“Thanks to our Polish employees, our customers can count on us”

 

How do you build a team of engaged, loyal employees who can hold their own? For Vierhouten Palletindustrie B.V. in Putten, this question has a clear answer, as far as Bert Bolwerk, the site manager, is concerned. “We have just such a team since we started working with Workstead. Whenever we receive a rush order and we have to deliver a few hundred pallets to a client site within two hours, I have the confidence to promise ‘yes, we can’. Thanks to our Polish employees.”

 

Almost everything ends up on pallets made by Vierhouten Palletindustrie. “Anything, literally anything”, says Bolwerk. “Stuff for cargo, chemicals, automotive, vegetables, pharmaceutical products, logistics service providers. Any company that has something to transport on pallets can come to us.”

 

Quality

This broad range requires in-depth knowledge, says Bolwerk. “Sure, we deliver pallets. New, used, in all kinds of types and sizes. Even dry pallets stored indoors to prevent affecting the customer’s products. To us, pallets are more than just the thing you use to carry stuff. We see pallets as a crucial logistics link to our customers. A link that can save money and time. It is always about continuity and efficiency. The right type of pallet can have a major impact.’ The quality of Vierhouten Palletindustrie is not only apparent from the swift increase in the number of satisfied customers. ‘We like proving it, as a top 3 player. We are ISO certified, we have BIO, ISPM15/HT and EPAL-certifications’.

 

People are key

In order to keep the continuity and efficiency of the customers at a high level, the same is required for Vierhouten Palletindustrie. ‘People are key in this respect’, says Bolwerk. ‘That is exactly the reason for collaborating with Workstead. We can always count on the 25 Polish employees that Workstead seconded to us. Each one of them has been working here for many years.

 

Well organised

This is also thanks to Workstead’s work methods, in Bolwerk’s experience. “Workstead recommends the right people. That is incredibly important to start with. Additionally, Workstead organises everything smoothly. The in-depth knowledge about secondment makes sure they can give us good advice. The account manager also speaks Polish, ensuring that everything is clear. And if there are any issues, they tend to get resolved very quickly. The entire back office is very well organised, also for the employees personally. From accommodation to the administrative system.’

 

Practice

In spite of Workstead’s growth, the company keeps both feet on the ground, in Bolwerk’s perception. “They are still people rooted in practice, and they know the practical situation through and through. This makes working with Workstead very pleasant. And I am not the easiest customer. I am quite critical. The people who get a job here are frequently dealing with peak activity, if we have to get a few hundred pallets out to a customers right now, without notice. It is heavy work too. So it really is demanding. Thanks to collaborating with Workstead, I have an excellent team of Polish employees. They hold their own and give an indispensable contribution to Vierhouten Palletindustrie’.