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1 Sep 2026 - #Warehouses
ALL NEWSHeylen Warehouses, Audi, the Brussels-Capital Region and the municipality of Forest have signed the agreement for the acquisition of the former Audi Brussels plant in Forest. With this signature, the transaction has now been formally confirmed. The agreement provides for the redevelopment of the site into a mixed-use urban business park that will accommodate industrial and innovative companies and enable the creation of at least 3,000 jobs that are currently considered lost.
Laurent Hublet, Brussels Minister for Employment and Economy: “Today, mutual trust has been established around the redevelopment of this site: together, we are showing courage. Our shared goal is to transform this place into an industrial site that is open to the city, with a diverse ecosystem and fully integrated into the fabric of Brussels and Belgium. This project is one of the most significant economic regeneration initiatives in our country. Bringing together SMEs and established industrial activities is exactly the model of urban economy we want to develop in Brussels. This project fits that vision and ensures that the site remains at the service of the economy and the people of Brussels.”
Wim Heylen, Chairman of Heylen Group: “This site offers both a unique opportunity and a responsibility. Our ambition is not to turn the page on Brussels’ industrial history, but to rewrite it: with more companies, more jobs and a site that is finally open to the neighbourhood and the city. We are determined to make it a project Brussels can be proud of.”
The former Audi plant – once a closed, single-purpose site – is being transformed into a business park fully integrated into Forest. Here, local, national and international companies will be able to grow in the heart of the European capital.
This 55-hectare site, the largest industrial site in the Brussels-Capital Region, has major assets: a high-voltage line, a rail connection and a location close to both the city centre and the ring road. It is a strategically important location for creating industrial jobs and for the Region’s economic appeal. The site also formed the basis for the Brussels Government’s implementation of the Competitiveness Pact, which aims to support its development through fiscal instruments.
The Heylen Warehouses project is a mixed-use redevelopment: retaining and developing industrial activities, space for SMEs and innovative companies, partially opening the site to the public, and revitalising Forest-Midi station to serve the neighbourhood and the Region.
The ambition is to make this site one of the most dynamic economic hubs in Brussels. This will be achieved by transforming it into an urban business park that accommodates a wide variety of companies and thus becomes a sustainable economic engine for the Region. The project is currently known as ‘Ringspark21’ and aims to create 3,000 jobs.
Boris Dilliès, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region: “The redevelopment of the Audi site was a priority for this government. The acquisition of the site shows that Brussels is an attractive location. We are attracting companies and creating jobs in our region.”
Audrey Henry, Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Spatial Planning: “The sale has been completed; now it is time to redevelop the Audi site. Developing a site of this size requires clarity, certainty and, above all, ambition. All the conditions are now in place to breathe new life into this site and turn it into a new Brussels hub, fully integrated into the heart of the region and focused on the future. It is time to look ahead, make the necessary choices and build the Brussels of tomorrow.”
Charles Spapens, Mayor of Forest: “The redevelopment of this site is a historic opportunity for our municipality. From the outset, we wanted this place – which played a major role in shaping our industrial identity – to once again play a strong economic role, with employment as a priority, and for this new project to be fully integrated into Forest and benefit all residents. We will remain an active partner throughout the process to make this transformation a success.”
Ralph Caspanni, co-CEO of Heylen Warehouses: “We are getting to work straight away, without losing any time, because every day counts when it comes to jobs. The urgency is not only financial but also social: the sooner this forward-looking project is operational, the sooner Brussels can recover the jobs it has lost and create new growth momentum.”
Philippe Deschilder, co-CEO of Heylen Warehouses: “We want to act quickly to respond to the socio-economic urgency, while building a sustainable, long-term project. The ambition is high and the approach pragmatic: think long term, draw up a strategic plan and move forward purposefully, together with Brussels and the companies that want to take part. Together, we will make this a shared success.”
It is not yet known which companies will set up on the site of the former Audi plant. Heylen Warehouses is in talks with a wide range of stakeholders and is not focusing exclusively on large international companies.
Yordi Van den Brande, Business Development Manager at Heylen Warehouses: “The development of the site will be tailored to market needs: what the city, the neighbourhood and businesses need will determine what comes here. It is essential that the site makes room for the local economy: SMEs, craftspeople and entrepreneurs who want to grow in their own city. We are open to new business and invite anyone interested to get in touch with us.”
The parties involved will communicate the next steps in the process in due course, in accordance with the applicable procedures and with respect for the stakeholders concerned.