In 1920, Augustin and Fernand founded Dufour Frères and began distributing coal from their warehouse on Quai Taille-Pierres, along the River Scheldt in Tournai.
Gradually, the scope of the company’s activities expanded. In 1926, the City of Tournai tasked Dufour Frères with rubbish collection using horse-drawn trailers.
Even today, Dufour’s trucks can be spotted across Wallonia and Flanders, where they collect household waste, cardboard and PMC.
"},"title":"The 1920s: the founding of the business"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"In the 1950s, Fernand’s sons André and Jean-Pierre took over the business and continued to diversify into new sectors. André and his wife Christiane specialised in civil engineering and petroleum transport, while Jean-Pierre and Christiane’s sister Léona developed the company’s transport, lifting, civil engineering and environmental business.
"},"title":"The 1950s: time for diversification"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"A company in the family home"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Jean-Pierre and Léona had four sons, namely Philippe (1966), Olivier (1969), Bernard (1970) and Frédéric (1974). The company was registered in the family home.
‘We were practically born in the company’, says Frédéric, the youngest son. ‘My brothers and I were introduced to it from a very early age. Our bedroom was next to our parents’ office, where we did our homework, and every evening, the drivers/operators came to the house to receive their orders for the following day. At lunch, Dad would move his paper planner from our dining room table. The actual offices were just a short drive from our home. Proximity was everything. ’
‘Our parents were our role models; they were a great source of inspiration. They instiled their work values, courage and respect in us’, Frédéric adds.
‘They were also very easy-going and kind (today we would call this empathy) in their interactions with all their employees. We find that same spirit of dialogue and listening just as important, even if the group’s workforce has increased significantly since then. When I started out in 1999, there were just 30 of us, and my parents were working non-stop. They built a rock-solid foundation while raising four boys. My mother had to become an expert in HR, accounting, tax, legal and financial matters. These days, we have employees with skills in each of these areas,’ he explains.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Making way for the 3rd generation"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/30d97b8fce4a5ad2/original/Dufour-1.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/c5f7505e-b805-454b-9b87-efc263dfcccc/Dufour-1"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"In 1991, Christian, the son of André and Christiane, joined the Group’s management team. Upon his retirement in 2019, he passed on the baton to his son Benoît. When Jean-Pierre’s children came on board at the end of the 1990s, they decided to strengthen, specialise and professionalise each of the company’s activities.
‘Our strategy is mainly focused on geographical expansion’, Frédéric explains. He joined the group as its CFO following the tragic accidental death of his brother Bernard, whom he replaced at short notice in 1999.
‘In the last 20 years, Groupe Dufour has grown by acquiring companies in France and Wallonia, from Liège to Tournai by way of Auvelais. We have created a network that allows us to be closer to our customers because we offer services and we want to be available immediately.
Out of respect for our identity as a partner in sustainable development, we try to avoid excessive travel for our staff, but also for our equipment, where possible. These transport and mobility issues are embedded in our regional deployment strategy and are also reflected in our desire to transfer specific cargo to waterways.’
In 1998, it became clear that the company would have to move out of the city centre.
‘Our site was almost in the centre of the city’, says Frédéric. ‘The company premises were located opposite the Pont des Trous, and it no longer proved feasible to operate a transport business in the town, especially given that we transported heavy equipment at times. At the time, we had an opportunity to move to the Tournai Ouest business park, so we jumped at the chance. When we moved to the site of a company that relocated to rue Terre à Briques in Marquain, the two-hectare plot seemed gigantic to us. Soon, however, we realised that we needed more land, which is why we constantly acquired new neighbouring industrial plots. Today, it has become complicated to find land even though industrial premises are essential for business development,’ he concludes.
Groupe Dufour currently occupies three sites in Tournai West: one is home to its offices and workshops, one to the sorting centre, and one is used for lifting equipment.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Exclusively family-owned"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The company’s governance is overseen during regular weekly or biweekly meetings, during which the three brothers, the group’s sole shareholders, set out the company’s strategic direction. All the department or division managers are members of the investment committee, where the needs of each department or division are voiced and choices are made.
Some of the department heads belong to the 4th generation of the Dufour family. Louis, one of Olivier’s sons, is responsible for the transport of exceptional loads. Philippe’s eldest son Henri, meanwhile, is in charge of managing the multimodal platforms, while his brother Pierre works under Frédéric and is in charge of financial projects. His youngest son, Nicolas, manages the infrastructure business.
Benoît is responsible for civil engineering operations. ‘We are very close to the 4th generation. They give a certain amount of feedback relating to their business and work alongside the other business managers, but not at group level,’ Frédéric adds.
"},"title":"A well-oiled machine"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"For Groupe Dufour’s CFO, ‘having this 4th generation on board ensures that our projects are secured for the long term. We have a succession and have no intention of selling the business in the foreseeable future. Instead, we plan to develop the company because we know that the next generation is already waiting in the wings. ’
‘The company’s growth means that there are always vacancies,’ Philippe confirms. His three sons all work for the family business. ‘And the fact that my sons have joined the group encourages me to persevere and continue. My three children each have their own specific skills that they have acquired working for other employers, which add value to the company.
They don’t just occupy an empty seat on the organisational chart, ‘on the board of dad’s company’. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The only way they can learn about this business is through hard work and real professional experience. The 4th generation is not ready yet to take over the helm, but we are making every effort we can to teach them the ropes and explain our trade. ’
"},"title":"The 4th generation, a vision for the future"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Family Charter and Shareholders’ Agreement"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"right","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/1f1e17e0ff388c9b/original/Dufour-2.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/97d6767f-1715-47a6-9920-4e27976f0d4b/Dufour-2"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The Family Charter, which was drafted some ten years ago and signed by all family members who work for the group, sets out the conditions for joining the company and outlines succession planning in particular. Family members must have a degree, a skill or experience, and speak several languages. It confirms the need for the company’s owners to uphold the values - respect, openness, and surpassing yourself - that make up the DNA of Groupe Dufour in everything they do.
‘The family spirit that our parents instiled in us is reflected in our mission to be ‘partners in sustainable development’. We have invested in infrastructure and treatment units based on a very long-term vision. The succession is a motivating factor because I see a future in it,’ says Philippe.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The shareholders’ agreement, which the third generation has signed, was amended in 2024 when Christian Dufour retired and sold his shares to his cousins, who now each own a third of the capital.
Among others, it sets out the measures to be taken in the event of an accident or the departure of one of the signatories. ‘To secure the family business, you must anticipate and prepare for any unfortunate events that can occur, like my brother’s accident 25 years ago,’ says an emotional Philippe.
The 4th generation will be able to participate in the company capital at the latest when the eldest of the three brothers reaches the age of 65. As Frédéric’s youngest child is only eight years old, his father wants to give him a choice, but he will have to wait until he is old enough. The Shareholders’ Agreement sets the age of maturity at 25. To become a shareholder in the Group, you have to be a member of the family and work in the company.
"},"title":"Shareholders’ agreement"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/78c3ba61dbf135e3/original/Dufour-4.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/ce571d29-fdd5-44ba-80fa-10c98420493c/Dufour-4"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"ING is a long-standing partner of Groupe Dufour, having financed one of its first heavy lifting cranes. Frédéric Dufour discusses the key elements of his partnership with ING.
The bank understands our business model, he says, explaining that he shares his strategies with the bank in a completely transparent way.
‘Our business model is very capital-intensive, and we invest heavily in costly machinery. We have financing and recurring investments, and every year, we have significant Capex. We have a real relationship of trust with ING, and we have always been able to adhere to our financial plans. Our prospects have always been good. Trust is definitely a key element.
As business owners, we find it important to be backed by a bank that can accept that there are market problems or results that are not up to par, a bank that understands the way we manage our business. This inspires confidence. ING is also about relationships and people. I meet with the ING teams very regularly. They give us a lot of advice, and I always involve them in any significant development. I always strive to be frank and correct, I tell them how we assess the market and discuss some of our projects with them because I think that ING will be able to challenge us and give us feedback without, of course, making decisions for us. In addition to providing capital, ING also provides us with a network that can open doors.
"},"title":"Trust, a key element in Groupe Dufour’s relationship with ING"},{"componentType":"highlight","richBody":{"value":"Our business customers had an opportunity to take a peek behind the scenes at Groupe Dufour in Marquain. Olivier and Philippe Dufour retraced the company’s history and elaborated on the challenges it faced over the years. Next, Gauthier Razée, our Tax & Legal Expert, explained the advantages of investing as a private individual or a company and the impact on estate planning.
Our economist, Charlotte de Montpellier, gave a presentation on the economic and financial outlook, trends and challenges. The event ended with a discussion between the participants and the speakers. All in all, an excellent opportunity for speakers and participants to share experiences in a pleasant setting.
"},"title":"A great ‘ING Family Entrepreneurs Get Together’ event!"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Contact your banker for more information or contact us for a no-obligation appointment or telephone consultation.
"},"title":"Do you have questions about transferring or financing your family business?"}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"72ee0033-42e5-41ce-ba20-42e2adbe91ed","localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Our integrated expertise for entrepreneurs","url":"/en/private-banking/family-business"}},"componentType":"editorialHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"The story of Groupe Dufour, which today offers a wide range of services in the fields of lifting, the environment and civil engineering, started with two brothers... and one business activity.","headerImage":{"extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/584d051655e7a64a/original/Dufour-header.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/bebdfc61-6e5f-416e-a66a-05785b99c480/Dufour-header","type":"image","width":8192},"subtitle":"Although Groupe Dufour is expanding internationally, with more than 1,300 employees working in 30 branches across Belgium and France, it continues to be a family business. The 4th generation is already on board, and each of the family members who are implicated in the business has signed a ‘Family Charter’, which is crucial for succession planning in particular.","title":"The Dufours, partners in sustainable development"},"date":"2025-04-16","readingTime":6},"publishDate":"2025-04-25T18:16:40.608+02:00"}}