Cor Heemskerk reclaims daily management of company
“I decided three years ago that I wanted to enjoy some free time once in a while,” says Cor, “so I stepped down as everyday manager and appointed a three-member board instead. At the time, it was a good decision. The company had become more specialized in some parts, and there were quite a few specialists around who knew better than me. The time off gave me opportunity to reflect on things, which is always good. Relegating yourself to the side lines every now and then gives you a sharp perspective on life.”
However, when one of the three directors left, Cor relegated himself right back to the main arena. "This time I'm backed by a young, motivated and professional team of people,” Cor explains. “That was necessary because the industry has changed a lot in those three years. The expansion has continued, transparency has increased, both towards the suppliers and the buyers, and permanent contracts and relationships have become the norm. Price levels continue to be of importance of course, but they are no longer the only guiding principle.”
Part of the company’s expansion schedule is some added construction work. “In the existing building we can handle about 120 million units, and we’d like to increase that capacity to 200 million. When purchasing new equipment, we will seek the advice of specialists, and allow room for test runs of different types of machinery. There have been many innovations in our field in the past years, and it’s important to keep up. The intended structure will also allow for a more streamlined assembly, compartmentalizing certain sections in order to secure food safety.”
Sales capacity doesn’t faze Cor. “Last year we closed the books with a 20% overall growth. For this one I predict a 30 to 40% increase. That’s not just a random number, I base that on an increasing customer pool; right now we are just one of five sizeable processing companies. It’s down to Vezet, Hessing, Tuinderij Vers, Fresh Care and us, and I don’t expect any other players to emerge anytime soon. Furthermore, there is large burgeoning client potential in Germany: when it comes to knowhow and advanced technology, we are light years ahead. It should be possible to wheel in some of our Teutonic neighbours.”
Cor Heemskerk is convinced the growth of the industry has not yet come to an end. "Between the average bag of cut endive and the marketing of complete dishes, there is still ample space to be filled. The hospitality sector alone is still waiting to be explored. Hospitals and other institutions now increasingly opt for fresh and convenience, but are not always willing to handle this indoors. I believe that as long as we keep providing quality, people will find us. Providing quality costs money, but failing to provide quality costs mountains of money. And that’s a motto you can frame!”
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