According to Rick, the development of a large industrial vacuum cleaner was not a one-way street. “We literally carry out our development work with our customers. This is based on the maintenance contracts. We see exactly what happens to these machines every year. It helps us develop our product further; because what is the most important thing our customers are looking for? That's correct, they want less wear and tear. They want maximum productivity and minimal (preferably no) wear and tear. We are now analysing the production processes. We want to immerse ourselves in understanding the Big Data generated from these production processes. We see ourselves as part of the customer's team. We do not see ourselves as a supplier, but as a productivity partner.”

At the same time, Rick is also aware that the continuous recruitment of good staff is also an issue. “Fortunately, we have little staff turnover – we are always celebrating work anniversaries here! – but we are very strict; we base our staff selections on whether the applicant fits our work culture. We also like to work with interns, which means we have good contact with local schools.

Of course, we see that good staff are scarce in the market. But that is also our responsibility. We recruit from the source. From the schools. Moreover, we see that potential applicants want to work with big names. This means, we have to demonstrate that we are a big name every time.”
 

When Rick is asked where he sees KOKS Group in 10 years, the answer is clear. “We will have increased our production capacity in a new building. This year, we will take our first steps in the United States, which means our exports will increase. I think we will be widely known around the world in 10 years. In any case: all signs point in that direction.”