Van Laere started their construction activities in January 1938 in Zwijndrecht, in the immediate vicinity of Antwerp city and the port. At the outset, the activity was limited to the establishment of residential and apartment buildings. Later, road and road works were also adopted, as well as a number of hydraulic engineering works and industrial projects.Van Laere NV has had a permanent boom on the Zwijndrecht site and business departments have been installed to support the activities on the construction sites.