In the last year, major festivals in the region, such as Tomorrowland or Rock Werchter, have raised their ticket prices by 5-8%.
In Belgium alone, around 400 festivals are held every summer, attracting around 5 million visitors.
Sarens has positioned itself as a strategic partner in the construction and assembly of highly complex infrastructures for festivals in Belgium, having already participated in major projects such as the 2023 and 2024 editions of Tomorrowland.
Sarens has extensive experience in developing projects in the entertainment industry, having also been involved in the construction of the Las Vegas Sphere, the world's most advanced event venue.
According to public information, major festivals in Belgium have been increasing their costs by 67% in the last decade 2013 - 2024, attributing this increase to factors such as higher artistic fees, stage and lighting rental and logistics. In addition, in the last year, major festivals in the region, such as Tomorrowland or Rock Werchter, have also been raising their ticket prices by between 5% and 8%.
These costs increase also coincides with a raise in average spending by festival attendees. According to a study by iVox and Bancontact Payconiq, a Belgian attendee will spend 426€, which could involve a significant income for the sector, as Belgium alone hosts around 400 festivals every summer, 300 of which are held in Flanders and Brussels, attracting around 5 million visitors.
This increase in the budget allocated to the organisation of events is making it necessary for contractors to optimise costs and be more efficient in their operations in order to achieve a return over the investment. This is why Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, is making all its machinery available to companies in charge of the organisation and logistics of these events, positioning itself as a strategic partner in the construction and assembly of highly complex infrastructures at festivals in Belgium.
The requirements of the sector are challenging given the large scale of the structures, which often have tens of metres and hundreds of tons, so having specialised equipment for the assembly and transport of these structures is essential. In addition, the logistics involved in these events also entail certain technical challenges, with factors such as limited space and coordination between the different teams to meet deadlines. All this combined with the objectives of increasing efficiency and reducing logistics costs.
Sarens already has experience in this type of projects, having been directly involved in the assembly and disassembly of the various stages for festivals such as Tomorrowland, whose main stage was 53 metres high, 270 metres wide and had 990 square metres of video mosaics. For this project, the Sarens engineering team selected telescopic cranes with a load capacity of up to 250 tons, due to their high operability even on terrain with small surfaces, which were transported to the site from its headquarters in Wolvertem.
It is worth noting that, according to Statista, the turnover of the Belgian construction industry is expected to reach USD 27.33 billion by the end of 2025, following a projected growth of 2%, according to the Confédération Construction. These prospects are an incentive for the events sector, which, with highly specialised construction companies such as Sarens, can optimise the entire logistical process to make their investment profitable in an increasingly competitive market.
According to Bart Minen, Sarens Country Manager in Belgium, "In a context where Belgian festivals mobilise millions of attendees and generate hundreds of millions of euros in revenue, logistical efficiency becomes a critical profitability factor. Therefore, we believe we can continue to play a key role in optimising the operations behind major events such as Tomorrowland or Rock Werchter by enabling organisers to reduce set-up times, minimise risks and more efficiently control their operational costs thanks to our extensive experience".
In addition to its involvement in projects such as Rock Werchter, where it used three telescopic cranes with load capacities of 50, 70 and 80 tonnes for the assembly and disassembly of the stages, Sarens has also been able to work on other highly complex projects in the country. The transport of tanks for the Citrosuco plant in Ghent or the maintenance of Cargill's facilities, providing it with the necessary machinery to maximise its biodiesel production, demonstrate the company's capacity to undertake all kinds of projects with maximum efficiency, regardless of their characteristics and degree of complexity.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 66 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/