September 29, 2026
Minister Eléonore Simonet visits the City of Ronse and alsico
On the 29th of September, we welcomed Federal Minister of the Self-Employed, SMEs and the Middle Class Eléonore Simonet to our headquarters as part of her visit to the City of Ronse. Her current ministerial portfolio covers the Middle Class, Self-Employed and SMEs. Together with representatives from the City of Ronse, the visit brought different stakeholders around the table to exchange views on entrepreneurship, innovation, circularity and the opportunities and challenges shaping the workwear industry.
From local roots to an international business
With our headquarters firmly rooted in Ronse and activities extending across international markets, the visit was an opportunity to introduce Minister Simonet to alsico, our operations and the evolution of our industry. Minister Simonet was joined by the Mayor of Ronse, Ignace Michaux and Local Economy Officer, Sharon Scherlynck.
The exchange focused on the realities facing businesses today and on how continued innovation, responsible business and collaboration with different stakeholders can contribute to the further development of our sector.
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Innovation starts close to home
During the tour, we gave our guests a look behind the scenes at how we develop and test new workwear solutions. A visit to our new in-house laboratories showed how our teams test fabrics and garments and translate technical expertise into solutions designed around protection and comfort. The visit also offered a look at the full lifecycle of a workwear garment, from innovation and testing in our laboratories to the collection of end-of-life garments through our arx initiative.
At our headquarters in Ronse, we showed how fabrics and garments are developed and tested, before turning to the other end of the lifecycle: taking back worn garments, sorting them and sending suitable materials to our recycling partners to be processed into new raw materials. This connection between product development, technical expertise and circularity reflects how we are rethinking the way workwear is designed, used and ultimately recovered.
Bringing together entrepreneurship, technical expertise and circular thinking, the visit was also an opportunity to exchange ideas on how practical approaches to innovation and circularity can inspire other Belgian companies and sectors. By sharing experiences and bringing different stakeholders together, we can continue learning from one another and help move Belgian industry forward.
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