The fact that IFE bulk Benelux is strongly represented on the Dutch market is largely due to Wijnand van de Vendel. In the interview you can find out how he succeeded, which principles guide him and his team and what he appreciates about IFE.
When did you first encounter the field of bulk material handling in your working life?
Twenty-three years ago, I joined TBK Group as a technical consultant. Prior to that, I was working in the sales of irrigation equipment and was looking for a new challenge. The TBK Group was and is successfully represented on the market with the distribution of conveyor belt systems. Plus, with IFE bulk Benelux, it’s the sales representative for IFE Material Handling in the Benelux countries. This is how my first contact with IFE came about.
The cooperation with the Austrian team was fun from the beginning and is still very constructive, open minded and pleasant to this day. I appreciate this positive atmosphere very much!
What principles do you pay particular attention to as a company owner and in day-to-day business?
I constantly aim to find the best solution for the customer, to think outside the box and to challenge and develop myself. That’s why I also make sure that I consistently pass on my professional knowledge to my colleagues and that I am a reliable contact and calming influence for my team.
Are there any tasks that you don't like to do at all?
The idea of having to spend too much time in the office, instead of being on site with the customer to solve technical challenges, would frustrate me. But fortunately, that’s rarely the case anyway.
In the Benelux countries, IFE machines are used across a wide range of different bulk materials – how does your team manage to cover such a wide variety of applications?
IFE machines stand for first-class quality, flexibility as well as individual design. Therefore, the solutions can be precisely adapted to the task, the material and the respective installation conditions. An extensive portfolio of vibratory conveyors, screening machines and magnetic separators is available.
Our recipe for success is certainly to listen very carefully to the detailed requirements that are placed on us and then to use our experience to find a cross-industry, tailor-made solution.
The original pictures assume how an idea is turned into a finished machine! > > >
Which synergy effects are generated for customers through the cooperation between IFE bulk Benelux and the IFE team in Austria?
We in Holland take care of the technical consulting on site. The machine design is then done at IFE in Austria. Afterwards, we handle the assembly and spare parts management again. I also bring my own service technicians. In production companies in particular, machines tie up a lot of capital. If a machine would fail, this could have far-reaching consequences. If the situation requires it, I can do the repairs myself - even if it takes until late at night. So, the customer can fully rely on us in any situation.
< < < Success has two letters: DO!
Which project was particularly complex for you, but therefore also more exciting?
I still remember the first project with plant manufacturer SENRO very well. The task was to recover smallest remaining metal particles from waste slag while taking up as little space as possible. We succeeded in finding the optimal two-step separation method here, too.
Another common customer is Tata Steel Holland. How many machines are in use there in total?
In the 1990s, we received a large inquiry for the delivery of almost 100 IFE vibratory feeders. Fifteen years later, the first IFE screening machine followed. In the meantime, around ten IFE screens are in operation at Tata Steel Holland.
That's an impressive number! One last question: When you're not busy working, where can people find you?
My family and I travel a lot, watch movies and enjoy time together - also very much in our weekend house on the edge of the forest. The balance between work and family time is very important to me!