The story of Tien Sugar begins as early as 1836. That year, Joseph Vandenberghe de Binckom and Pierre Van den Bossche submitted a building application to the Tienen City Council. The city granted a permit and the birth of the Tien Sugar Refinery was a fact. By the end of 19th century, the factory was a medium-sized business. Thanks to numerous technical improvements and innovations, the total annual production of refined sugar in Tienen rose from 7,000 tons in 1894 to 62,000 tons in 1913.
The company also began exporting sugar at this time and took over other Belgian sugar factories. After World War II, the Tien Sugar Refinery continued to provide important innovations in the sugar industry. Among other things, the company had a hand in improving seed selection and optimizing beet cultivation. The company also pioneered in the social field. Long before the legislature did, the Tien Sugar Refinery introduced the principle of paid leave and limited working hours to eight hours a day.
