CERCO can rely on 65 years of experience  to face the future

1950

Founded by René Peeters, Cerco initially carried out large-scale road infrastructure and civil engineering works in Congo…

1959

After ten years of operating road-building machines, Cerco added drilling machines to its range of skills. The contract with the “Union Minière” for the extraction of Cobalt – for which 150 persons were employed – continued until 1963 and enabled Cerco to gain knowledge of a large part of the techniques involved in quarrying.

1963

Following the events in Congo, Cerco engaged in laying bare quarries in Belgium. Our principal customer, the quarries of Quenast, became and remains the European leader in the sector with a total output of over 2.000.000 tons. Many other quarries have been uncovered afterwards using our equipment…

Between 1968 and 1973

Growth reached its apogee, car ownership became widespread and Belgian motorways were developing at lightning speed, until the oil crisis struck…. We then called back our civil engineering equipment, which had been considerably modernized in 10 years, in order to carry out landscaping works on an appreciable number of motorways then under construction.

1975

After 25 years of experience in the on-site operation of machines, we decided to use our detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of these powerful and precise machines. The mastery of mechanical power for construction purposes no longer held any secrets for our team and we decided to share our know-how with our customers. A “Purchase & Sales” department was set up with a specialization in dumper trucks (with initially a maximum capacity of 45 tons). Step by step, the department grew around a seamless team working in all sectors of large-scale users of this type of machine, namely: cement works, quarries and large companies involved in public works.

1980

Cerco became the exclusive distributor of drilling equipment from Ingersoll-Rand, selling new and refurbishing second-hand equipment while keeping a close eye on the sector. Ingersoll Rand is the undisputed leader of drilling equipment…

1985

Return to our previous activities with the creation of a new structure specialized in quarry work. Founded under the name Swalmec, this new company proposes rental machinery and specialized on-site teams: laying bare, drilling, mining, loading, transport, crushing, all aspects of quarrying are dealt with for the customer’s benefit. For more information, please consult www.swalmec.be.

1996

Creation of Cefor, an on-site specialist of drilling works in quarries.

2005

Renovation of our buildings (offices and workshops)

2009

Following the acquisition of Ingersoll Rand by Atlas Copco, Cerco decides to partner with Sandvik and becomes their distributor for drilling equipment: purchase, sales and maintenance of new and second hand equipment for the Benelux.

2012

Cerco further diversifies its drilling operations by taking over Geoprobe^® Environmental Technologies, a company specialized in the sales and service of probing machines and tools from Geoprobe^®.

Based in the United States, Geoprobe^® develops and manufactures equipment that is mainly intended for the environmental and geotechnical industries in order to collect soil, soil gas and groundwater samples, to detect the presence of contaminants, to optimize remedial actions, and to assess their efficiency.

For more information see www.geoprobe.be.

For over 60 years, Cerco controls mechanical power for construction purposes. Today, as specialists in the trade of new and second-hand equipment and as agent of different renowned brands, Cerco is proud to say that it has made the most of its long and varied experience for the benefit of its customers…