Flemish ‘Exporter of the Year’ Award goes to Optimum Sorting

 

On November 6, Optimum Sorting was awarded the title of Exporter of the Year at the Flanders International Business Awards. Now in its second year, this award recognizes companies that excel in international growth and innovation.

 

The award was presented by Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) - an independent agency focused on elevating Flemish companies on the global stage. Following the success of last year’s edition, several Flemish enterprises were again highlighted for their international ambition and growth. Out of over 70 candidates, a panel of experts selected one company for each of the following three categories: Exporter of the Year, Foreign Investor of the Year, and Startup of the Year. Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele and Piet Demunter, Acting CEO of FIT, announced the winners during a gala event on November 6 at the iconic Skyhall at Brussels Airport. 

 

                        

 

Within the category ‘Exporter of the Year’, the title was awarded to Optimum Sorting. Our CEO, Tybo Mollet, is extremely proud of this recognition: “Since our start in 2017, we set out to become a global player. Today, teams are managed from five locations across Europe, America, and Asia, allowing us to serve customers worldwide. With the latest technologies, food producers, among others, can now process their products even more effectively, reducing waste and ensuring food safety.”

 

Founders Steve Raskin and Paul Berghmans view this as a significant boost for the manufacturing industry in Flanders:

"We’re thrilled that this award allows us to shine a spotlight on the importance of innovation. Winning such an award is never a solo effort. It’s the result of collaboration with many Flemish suppliers and partners, including VOKA and VKW. But the real heroes of this story are our own teams and our extensive global network of sales and service professionals. It’s their enthusiasm that has brought us to where we are today."

 

The other finalists for Exporter of the Year were Waterleau (Wespelaar) and Reynders Label Printing (Boechout). The Foreign Investor of the Year 2024 award went to Ciner Glass Belgium, a glass manufacturer with Turkish roots based in Lommel. Gorilla, an Antwerp-based startup, won the Startup of the Year 2024 award for its advanced data and AI solutions that support the digital transformation of utility companies worldwide.