History

1948

Bekaert, a steel wire drawing company, acquires the technology for looped screen manufacturing. Heavy screens for the coal mines are sold through local agents.

1972

Drop in sales due to mine closing. Welded screen and slot tube manufacturing technology is developed. Sales are integrated in Bekaert worldwide organization.

1975

Trislot trade mark is introduced. Welded products and very fine looped screens are sold to the food industry and to filter manufacturers in general. Turnover is around 1,000,000 USD.

1983

Turnover has grown to 3,000,000 USD and Bekaert decides to use the Trislot operation as a platform for diversification.

1985

The Trislot plant in Brussels is closed and manufacturing is relocated in a modern building in Waregem. The heavy looped screen manufacturing is stopped.

1987

Bekaert decides to change its diversification strategy. The Trislot operation is no longer considered as a platform for growth.

June 1987

Through a management buy out Trislot Systems nv acquires the Trislot production line from Bekaert.

1987-1994

Trislot Systems invests 2,000,000 USD in new manufacturing equipment for welded products. The manufacturing plant is expanded and reorganized. A new quality assurance system is operational based on ISO 9000. Turnover has reached more than 8,000,000 USD in 1994. Trislot has become an important player on the reactor internals market (Shell, UOP, IFP).

1995

The company is acquired by CAE, Inc. a Canadian group having complementary product lines (screen plates).

2001

The company changed ownership. Due to a restructuring and focusing on the core business of the Canadian based CAE group (flight simulators), the company is sold to a private Belgian investor. The market for the decorative applications of the grilles, before only served through some large customer, is from now on considered as a target market for potential growth.