“Technische Unie—a dynamic business”

“Right from my first contacts with them, I realized that this was in no way the conservative outfit I’d assumed it was. It’s a dynamic business where people deal with issues in a highly professional way. To give you just one example, I was surprised at how high online sales really are. When you consider what a traditional market Technische Unie operates in, I’d say that’s quite an achievement.”

Individual empowerment
Steef Hallegraeff previously worked for a Swedish company in the industrial automation sector. He set up a branch in the Netherlands and another in Belgium, and was subsequently appointed general manager of the Belgian operation. During the last few years, he held a position with international scope. “I traveled a great deal. And since my two daughters were growing up fast, I wanted to spend more time at home. I also said to myself that the time had come to shift my career into a different gear. Technische Unie has confidence in its people, which gives everybody a chance to play their part as they see fit.”

A sophisticated logistics process
The workload is considerable, as Steef immediately observed as he toured the company. “In some sales offices, they barely have the time to shake anyone’s hand, since they keep getting called to the phone,” he said with a laugh. He just spent a day working side by side with other team members at the Watergraafsmeer logistics center, not only riding along in a truck, but also manning the sales counter. “I wanted to get a clearer idea of how much work is involved and what goes on in the company. When you see all those Technische Unie trucks on the highway, you could easily underestimate how sophisticated the underlying logistics really are. I have tremendous respect for all those people working in synergy to ensure that the process runs smoothly. Doing just that is one of Technische Unie’s key strengths.”