When I started here, the company was going through a recession rather than in a peak. The mood of optimism that we have been experiencing for the past twelve, thirteen years had not yet developed. At that time I started in the technical department and had a great department head. We got along very well and started together to question everything, from the warehouse concept to the logistics concept and on to the customer structure. We pondered about what we had to do differently, and how. That doesn’t change in a matter of months; it takes years. And then we have to set out on the road.

After the illness of my esteemed colleague, I took over the department at the age of 28. Unfortunately, the financial crisis then came along, and our path to success was abruptly trashed. How could it continue? Well, we walked through rock bottom together, and we also got out again together. And the special thing was that the whole team were on board.

In addition to the openness that we live and breathe, and which we foster among ourselves and with our customers, the standout is quite clearly the courage to make mistakes — and then to also learn from them. And the courage to say “no”. It’s always nice to say “yes”, including to customers. But there’s also a “no”, and that “no” needs to be properly explained.

We live partnerships.