The company is located in Menen-Lauwe, alongside the E17 highway, and just before the border between france and Belgium. It is ideally situated to connect to the motorways in France, Flanders and the Wallony. In the location in Lauwe the products are being calibrated and packed. There is an extra storage facility in Arc-Wattripont and that enables us to deliver quickly to the distributors in the Wallony.

Arc-Wattripont   Lauwe

RTL patat is permanently looking to improve the production process. The key success of the company lies in its flexibility and versatility which results in an optimal service to clients. Maximum process automisation has reduced labour costs to keep the sorting and packaging on a very competetive level.

30% of the potatoes handled originate from Flanders, an other 50% from Wallony and 20% is imported out of France. Sales are mainly situated in the field of supplying the potato processing industry both in Belgium and abroad. Also prepacked potatoes are exported on customer demand.

* RTL patat can store up to 10.000 tons of potatoes (7000 in Arc-Wattripont, 3000 tons in Lauwe) which is a good thing for smaller growers - they don't need to invest that much - and in addition different varieties can be stored under the same roof. " The fixed sorter can handle up to 50 tons of potatoes per hour. Only recently another mobile sorter has completed the machine park with a capacity of 30 tons/hour." The company disposes of 8 trailers to deliver at the dessignated place on time. There are two packing machines and a palletizer that can pack up to 20 tons per hour.

The company was founded in 1928 by the grandfather of the current owner Rik Tanghe. He succeeded his father when he passed away unexpectedly some 15 years ago. As the 23-year old son he had to gain trust of both suppliers and customers. In the meantime the company has become an important player in the sector.

Rik Tanghe is a member of the Belgapom price commission that is setting the price for wholecrop potatoes for the industry.