Who are we?
We are a vibrant, family-run printing group. You can tell by the atmosphere, the drive, and the natural way in which people take responsibility, share ideas, and support one another. This way of working has its roots in our family history. What began as a traditional printing shop has grown over the years into an independent printing group operating in Belgium and France.
A success story with history
Companies
Million euros in revenue
Employees
Daddy Kate today
We are a true family business, founded in 1978 by Guido Claes and his wife Nicole. Together, they built the printing company into a thriving business. In 2006, their daughters Heidi and Sandra joined the business, followed by their son Thijs in 2009. Today, we have grown into one of the largest independent printing groups in Belgium and France, without losing the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment of a family business. Every day, we work to develop solutions that are just right for our clients.
The Daddy Kate group
We are a strong printing group with diverse areas of expertise, entities, and locations in Belgium and France. Through strategic acquisitions and investments, we are bringing more and more knowledge and expertise together under one roof.
From commercial print, POS, and XL to personalization and special projects, we have the right in-house expertise to tackle any graphic design challenge.
Long-Term Vision
In a challenging market that is undergoing consolidation, we are consciously choosing to focus on the long term. We want to still be around in 100 years as an independent, family-owned group. That is why we invest where others stop, continuously build up our expertise, and make choices that not only work today but also ensure our long-term sustainability.
In this way, we continue to strengthen our people, expertise, and technology, and we’re building a group that’s ready for the future. For our customers, this means, above all, peace of mind. A reliable partner who thinks along with them, continues to invest, and evolves alongside them. A partner who prioritizes lasting relationships, stable systems, and so
Principles
Trust is our foundation
We take the initiative, make decisions, and take responsibility, both individually and as a team. We act as if it were our own company. That’s how we’re able to be fast and reliable.
Transparency is our standard
We tell it like it is. We communicate openly, share information, and aren’t afraid to acknowledge both our mistakes and our successes. That’s how we stay focused and engaged.
Customer value is our focus
We deliver on our promises. We provide exactly what’s needed: quickly, accurately, and effectively. We look beyond the present and choose solutions that stand the test of time. That’s how we build lasting partnerships.
A success story with history
Thijs temporarily returns as CEO
After a few eventful years, Elisabeth Fenaux has decided to step down as CEO. Thijs will temporarily take over as CEO.
Acquisition of Imprimerie REY
The acquisition of Imprimerie Rey in Meyzieu (Lyon) is the group’s seventeenth acquisition and its second in 2025.
Starting in early 2025, Imprimerie Rey will be fully integrated into Imprimerie Faurite.
Acquisition Imprimerie Pacaud
Imprimerie Pacaud is joining the group. Pacaud’s production operations and 15 employees are relocating to Daddy Kate France in Libercourt
Participation (later acquisition) Publi-FDM
The Daddy Kate Group is investing in Publdi-FDM (which will later become an acquisition). As a result, the graphic design web store www.reclameonline.be will also become part of the group.
Acquisition DV3
At DV3, the presses primarily produced high-end printed materials for numerous clients in the pharmaceutical and automotive industries. The facility was merged with the one in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw.
Daddy Kate France
In 2019 and 2020, three French printing companies (Becquart Impressions, Imprimerie Dumoulin, and Carte Blanche) were acquired, merged, and renamed Daddy Kate France in Libercourt. Through this location, Daddy Kate serves the northern French market all the way to Paris.
Introduction of CAO90 – Profit Bonus
“If the company achieves great results, everyone should be able to benefit,” Thijs decided. From this year onward, 20% of the profit is distributed equally among all employees. For full-time staff, this has amounted to over €8,000 gross or more than €7,000 net!
Expansion at Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
Daddy Kate continues to grow, which also required an expansion of the site in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw.
Different visions
Although both families had the same goal in mind, the difference in vision proved to be too great. Result: we bought out the other family in 2017. As it turns out, it was the right choice. In the years that followed, DADDY KATE saw a revival and created a clear, unified strategy. As a result, to this day, DADDY KATE is a 100% independent, dynamic and successful company.
Thijs named Young Entrepreneur of Flemish Brabant 2016
Two months later, another accolade followed! Thijs was chosen by JCI as Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Daddy Kate wins awards!
Daddy Kate won the Trends Gazellen 2016 award in the category of medium-sized companies—a well-deserved recognition for years of hard work!
major battle with far-reaching consequences
We encountered another family-owned printing company that also recognized the importance of ensuring the future through scale and diversification. However, neither had the financial means to acquire the other.
So, in 2015, Claes-Roels and The Factory Brussels decided to merge into a single company: the current DADDY KATE. Both families retained 50% ownership each. This also meant that the Lier location (Roels Printing) would close and production would be relocated to Brussels.
Acquisition of PAG
With its third acquisition in four years, the second generation is reinforcing its ambitions. It also marks a diversification into digital printing, a field in which PAG was a pioneer.
Thijs Claes becomes CEO
Claes Printing and Roels Printing merged, with Thijs, the youngest member of the second generation, appointed as CEO. A year later, father and founder Guido Claes retired, well-deserved, after years of leading the company.
acquisition of Beukeleirs
Roels Printing acquired the client portfolio, six employees, and the digital press of Beukeleirs Full Service Printing in Lint. This acquisition not only strengthened the industrial sheet-fed printer’s client base but also expanded its digital printing capabilities.
acquisition of Poot Printers
The acquisition of Poot Printers was the response to some challenging years—the financial crisis and the rise of digitalization. At the time, son-in-law Dirk Cornelis, husband of Heidi Claes, was also part of the management team at Claes Printing.
festive opening
Following the example of Roels Printing, Claes Printing also moved to a new location. The new building was officially opened in a festive ceremony, symbolizing the company’s growth and ambition.
start of second generation
With a degree in philosophy and Germanic languages under his belt, Thijs started his career as a teacher. But after just one school year, he immediately had enough and made the move to a career in printing. At that very moment, Nicole and Guido decide to leave the printing business to their three children. In 2009, Claes Printing also moved to its current location on A. van Cotthemstraat. It was also in this exact spot that Guido did his very first school internship at cartonage Rondo. Coincidence? Who knows.
Roels Printing Moves to Lier
Roels Printing relocated from Borgerhout to Lier to make room for the company’s further growth. The new location offered greater opportunities for expansion and modernization of the machinery.
daughters get to work
Although the children initially had no interest in joining the printing company, Heidi and Sandra decide to quit their jobs and get involved. The youngest child Thijs was still studying at the time.
In full expansion
In the early 2000s, Claes Printing experienced several golden years. Thanks to a strong market position and continuous investments in quality and service, the company continued to grow significantly during this period. These prosperous years laid the foundation for the company’s further development.
acquisition of Roels Printing
Guido and Nicole acquired Roels Printing from Antwerp. The biggest lesson? Communication. Various processes were optimized along the way. For example, the purchasing policy became more efficient, and there were simply too many directors. The company name was also changed—following the analogy with Claes Printing—to Roels Printing.
printing at high speed and …
During the holidays, the children each did their thing at Nicole and Guido’s parents’ farms. However, they themselves had little time to pursue their hobbies in between printing. Nicole chose folk dancing, Guido volleyball.
Gulf war and a wave of doubts
The last expansion along Bergensesteenweg was accompanied by the outbreak of the Gulf War in Iraq. For two weeks, their schedule remained empty.
from the hospital to Côte d'Or
The birth of son Thijs, the youngest member of the family, came unexpectedly and didn’t quite fit into Guido’s schedule. Off to Côte d’Or in Brussels to drop off printed matter. Work continued as usual.
dabbling with the machines
The new printing company is ready. But we still need to move the presses, which meant dabbling with the machines for more than 50 metres through the mud.
building and living between other things
They have to leave their rental studio and immediately start looking for a new location. The Bergensesteenweg in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw? Why not! After contacting 12 landowners, one finally wants to sell. It was the start of nine years of additional construction, both on the print shop and on their own house.
Claes Printing was born
Nine months after the birth of their first child, Heidi, Claes Printing also saw the light of day. When Nicole’s company decided to sell its printing business, Guido did not hesitate for a second and decided to take over the printing business and its machinery. In a rented studio in Ruisbroek, Guido makes his big dream come true: running his own printing company.
a first job in a small printing company
With a degree in secretary-languages under her belt, mother Nicole gets her first work experience at an import firm of lawn mowers, among other things, as assistant to the big boss. There, she is responsible for the product catalogue. Guido, meanwhile, continues to search for a first job, until help is suddenly asked for from a familiar source.
Nicole’s employer had its own printing company, which printed the yearly product catalogue. However, they also printed booklets for distribution points, but they didn’t have time to do that now. Guido to the rescue! As a graphic engineer, he was the perfect person for the job. What started as a three-month contract quickly turned into a three-year contract. But then Guido discovered he was not so good at working for someone else after all …
the stables as the perfect location for the printing company
Father Guido was raised on a farm, but he always had a passion for printing. Soon he saw his parents’ stables as the perfect location for his own printing company. But without a diploma as a printer, it was a bit difficult. So, Guido decided to get started right away. Two years later, he can call himself a graphic engineer.