Gerrit van Deursen will retire in July. A striking customer advisor, consultant, you name it - salesman he certainly doesn't want to be called that. After a long career - which he started as a machinist - he eventually joined Geha Laverman in 1999. At Chris Wouters* we looked back on his adventures, worthy of an exciting boy's book....
*Chris Wouters Chris Wouters is director/owner of two wonderful companies. One in Odiliapeel in Brabant and one in Wanroij. His main activities, besides heavy earthmoving, are well drainage and waste collection. In doing so, the company focuses mainly on demolition of agricultural businesses, asbestos remediation and rubble crushing. Chris Wouters: 'What is important to me, that is why I have always enjoyed working with Gerrit: "No whining, solve those problems". I also think that's where the added value of Geha Laverman can be found and I assume that won't change with the arrival of Kurt Breukers.' 'Downtime in our business is a crime and if you're not careful it costs a lot of money. Then it doesn't really matter anymore if you can maybe succeed somewhere cheaper, you want to see that car with parts on your doorstep as soon as possible!' |
The relationship with Chris Wouters dates back to 2000. Back then, Gerrit went with Chris on a low-loader to buy a second-hand crusher in Berlin. Gerrit naturally went along for his expertise - to see if the purchase was a wise one. That immediately created the bond that has now lasted for 16 years!
'It sounds cocky but I particularly value my customers, always have. I have sometimes been called to the carpet for this; "You work here for Geha Laverman and not for your customers!". Maybe that thinking along with me is old-fashioned. With most companies in the wearables industry, it's all about the numbers, optimising sales. But honesty lasts the longest. I will never recommend anything if I don't back it one hundred per cent. My customers know that. I think all my colleagues at Geha Laverman are cut from the same cloth in that respect. Someone came up with a much better solution, which would be much cheaper. I could already see the storm brewing. Typical case of a crusher that would just be patched up with a few new friction strips etc. and run. The €70,000 rotor overhaul that followed would not have been necessary at all'.
'Originally, my district is Southeast Netherlands but it sometimes happened that I accidentally got lost. Later it turned out to be more of a habit, but it actually always happened through no fault of my own. Was I called by a customer near Antwerp, very stressed. Then I went there. Why me? Harderwijk I came there a lot too. Sometimes much further north!
On 1 July, Gerrit will officially retire. Whether Geha Laverman will be history for him then remains to be seen. 'Bought a camper van a few years ago and want to travel a bit. I have a daughter living in Dresden and I'd like to go there a bit more!' Whether at Geha Laverman there is now someone following in his footsteps? 'Yes, there is: Kurt Breukers. Also started as a machinist, is now 44 years old. Has a lot of knowledge on board. Retired or not, he can always count on me in that respect. It also took me years to build up trust with my customers. And I am definitely going to help him with that. I will stay on as an adviser, albeit from the sidelines and certainly no longer 60 hours a week.'
