Seats that speak quality: Spotlight on re-upholstery
Interview with Nicky Christiaen, Managing Director
Cars play an important role in modern society, and it’s not just about getting from A to B; the interior of a car is equally crucial for a comfortable and stylish driving experience. That is why ECA NV, based in Assenede, Belgium, manufactures an extensive range of high-quality car re-upholstery, which transforms the interior of cars and gives them a personal touch. But ECA is also a well-known name in the truck and interior sector, as Managing Director Nicky Christiaen stresses in the interview.
European Business: Ms. Christiaen, you manufacture in a small town in East Flanders, yet your customers are the giants of the car and truck world. That’s a real success story of a ‘hidden champion’.
Nicky Christiaen: We have established ourselves as the go-to company for the development, production and assembly of leather upholstery. ECA now forms a group with IMK in the UK and Berco in the Netherlands, which all three complement each other perfectly.
European Business: But surely success didn’t come overnight?
Nicky Christiaen: The company was founded in 1949 by my grandfather, Paul Christiaen, and taken over by my father, Luc Christiaen, in 2008. I am the third generation and joined the business in 2016. I have been at the helm of the company since 2023. This suits me perfectly, as I am very production-minded and interested in everything that goes on in the business.
European Business: What has happened since 1949 to enable you to operate at the forefront of the market today?
Nicky Christiaen: Initially, we focused solely on the automotive sector and our biggest customer was Volvo. Today, ECA is the parent company and we have two subsidiaries, IMK and Berco, and are active in several sectors. Berco joined us in 1977 and is the European market leader in the design, development and production of car mats and truck interiors. It operates independently from its factory in Schijndel in the Netherlands. IMK has also grown to become the centre of excellence for automotive leather interior trim in the United Kingdom. It works with natural high-quality leather, technical fabrics and man-made materials to hand-trim components for vehicles by leading automotive OEMs. At ECA, our focus is on the production and assembly of leather upholstery for cars, but also on upholstery for public transport and interior.
European Business: Your clients are the cream of the crop in your industry – quite impressive.
Nicky Christiaen: Yes, IMK supplies Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Bentley, to name just a few big names. And here in Belgium, customers include all the major car manufacturers, from Audi to Ford and Volkswagen; in the seating furniture sector – that is, the covering and repair of all kinds of seating furniture – we supply ThyssenKrupp and the Belgian Railway. Meanwhile, Berco works with DAF, Scania, Daimler and Iveco.
European Business: How close is the partnership among the three companies?
Nicky Christiaen: We have close ties with both and are very actively and proactively involved. We are often on site ourselves to observe the production process. Today, as a group, we employ 900 people and generate a turnover of 150 million EUR.
European Business: Let’s talk a little more about your portfolio.
Nicky Christiaen: ECA’s product portfolio is divided into three areas: automotive, transport and interior, although our activities in these areas do overlap to some extent. Essentially, this involves cutting, sewing, embroidering, welding and assembling various materials such as leather, vinyl, fabric or foam for re-upholstery. For the transport sector, we produce seat covers for trains, buses and commuter trains. The interior segment covers seating furniture, acoustic panels and stairlift seats.
European Business: And what has helped you remain so successful for so long?
Nicky Christiaen: We supply exclusively bespoke work. We have all the necessary tools in-house and can offer the customer a total solution. We supply genuine quality products that meet our customers’ requirements. We are very customer-focused and, moreover, reliable, professional and flexible. Communication lines are short and we can adapt very quickly to requests. We meet our deadlines and deliver genuine craftsmanship.
European Business: How do you see the future?
Nicky Christiaen: Our customers are our top priority. We faced difficult times in the past and now consider it very important to further expand our existing customer portfolio and, above all, to secure long-term contracts. We want to grow and now we also participate in public tenders. We want to expand this. And we are continuing to build a healthy business with sufficient profitability – for us and our employees across the entire group.