A Belgian company that first opened in Georgia a decade ago is investing $1 million and hiring 30 new employees in Gwinnett County.
Aluvision, which makes modular systems for exhibitions and trade-show displays, is set to nearly triple its production area by leasing new space next to its 1620 Satellite Boulevard location, which opened in 2016, three years after dipping a toe into the U.S. market with a sales office.
In addition to bringing on new staff in design, sales and production and upping its space from 29,000 to 83,000 square feet, the company is adding three more manufacturing lines that will double production capacity.
Aluvision’s systems use aluminum frames and stands that can be filled out with an array of panels, silicon-edge fabric or even LED tiles. The company has also introduced Flexbox, a self-contained room designed for outdoor events or for indoor displays requiring separate space for VIP lounges, temporary showrooms or pop-up shops. The company works with a variety of rental partners in the U.S. and Europe.
All panels can be assembled without tools and the frames can be powder coated in a variety of colors to match the exhibitor’s branding.
Beyond improving its manufacturing, the Gwinnett expansion is designed to give Aluvision more and better space in which to showcase its solutions and train current and potential clients.
“Witnessing a flourishing company and getting to know the people behind the scenes is the perfect starting point for long-term relationships,” said President Dirk Deleu, who co-founded the company with Ann Vancoillie 20 years ago, in a Gwinnett Chamber news release.
It’s not just in the U.S. that the company is expanding: Based in Deinze, the company is constructing a new headquarters in nearby Kortrijk, doubling down on the environmental stewardship that has become one of its hallmarks. Aluvision prides itself on using mostly recycled aluminum, which is about 95 percent less carbon intensive than using newly mined metal. All of its products are reusable and recyclable. The gleaming headquarters along the Leie river in Deinze features more than 10,000 square feet of rooftop solar panels.
That sensibility will carry over to a new headquarters and light production facility being built in the eco-conscious Evolis business park backed by the Flemish government in Kortrijk. The new Aluvision offices there will be powered by solar panels and wind turbines and will offer amenities including electric-vehicle chargers, an in-house bar, cinema, and fitness space, along with ample green space.
When the new 30 jobs are added in Gwinnett this year, the company will employ 71 people in Georgia.
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