The largest nickel baths in Europe are in Belgium

The family-run company MVT combines tradition with innovation. The company specializes in the coating of particularly large components.

Even complex components are coatedSince1988, the Belgian company MVT has made a name for itself with fast, flexible and high-quality nickel plating processes.

In the early years, Chris Jeurissen ran the company together with his two sons Luc and Geert, but the third generation has now taken the helm. Thomas Jeurissen has succeeded in building a bridge between the solid foundations laid by his grandfather and new, forward-looking innovations. The brand new production hall with the largest nickel baths in Europe represents the pinnacle of this development to date. "More than ever, we are ideally positioned for the future," says the CEO with determination.

The family business MVT (Metallveredelungstechnik) was founded 33 years ago in Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium. Chris, Luc and Geert Jeurissen have always been a reliable partner for global players such as Philips, Atlas Copco and Océ in the field of electroless chemical nickel plating of a wide range of components. Thanks to its quality, flexibility and fast service, the core values of MVT, the number of new, satisfied customers grew steadily. The Jeurissen family thus laid the foundations for the loyal and progressive family business that MVT (MetaalVeredelingsTechnieken) is today.

Electroless nickel plating at top speed

33 years later, the Houthalen-based company is still run by the same family. Grandson Thomas (27) is continuing the success story. A challenge that he accepted with a resounding "yes" at the age of just twenty. "I didn't follow the normal path of a twenty-year-old," smiles the young CEO. "Nevertheless, I didn't hesitate for a second when I was offered this opportunity. Thanks to vacation jobs at the company, I already knew my colleagues and could sense where MVT could still improve."

Thomas more than made up for his lack of experience at the time with his motivation to give his all to make his (grand)father proud. After intensive manual work in the nickel baths, several internships in management and various training courses, the time had finally come. "As I had gotten to know all facets of MVT and was able to exchange ideas with customers and colleagues, I was quickly able to set a clear strategy for the company. We are still pursuing this course today, whereby we are fully committed to combining tradition and innovation. A viable combination that we implement optimally with the help of our loyal employees and our innovative spirit."

MVT specializes in chemical nickel plating. This is an immersion process in which nickel is deposited from a solution without the use of electricity. "This allows us to apply very precise, evenly distributed layers across the entire workpiece. This is a great advantage with corresponding added value, especially for complex parts," explains Jeurissen. This technology also offers other advantages such as good adhesion, corrosion protection and wear resistance with attractive aesthetics. But that's not all. MVT offers each of its customers a fast and flexible service. "Electroless nickel plating is often the last step in the production process. We are also characterized by the fact that every customer receives their finished product as quickly as possible. MVT guarantees delivery times of 1-5 working days and is very flexible when it comes to rush orders."

Customers can always rely on highly professional personal support. The same values, the same know-how and even some colleagues from 33 years ago form the basis for new innovative solutions today. In practice, this means that no question, no challenge is too big.

Largest baths in Europe

MVT also has a suitable bath for this large componentInrecent years, MVT has focused on the comprehensive digitalization of its processes and the continuous optimization of its nickel baths. The Belgian company has revised its entire aluminum process and modified all pre-treatment and nickel baths to achieve an optimal end result. This is paying off. "We can react very quickly thanks to data tracking, for example, and thus quickly deliver a high-quality and very accurate result to the customer," explains Thomas. The start of 2021 was an absolute milestone for the pioneer of electroless nickel plating. MVT built a brand new production hall with one of the largest baths in Europe. "Thanks to this expansion, we can electroless nickel plate parts with a length of up to 4.5 meters and a weight of up to 10 tons at an attractive price. As we produce our nickel baths ourselves, we are independent of third parties. That's why we at MVT can work quickly and precisely. We monitor the quality of the baths around the clock in our own laboratory."

Expansion on the international market

MVT is looking to the future with confidence. The new production hall makes it possible to serve even more international customers with high-quality electroless nickel plating. The company already counts ASML, a global player in the semiconductor industry, among its most important customers. Several companies from the oil and gas industry, 3D printing and the blown film sector in Germany have placed orders with MVT. "With our new production hall, we have noticeably increased our added value. We now have everything we need to serve industrial companies with complex components to their complete satisfaction," says Jeurissen. What's next? "We never stand still! We are working day in, day out to remain the pacesetter we have been for 33 years." One thing is certain: keep an eye on MVT, because who knows what else this strong company has up its sleeve.

By the way: To strengthen the team, Thomas Jeurissen is still looking for a sales representative for Germany and is looking forward to receiving applications.