Wiggers Vleeswaren: Safe and hygienic construction

Since the 1950s, Wiggers Meat products has been producing the Twentsche Bakleverworst (fried liver sausage) and Bakbloedworst (fried blood sausage). Made using an old family recipe, but with a modern twist. As of the summer of 2023, they've been enjoying their brand-new location in Hengelo. Spacious, safe, and hygienically designed with panels from Hydewa.

After 74 years of production at the old Wiggers location, just behind the train station in the center of Hengelo, owner Sergio Wiggers chose to construct a new building on Steenzoutweg in Hengelo. "Our old building had outgrown its usefulness, and further growth was no longer feasible. A new investment would have been too costly, especially considering the strict food safety and hygiene regulations."

The Wiggers story

Speaking is Sergio Wiggers, the third generation of the Wiggers family business. With a twinkle in his eyes, he shares ‘the Wiggers story’: "My grandfather was a butcher. After the war, he sold his shop to emigrate to Africa with his family. Standing at the station, ready to depart with his wife and five children, grandma said, 'I don’t want to go anymore.' 'What are we going to do now? We've sold everything, and we have already said our goodbyes,' grandpa replied. But grandma was adamant: 'I'm not going.' Their first step was to find a house. They settled in a newly-built home - the city had been bombed during the war, and rebuilding had just started - located behind the Hengelo train station. Since grandpa had sold the shop, he shifted to market sales of sausages and meat products."

Sergio Wiggers

New generations

"When my father joined the business, he decided to make a change," Sergio continues enthusiastically. "He didn't want to make the sausage entirely by himself but rather buy the ingredients." Thus, the family recipe for the Twentsche Bakleverworst and Bakbloedworst was born. "This is our main product: an 'old-fashioned' seasonal product made with pure ingredients, sold to local supermarkets in months with an R in them: from September to April.”

In 1995, Sergio officially joined the business. "HACCP was introduced. My father wasn’t keen on it, saying, 'We don't cut corners; I know where the ingredients come from.' Sergio, familiar with administrative work, implemented the required HACCP steps alongside his father. He later took over the business, now incorporating the 4th generation, his son Jan.

A new look

For the construction of the new facility, Sergio involved contractor Mark Koebrugge from WandCo and Glasbord®, a partner of Hydewa. He had been impressed with their materials used in the cooling cell of the old building. Dion ter Braak, co-owner of Hydewa Benelux, elaborates: "Sergio knew what he wanted. His choice was affirmed after visiting the Vishuis in Belgium, which is completely fitted with Glasbord®: our internationally HACCP-certified and sustainable polyester wall and ceiling finishes with an additional protective layer of Surfaseal®. We looked at the construction materials, installation work, finish, and details together. Our panels are made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester. Every material has its specific properties, including Glasbord®. This requires attention, especially when connecting the panels and linking them to the floor, to meet the high hygiene standards required by food companies."

The construction

In the new facility, the three partners established food safety and hygiene standards for each space and determined the finishing method. In the production and general areas, they installed thin Glasbord® sandwich panels, and in the cooling and freezing areas, they used Glasbord® sandwich panels with high insulation values. Sealing was done using a two-component sealant specifically certified for the food industry. For finishing touches, they chose stainless steel. Sergio mentions, "Cleaning is three times faster now. It's a huge improvement from the old tiles and joints!"

Collaboration

The Wiggers team thoroughly enjoys their new space. Sergio proudly showcases his office, the production area, and the 'living room' with family photos and pictures of the old building. He fondly recalls the collaboration with Mark and Dion: "Efficient, fast, and flexible. As we took every step together from the start, no mistakes were made. Dion and Mark developed and calculated the plans. All I had to do was give the final approval. It's a pleasure working with experts."

For Sergio, a personal connection is crucial. "I personally know every business I supply to. If they have questions, I solve them. We work with a seasonal product and have to adapt quickly. That's how the construction went too. The building has now been labeled as a reference project. Dion adds, "Here, we can showcase all the essential details."

www.wiggers.nu
www.hydewa.nl

Caption first photo: Sergio Wiggers (links) and Dion ter Braak

Photos: ©Foto Hissink