Warning lights
Signals from the annual accounts, the CBE and the Official Gazette, each with its threshold and source. No score, no verdict.
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Negative equity NBB
More debt than assets in 2 of the last 4 fiscal years.
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Two loss years in a row NBB
Negative result in 2023 and 2024.
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Tight liquidity NBB
Cash and receivables cover 15 % of short-term debt in 2024; threshold 65 %.
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Shrinking team NBB
FTE fell two years in a row, from 43.4 to 10.7.
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Legal situation KBO
Opening faillissement according to the CBE.
Financials
Financial year 2024
Universal Express from Brussel, company number BE0403476052, closed financial year 2024 with a result of € -1.8 million after tax. For that financial year Universal Express recorded revenue of € 5.5 million and equity of € -2.8 million. Compared with financial year 2023, the result moved from € -3.9 million to € -1.8 million. The company made a loss. More debts than assets. High debts against a small own buffer. The most recent annual accounts were filed with the National Bank of Belgium on July 11, 2025.
€ -2.8 million
▼ € 1.8 million vs 2023
Assets minus debts, by the books. What is left if everything were sold and paid today.
€ -1.8 million
▲ 55 % less loss than in 2023
Profit after tax over the fiscal year.
€ 36,830
▼ 73% vs 2023
Cash and bank balances on the last day of the fiscal year.
Loss, nothing to pay out
Reserves fell to € -7.2 million.
People and assets in 2024
10.7
▼ 20.3 vs 2023
Average over the fiscal year, from the social balance sheet.
€ 773,616
▼ 61% vs 2023
€ 72,300 per full-time equivalent. Payroll staff only. What the director pays themselves is already netted into the gross margin and is not shown separately in the accounts.
€ 12,301
▲ 25% vs 2023
Book value of vehicles, furniture and equipment.
Debts at end 2024
€ 309,278
▼ 50% vs 2023
Loans from banks and other lenders, long and short.
€ 1.5 million
▲ 13% vs 2023
Supplier invoices still open on the last day of the fiscal year. Pays suppliers within 83 days on average.
€ 580,904
▼ 10% vs 2023
Taxes, VAT and social contributions still to pay.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Change 2023 → 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | € 16,064,676 | € 18,540,945 | € 7,872,084 | € 5,484,114 | ▼ 30% |
| Profit after taxes | € -948,454 | € -980,493 | € -3,939,676 | € -1,789,251 | ▲ € 2.2 million |
| Equity | € 3,932,737 | € 2,952,244 | € -987,432 | € -2,776,683 | ▼ € 1.8 million |
| Total debts | € 9,163,019 | € 8,614,367 | € 10,919,382 | € 12,544,863 | ▲ 15% |
| Cash | € 272,236 | € 94,411 | € 135,778 | € 36,830 | ▼ 73% |
| Land & buildings | € 74,246 | - | - | - | |
| Retained profit | € -537,836 | € -1,518,329 | € -5,458,005 | € -7,247,257 | ▼ € 1.8 million |
| Bank debt | € 858,403 | € 774,357 | € 623,198 | € 309,278 | ▼ 50% |
| Balance sheet total | € 13,095,756 | € 11,566,612 | € 9,931,950 | € 9,768,179 | ▼ 2% |
| Employees (FTE) | 37.7 | 43.4 | 31 | 10.7 | ▼ 20.3 |
Key figures of Universal Express, fiscal years 2021 to 2024, from the annual accounts filed with the National Bank of Belgium.The annual account for fiscal year 2025 has not been filed yet; it was expected before 31 July 2026.
What happened to Universal Express?
What happened at Universal Express in recent years, according to the Belgian Official Gazette, the CBE and the National Bank:
Universal Express is active according to the CBE. Legal situation: Opening faillissement.
- New annual accounts for financial year 2024: loss of € 1.8 million. Source: NBB ↗
- New establishment in Brugge. KBO
- New establishment in Aalst. KBO
- New establishment in Antwerpen. KBO
- New establishment in Brugge. KBO
- Start of the company according to the CBE. KBO
- New establishment in Brussel. KBO
- New establishment in Steenokkerzeel. KBO
In short
From € 948,454 loss in 2021 to € 1.8 million loss in 2024.
Paid € 9,168 in corporate taxes since 2021.
Pays suppliers within 83 days on average.
Management
The stake of LEMAN, Ziegler comes from that shareholder’s own annual accounts; small companies do not report their shareholders themselves.
Universal ExpressBehind Universal Express are Charlotte Ziegler, DILIGENCIA CONSULT SRL and Alain ZIEGLER. The shares are held by LEMAN (77.4%) and Ziegler (21.3%). It owns 22.7% of ZIEGLER GMBH and 8% of ZIEGLER itself.
Directors
According to the 2024 annual accounts
Charlotte Ziegler
Director
Also active at: COMPAGNIE ARDENNAISE DELCOURT, La Maison Suisse de Bruxelles, Intertrans, DORNACH, TRANSPORTS AHN, INTERLOGISTICS, Z IMMO
Director · represented by Diane GOVAERTS
Also active at: COMPAGNIE ARDENNAISE DELCOURT, D'Ieteren Group, Ziegler, Louis De Bie, Carga, Intertrans, Green Ocean Lines, Immobilière Socomanex +13 more
Alain ZIEGLER
Managing director
Also active at: COMPAGNIE ARDENNAISE DELCOURT, Louis De Bie, Carga, Intertrans, Green Ocean Lines, Immobilière Socomanex, Dimo, IMMOBILIERE ARIANE +14 more
Participations
22.7%
8%
Establishments
Establishment units
Physical locations of this company
Vilvoordsesteenweg 11
1120 Brussel
Vliegveld 747C
1820 Steenokkerzeel
Active since 1 July 1956
Wijngaardveld 34
9300 Aalst
Active since 1 July 1974
Moerstraat 15
2040 Antwerpen
Active since 1 May 1974
Kustlaan 180A
8380 Brugge
Active since 1 December 1968
Karveelstraat 16
8380 Brugge
Active since 1 July 2022
Who else lives here?
A building full of entrepreneurs or one very busy letterbox? Another 9 companies are registered at this address.
All companies at this address →Satrex
Ziegler same network
€ 129.4 million revenue · 2024
Intertrans same network
€ 62.8 million revenue · 2024
DORNACH same network
€ 2.6 million gross margin · 2024
INACTRANS same network
€ 79,286 gross margin · 2024
+4 more
What is an establishment unit? An establishment unit is a geographically identifiable place where activities of the enterprise are carried out.
Details
- Company number
- 0403.476.052
- VAT number
- BE 0403.476.052
- Registered office
- Vilvoordsesteenweg 11, 1120 Brussel
- Names & denominations
- Universal Express
- Enterprise type
- Rechtspersoon
- Legal form
- Public limited company
- Legal situation
- Opening faillissement
- Start date
- 3 July 1956
- Peppol
- Active · Active since 28 Sept 2026
- Activities · NACE
Goederenvervoer over de weg