Colruyt Group and the Cardoen family make their appearance as shareholders.
Antwerpen, may 31st 2022 – Pluginvest, frontrunner in eMobilty with innovative solutions for charging stations and energy flexibility, announces the entry of 2 new shareholders: Colruyt Group and the Cardoen family. Colruyt Group provides Pluginvest with 4 million euro growth capital, while the Cardoen family acquires an existing package of shares.
"With this new capital round we can continue our accelerated growth," says Sander Hereijgers, CEO of Pluginvest. "The rapid increase of the share of electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars in the fleet of companies comes with the necessary challenges. With Pluginvest, we relieve companies that are making the switch by offering an all-in solution for charging infrastructure and its management
Pluginvest was founded in 2016 by Sander Hereijgers and Cedric De Jonghe, two experts in the field of renewable energy. They partnered up to offer low-threshold charging infrastructure on the Belgian market. In the fast-growing market of sustainable mobility, Pluginvest offers charging solutions for electric vehicles with an eye on long-term relationships with clients. Belgian companies will play an important role in the transition to electric mobility, Pluginvest wants to help them with that by making their knowledge available and offering innovative high-tech solutions.
"The government's decision to make only zero-emission cars tax-deductible as of 2026 creates a major challenge in the field of charging infrastructure, at the companies, at employees and on the road," Sander Hereijgers continues. "For each type of customer, Pluginvest offers specific products that meet their needs and requirements. Ranging from compact home installations to ultra-professional fast chargers, Pluginvest has a charging solution for everyone."
With "Charging as a service" as a unique offering
With this unique formula Pluginvest wants to remove all barriers for companies to start the transition to sustainable mobility. After all, investing in charging infrastructure is rarely the core activity of most companies. Charging as a service is a renting or leasing formula that immediately takes aways all worries and offers customers the possibility of gradually growing their infrastructure along with their fleet.
Jef Colruyt, CEO Colruyt Group: "After the first positive experiences with Pluginvest in the context of a few pilot projects together with our energy and fuel supplier DATS 24, our investment in this Belgian company is a logical next step for us. First and foremost, it is about a subject that is close to our hearts: making mobility, logistics and transport more sustainable. As Colruyt Group, we want to continue to invest in green fuels - and therefore also in electric vehicles - for both passenger and freight transport in the future. In addition, as a sustainable entrepreneur, we are pleased to have the opportunity to support this young Belgian company in its growth. We’re looking forward to working with the Pluginvest team on future charging projects."
Karel Cardoen, former CEO of Cardoen: "Charging stations are crucial for the electric transition of the car fleet. The approach of the Pluginvest team has particularly charmed us. They relieve companies of this complex matter and think along with them about the future. That is why we are happy to support the growth of this promising Belgian company".