History of SAES

SAES International was founded in 1982 by Henk Saes. Since then, SAES International has been manufacturing and supplying attachments for the recycling, demolition, and earthmoving industries. Our history at a glance…

1982 Start of In-House Production

Henk Saes started manufacturing steel constructions, mainly excavator buckets, loading buckets, fork frames, and boom extensions. His products quickly became known for their innovative designs and exceptional quality.

To meet the growing demand, series production was transferred to Eastern Europe during the 1990s—an unusual move for a Western European company at the time. To this day, large-scale production of these attachments continues there. Urgent orders, custom-built attachments, and rebuilds are carried out in our own workshop in Weert.

1992 – Partnership with a Japanese Hydraulic Breaker Manufacturer

The product range was expanded with hydraulic demolition tools. SAES entered into a partnership with FRD, the Japanese hydraulic breaker manufacturer that was establishing itself in Europe at the time. Henk Saes successfully introduced this then relatively unknown brand to both the Dutch and Belgian markets.

2015 – Exclusive Atlas Copco Distributorship

After more than twenty years as the Dutch representative of FRD and delivering thousands of hydraulic breakers, SAES International was offered the exclusive distributorship of market leader Atlas Copco in early 2015. The outstanding quality of the Atlas Copco product range made the decision straightforward, and the partnership was quickly established.

2017 Epiroc Distributorship

Atlas Copco split its operations, creating Epiroc as an independent company for its mining and demolition business. Since then, hydraulic demolition attachments have been marketed worldwide under the Epiroc name. The quality of the attachments remained unchanged, as did our exclusive distributorship.

2018 and beyond... In the years that followed, SAES International added several exclusive distributorships to its portfolio, including the Spanish Xcentric® Ripper, the German Erkat®, the American LaBounty, the Korean ESTM, and the Italian VTN. This resulted in a comprehensive product range with one common denominator: uncompromising quality.

During this period, SAES International evolved from a traditional supplier into a trusted partner. A partner that delivers not just products, but complete solutions—taking the burden off its customers is at the heart of everything we do. Today, our service offering is almost as extensive as our product portfolio. Our products and services are no longer limited to the Benelux but are supplied and rented worldwide to machine manufacturers, dealers, distributors, rental companies, contractors, and dredging companies.

2026 – A New Chapter

In 2026, Erland Morelissen acquired SAES International from Henk Saes, who remains involved with the company as an advisor. The team, the headquarters in Weert, and the brand portfolio remain unchanged, and all existing agreements and exclusive distributorships continue without interruption.

This transition also marks the beginning of the next phase. Projects are becoming shorter and more specialised, while demand for immediate availability and reliable service continues to grow. That is where our focus lies: expanding our service organisation, increasing parts availability, and offering an extensive rental fleet alongside our sales activities. This ensures that customers always have access to the right solution for every project. Building on more than forty years of expertise, SAES International is committed to further strengthening its position throughout the Benelux and beyond.