Hans Stedehouder stepped down as the director of Besseling Techniek. Since April 2, he has been succeeded by Ronald de Vos. "Greenhouse roofs remain our core business, but we're also looking to diversify," says the ambitious successor and the company's new director. Besseling Techniek is known for its Roofmaster roof washer.
After 27 years, Hans Stedehouder is leaving the company that merged with his first enterprise, All Techniek, in 1997. "Both companies were active in machine construction; roof washers were just emerging at the time," he reflects. "I was looking to expand in terms of personnel, production capacity, and business space, Besseling needed new management. As one strong company, we could better respond to the new trend of roof washing."
Roofmaster and Roofmaster Light
In that period, Besseling Techniek exclusively supplied a major supplier. The end of this partnership in 2003 marked a turning point. Stedehouder acquired the sales rights for the Roofmaster roof washer and immediately started developing the Roofmaster Light, which also became a bestseller. Over the years, new features and accessories were added to the equipment. Nowadays, self-propelled, multifunctional machines are used for washing, the simultaneous brushing of gutters, the application of temporary coatings, and the removal of coatings with specific cleaning agents.
Return to technology
Ronald de Vos has a technical background, but at a young age, he decided to work in the flower industry. He worked for Royal Flora Holland in various roles for 14 years, spending the last years as a key account manager in Kenya. In 2017, he became the Managing Director of Dutch Flower Group's local branch in Kenya, overseeing commercial activities, quality management, logistics, and exports to destinations inside and outside Europe.
"Last year, I returned to the Netherlands," he explains. "My time in Africa was incredibly educational and valuable, but after almost nine years, it was time for a change. And to be honest, I did long to do something in technology at a management level. That's how I quickly got in touch with Hans."
Harvesting the daylight
De Vos joined the company on January 1 and has since settled into his role. He is eager to fulfill the ambitions of the Green Technology Group (GTG).
"The Board and GTG had already expressed a desire to diversify our activities, leveraging our existing knowledge and expertise," he elaborates. "We put more effort into product development, with Hans remaining closely involved as a technical advisor for the time being. The rest of his duties have largely been transferred to me. I feel that this job suits me and that I fit well in the team, the teamwork is excellent. Today, more than 70% of our turnover comes from exports, when it comes to this domain I can bring in some experience. Together, we will continue to promote and prove our slogan 'Harvesting the daylight'. This slogan shows that we don't understand ourselves to be producers of extra daylight and growth rather than producers of roof washers. The coming years will show how we will realize this.
Gratitude and confidence
Although Stedehouder will remain connected to the company, he turned into a household name, and he wishes to have the last word. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife and my family for all their support and their patience. I also want to thank all employees for their trust and their dedication, without them, I could not have done all of this. This naturally extends to our customers and suppliers. And last but not least, I want to express my confidence in Ronald and wish him a lot of success in his exciting and challenging role as the director of Besseling Techniek."
For more information:
Besseling Techniek
Keplerstraat 14, 1704 SJ
Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31 72 571 97 12
Email: info@besselingtechniek.nl
www.besselingtechniek.nl