Kim's Chocolates
There is arguably no product Belgians are prouder of than their chocolate. And rightly so. At Kim’s Chocolates, that reputation is taken very seriously. Quality is the cornerstone of production at the company’s Tienen facility – and when it comes to the pipework that keeps the production running, Indinox is the trusted partner.
'Indinox really made the difference by thinking creatively alongside us, coming up with practical solutions and remaining highly flexible throughout the project'
SERVICES
The story of Kim’s Chocolates dates back to 1987, when the company was founded in Aarschot. Since then, it has grown into one of the leading exporters of Belgian consumer chocolate to the United States. Today, the company produces 14.000 tonnes of chocolate a year, which finds its way to no fewer than 67 countries. Its own Cachet brand is also performing strongly. The recipe for that success is straightforward: every creation is made with the finest ingredients and the utmost respect for Belgian chocolate-making tradition. “The site in Aarschot had simply become too small to accommodate our continued growth. That is why we moved to a new facility in Tienen in 2008”, explains Karl Bollaerts, Technical Commercial Manager.
Quality comes first
Kim’s Chocolates is committed to making its production as sustainable as possible. The company works exclusively with certified raw materials, focuses on reducing waste and improving employee wellbeing, supports initiatives such as Cacao for Schools and continuously looks for ways to reduce its energy consumption. Those efforts earned the company SDG Champion status in 2025. Yet while sustainability is high on the agenda, quality remains paramount on the production floor. “We work closely with every customer to develop chocolate that meets their exact requirements, whether that concerns the flavour profile or, if required, the packaging. From there, it is our responsibility to deliver a finished product that is right down to the last detail.”
Premium pipework for a premium product
For Bollaerts, the pipework is an essential part of that quality equation. “Without pipework, there is no chocolate. We operate in the premium segment, so naturally we expect the same level of quality from the contractors we work with”, he says. When Kim’s Chocolates needed a new tank farm to expand its capacity in 2018, Bollaerts and his then colleague Jean Jacobs already knew who they wanted to work with. They had seen the quality of Indinox’s work on smaller projects at the Aarschot site and had been impressed. “They were only relatively small projects, but the quality of the workmanship had really stayed with us”, Bollaerts recalls. The new project involved more than the tank farm alone. Ring lines had to be installed to supply the production area, while additional PIG stations were required to facilitate efficient cleaning.
Making the most of limited space
For Indinox project managers Sophie Martens and Marc Poppe, it was not a straightforward assignment. “The amount of space available was very limited, so the pipework routes had to be carefully thought through beforehand. We had a solid preliminary study to work from, as well as the ISO drawings supplied by the engineering company. But fitting everything into the available space without disrupting ongoing production still required quite a bit of planning and problem-solving”, Poppe explains. Both Bollaerts and Poppe agree that Martens played a key role in overcoming those challenges. “Sophie did an excellent job of making everything work.” Part of the 316L stainless steel pipework was prefabricated, but most of the work was carried out on site in Tienen. Measure, fabricate, install. “Indinox really made the difference by thinking creatively alongside us, coming up with practical solutions and remaining highly flexible throughout the project”, says Bollaerts. “That is what made it a success.”
A new production line
When Kim’s Chocolates embarked on another expansion in 2022, adding a new production line, there was little doubt about who would handle the pipework. “Once again, we were facing the same space constraints, and I knew the Indinox team would deliver the quality of pipework we were looking for.” This time, Indinox also took responsibility for replacing the PIG stations that had not yet been heated. The return of Geert De Rijcke as site supervisor provided an additional level of confidence. “You don’t have to start from scratch and explain everything all over again. Geert knows how we work, where everything is located and what is needed to achieve the result we are looking for”, Bollaerts says. “That is particularly valuable because working in the production area can be challenging due to the high temperatures around the tanks.”
A winning combination
The second project, carried out as part of the new production line, was completed just as smoothly. Two years further down the line, the collaboration continued with a new project, during which the pipework network was redesigned to make it more versatile and multifunctional. Indinox took care of the detailed preparation, allowing Kim’s Chocolates to make the transition to the new way of working quickly and smoothly. So what makes the collaboration with Indinox work so well? “Sophie and Marc are the perfect tandem. Together, they do everything they can to help us move forward, always thinking along with us and looking for practical solutions”, Bollaerts concludes.
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