A family business handling 16,000 unique products per week and professional customers who had been ordering via catalogue, phone and fax for decades: Van Hoecke's digital transformation was no small feat. Yet the ambition was crystal clear: one platform where every customer, from small carpenter to large interior builder, can independently configure, order and track. Together, we built a digital order intake that now processes 100% of all b2b orders and supports Van Hoecke's international growth.
From catalogue to 100% digital order intake b2b
Custom-built platform with Drupal and Symfony
Product configurators for complex furniture fitting systems
9,000 active kitchen builders and interior builders across 7 countries
Privacy-first cookie management with CookieHub
Long-term partnership since 2017
The challenge
How do you digitise the entire ordering process of a b2b company whose customers have been accustomed to catalogues, phone and fax for decades?
The solution
An intuitive, custom-built platform that makes complex product configuration accessible and guides professional customers step by step through the digital transition.
Van Hoecke × iO: building digital maturity, together
Van Hoecke is a Belgian family business from Sint-Niklaas that has served the furniture industry since 1967. As a distributor of hinges, lift systems and drawer systems from Austrian brand Blum, they have been market leaders in the Benelux for years. With a distinct b2b approach, they primarily supply kitchen builders and interior builders. With their own brands ORGALUX and TA'OR, Van Hoecke expanded into Switzerland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. More than 350 employees deliver an annual turnover of €112 million.
Since 2017, we have been Van Hoecke's trusted digital partner. Our collaboration goes beyond individual projects: we think strategically about digital growth, continuously enrich the platform and help Van Hoecke stay ahead in a rapidly digitalising sector. This case highlights the transformation to 100% digital order intake, but our partnership encompasses much more: from privacy compliance to continuous platform development.
Why digital order intake was the only way forward
Van Hoecke's professional customers ordered via catalogue, phone and fax for decades. It worked, but it didn't scale. Errors crept into manual orders, processing time was high and international expansion was hindered by language barriers and time zones. The question wasn't whether Van Hoecke needed to digitalise, but how to bring thousands of kitchen builders along without losing them.
The key was usability. A b2b platform for furniture fittings must support complex product configurations: drawers with specific dimensions, hinges with exact angles, runners for various applications. At the same time, it must be so intuitive that a carpenter who has never ordered online can get started immediately.
A platform built around the customer, not around the technology
Our approach started with the end user. Together with Van Hoecke, we mapped the customer journey: from initial orientation to repeat purchase. Every touchpoint was optimised for self-sufficiency. Kitchen builders can configure products with visual aids, calculate their price instantly and check real-time stock availability.
The result is a platform that processes 100% of b2b orders, fully digital. Customers place orders 24/7, regardless of time zone or language. Error rates dropped dramatically because configurations are automatically validated. And Van Hoecke's team can focus on advice and relationship management rather than order processing.
Technical architecture that grows with ambition
Under the bonnet, we combine Drupal as the content management system with Symfony for e-commerce logic. This separation gives Van Hoecke flexibility: the marketing team manages content independently, while complex order flows and integrations remain robust and scalable.
The product configurators are the heart of the platform. They translate Van Hoecke's expertise into a digital experience: customers select applications, specify dimensions and instantly receive the right product recommendation. What previously required telephone advice from a specialist now happens automatically, without compromising on quality.
Privacy-first cookie management across all domains
Digital growth brings responsibility. With customers in 7 countries and 24 domains, Van Hoecke's cookie management needed to be watertight and user-friendly. We implemented CookieHub as a central solution: one account managing all domains, fully GDPR-compliant and cost-efficient.
The result is transparent data management without friction. Visitors retain control over their preferences, while Van Hoecke complies with all European privacy legislation. Technically and ethically sound.
Continuous development: a platform that's never finished
Since launch, the platform hasn't stood still. Together with Van Hoecke, we analyse user data, identify improvements and build new functionality. From more extensive configurators to smarter search: every quarter the platform grows stronger.
This is the power of a long-term partnership. Not a one-off delivery, but continuous optimisation. We know Van Hoecke's business, their professional customers and their ambitions. This enables us not only to respond to requests, but to proactively identify opportunities.
The numbers
1%
Digital order intake: all b2b orders run through the platform
1
Unique products processed per week
1
Active customers per year
1
Full shopping carts per month
1
Countries where Van Hoecke serves customers digitally
1
Domains managed under one CookieHub account
€1M
Annual turnover
From family business to digital frontrunner in b2b
Van Hoecke's transformation proves that digital order intake needn't come at the cost of customer closeness. On the contrary: by giving kitchen builders and interior builders self-sufficiency, space is created for genuine conversations about advice and innovation. The platform now processes 100% of b2b orders, but the impact reaches further. Van Hoecke's 350 employees spend less time on administration and more on value creation. Professional customers in 7 countries order whenever it suits them, in their own language, without waiting. And the family business that started in 1967 now has a digital foundation that supports further international growth. From catalogue to digital frontrunner: built together, ready for the future.
