That it all happens in Drunen might be a little exaggerated. However, the fact is that Maarten Pelders and Perry Verberne, Managing Director of Van Beek, met in Drunen last year and thought: “I’d like to know more about you!” A casual chat soon became a serious conversation. And that’s how Maarten became our new commercial engineer.
‘The Van Beek Habitat’ is not completely new to Maarten (52) as he previously worked for a system integrator. “During that time, Van Beek’s screw conveyors would occasionally cross my path.” Now he sees them from a new perspective. The screw conveyor system must fit seamlessly into the overall solution, and the system integrator has now become Maarten’s customer.
In the past, Maarten had worked with dealers to set up complete installations, from product reception to product storage. He is well aware of the challenges this entails. And also of the people involved. This is because Maarten has a broad international network. He keeps his contacts within close reach. “You connect, and then do everything you can to maintain that connection. One way of achieving this is by honouring your commitments”, according to Maarten.
Maarten is no stranger to being curious about those who are interested in Van Beek’s high-qualityy screws. Even if their decision is ultimately to go with another supplier. “I like to reach out to my contacts: Not only the seller / engineer but also the buyer. Because even if we were not the preferred supplier this time, that could change next time. It’s important that our customers know what they can expect from us, which makes it very important to get to know one another.”
Maarten focuses in particular on biomass and ‘sweet goods’: Sugar and solutions for the production of sweets and bars. For the latter, there is the Celsimix, Van Beek’s screw heat exchanger that includes a mixing section. “Great for making the right mix for protein bars and candy bars for example”, Maarten explains.
Sugar is an important raw material for soft drinks. With 60 new production lines that must meet high standards, the producer of a well-known soft drink will continue to meet local demand in India. “Several parties involved are extremely excited about our screw conveyor solutions. Now all we need is to be selected!”, Maarten concludes enthusiastically.
