijs started his career as a teacher. But after just one school year, he immediately had enough and made the move to a career in printing. At that very moment, Nicole and Guido decide to leave the printing business to their three children. In 2009, Claes Printing also moved to its current location on A. van Cotthemstraat. It was also in this exact spot that Guido did his very first school internship at cartonage Rondo. Coincidence? Who knows.
festive opening
Following the example of Roels Printing, Claes Printing also moved to a new location. The new building was officially opened in a festive ceremony, symbolizing the company’s growth and ambition.
acquisition of Poot Printers
The acquisition of Poot Printers was the response to some challenging years—the financial crisis and the rise of digitalization. At the time, son-in-law Dirk Cornelis, husband of Heidi Claes, was also part of the management team at Claes Printing.
acquisition of Beukeleirs
Roels Printing acquired the client portfolio, six employees, and the digital press of Beukeleirs Full Service Printing in Lint. This acquisition not only strengthened the industrial sheet-fed printer’s client base but also expanded its digital printing capabilities.
Thijs Claes becomes CEO
Claes Printing and Roels Printing merged, with Thijs, the youngest member of the second generation, appointed as CEO. A year later, father and founder Guido Claes retired, well-deserved, after years of leading the company.
Acquisition of PAG
With its third acquisition in four years, the second generation is reinforcing its ambitions. It also marks a diversification into digital printing, a field in which PAG was a pioneer.
major battle with far-reaching consequences
We encountered another family-owned printing company that also recognized the importance of ensuring the future through scale and diversification. However, neither had the financial means to acquire the other.
So, in 2015, Claes-Roels and The Factory Brussels decided to merge into a single company: the current DADDY KATE. Both families retained 50% ownership each. This also meant that the Lier location (Roels Printing) would close and production would be relocated to Brussels.
Daddy Kate wins awards!
Daddy Kate won the Trends Gazellen 2016 award in the category of medium-sized companies—a well-deserved recognition for years of hard work!
Thijs named Young Entrepreneur of Flemish Brabant 2016
Two months later, another accolade followed! Thijs was chosen by JCI as Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Investment in communications agency Comith
Daddy Kate invested in Comith (Affligem), further expanding its services to meet client needs. As a sister company, Comith continues to operate independently under the leadership of founders Johan Van de Velde and Veerle De Brabanter.
Different visions
Although both families had the same goal in mind, the difference in vision proved to be too great. Result: we bought out the other family in 2017. As it turns out, it was the right choice. In the years that followed, DADDY KATE saw a revival and created a clear, unified strategy. As a result, to this day, DADDY KATE is a 100% independent, dynamic and successful company.
Introduction of CAO90 – Profit Bonus
“If the company achieves great results, everyone should be able to benefit,” Thijs decided. From this year onward, 20% of the profit is distributed equally among all employees. For full-time staff, this has amounted to over €8,000 gross or more than €7,000 net!
Expansion at Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
Daddy Kate continues to grow, which also required an expansion of the site in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw.
the start of a new chapter
How the story continued exactly with the arrival of the second generation is common knowledge. In 2024, Thijs passed his torch as CEO of DADDY KATE Belgium to Elisabeth Fenaux, making her the company’s first non-family CEO. Thijs moves on to DADDY KATE Group, our investment company.
Principles
Our values shape us in everything we do and don’t do. They help define the culture at DADDY KATE and characterise our company.
We have no secrets. We are as transparent as possible and share as much relevant information as possible. After all, being transparent creates commitment. Also towards the outside world. Our doors are always open.
Confidence is key. We are confident that everyone acts with the best of intentions, and therefore do not use a control system.
We are as flexible as possible, both towards customers and each other. Unburdening each other as much as possible, wherever and whenever.
We are constantly working on matters of substance. We don’t care about official job titles or dress codes. All are equal before the law.
Every six months, team leaders are evaluated by team members. What is going well? What could be improved? All suggestions are welcome.
The customer is king. So at DADDY KATE, the customer always comes first. Even if this is at the expense of our own profitability.
DADDY KATE is one big family. Everyone is therefore part of a team and each team meets at least 4 times a year.
We don’t talk behind people’s backs or through the team leader. Everything is said face-to-face.
If relevant, everyone is actively involved in every decision. The more, the merrier.
20% of our profits are shared equally among all employees. Indeed, everyone enjoys good results. Hooray!
Long-term vision
At DADDY KATE, we are committed to growth and try to evolve in every area. By making constructive changes, and by always thinking about the next step.
After all, in a rapidly evolving sector, it is important to move quickly and respond to opportunities. We want to unburden our customers as much as possible, guide them in the long term and we want to continue to invest. Therefore, our ambition is to still be operating as an independent family business within 100 years. After all, we believe that this is the way to stay close to our customers. And we can only achieve this by also working on our culture. Our people are the ones who decide whether we succeed or fail.
Can we help you?
Looking for a partner for all your printing needs? Need promotional material for your stores? Curious about the possibilities of direct marketing? Need to order printed materials quickly? Contact us and together we will make our mark on your story.