Spaas Candles

Introduction

Spaas is the 3rd biggest European manufacturer of candles. The family company exists 170 years (set up in 1853) and is now run by the 5th generation, Mr. Ben Spaas and his sister Sarah. The company reached a turnover of EUR 140 million in 2022, of which 85% is export to 40 different countries.

In 2022 Spaas received the Family Business Award, a recognition for ‘its exemplary role in clear leadership, strategy and sustainable entrepreneurship’. In September 2023 Spaas won the Ambiorix Prize, awarded by the employer’s organisation VKW-Limburg. And finally, in December 2023 Spaas was one of the 4 nominees for the ‘company of the year’ award, the most prestigious business award in Belgium.

Website
www.spaas.eu

Involvement of Horsten International

After an initial market investigation by Horsten in the beginning of 2005, Horsten signed an agreement with Spaas. The agreement consisted of two parts: (1) the exclusive contract manufacturing of handmade candles by Horsten for export to Spaas and (2) the sourcing of glassware, candle holders and accessories by Horsten. 

In the period from 2005 to 2010 Horsten exported over 1800 tons of candles to Belgium and employed an average of 40 workers in its Xi’an workshop, fully managed by Horsten’s Chinese management team. In 2011 the workshop was closed due to an anti-dumping policy issued by the EU against candles made in China, resulting in a sharp decrease of the export of candles.

The export of glassware, candles and other home decoration products realized strong growth from 2006 onwards.

Today, Horsten is still the sourcing agent for Spaas for glassware, home decoration products, candles, candle holders and accessories and packaging materials, exporting over 100 containers yearly to Spaas’ factories in Belgium and Poland. Two project managers of Horsten Xi’an are responsible for sourcing, quality control, supply chain management, etc. and the Horsten team in Belgium is constantly standby to support the customer in all its China imports.