"Before the bankruptcy, there was the conflict"

Van Hool. Ziegler. Two high-profile bankruptcies in the Belgian transport sector within two years. Two century-old family businesses. And in both cases, one common thread: conflict between family shareholders.

At Van Hool, the cause is now well established: a 50-year-old succession dispute, born from the division of the founder's inheritance in 1974. Despite a recovery plan supported by banks, the Flemish government and trade unions, and an order book of 620 million euros for 2024-2025, the heirs never managed to reach an agreement. Result: more than 1,500 jobs lost.

At Ziegler, the story is equally enlightening. As revealed by L'Echo, tensions between the Ziegler and Govaerts branches have been simmering for more than twenty years: a disagreement in 2002 over the contested acquisition of a French company, then a new legal battle in 2022 during a general meeting contested by a minority family shareholder, against the backdrop of a succession dispute.

Two solid companies on paper. Two collapses fueled, to a significant extent, by the family's inability to manage their disagreements other than through rupture or the courts. This is precisely where mediation comes in.

Mediation between family shareholders makes it possible to reopen dialogue before egos, grudges or old disputes take precedence over the company's interest. It does not replace lawyers or financial experts: it creates the space where difficult decisions become possible again.

But the issue doesn't stop at the board of directors:

🔹 Social mediation helps defuse tensions between staff and management before they escalate into collective blockage, particularly critical when a company undergoes restructuring.

🔹 Commercial mediation helps preserve relationships with customers and suppliers when trust erodes, a link often neglected even though it can accelerate or slow down the fall of a company in difficulty.

Three concentric circles - family, staff, business partners - whose balance often determines the survival of the company itself. Prevention is always better than liquidation.