AVZ-Group presents a new team Let's introduce!

AVZ and Smits Rolluiken en Zonwering, companies that fall under the AVZ Group, have now earned their spurs in the sun protection industry. Everyone in the industry knows the companies, but some of the faces are new. The new people are happy to introduce themselves to the Dutch and Belgian sun protection world in Z&R. 

Introducing!
The four new faces at AVZ and Smits Rolluiken en Zonwering are, from left to right, Tom van Boxtel, Martin Koning, Niels Beerens and Ivo Grevel. Tom van Boxtel is a routinier in the sun protection industry. He used to work at Somfy and then held positions at AVZ for many years, including being responsible for Aurora. On December 1 he started as commercial manager at Smits Rolluiken en Zonwering. 

There he will work with Martin Koning, seated second from left, who has been the new general manager of Smits Rolluiken en Zonwering since Oct. 1. Koning has a wide range of experience, most recently serving as operations manager at Allied Motion Technologies Inc. So he does not come from the shading industry. "I definitely don't see that as a problem, because in a short period of time I've been pretty well introduced to the industry!" 

Standing, second from right, Niels Beerens, who took office as general manager of the AVZ-Group in July of this year. Prior to that, he had been operational director at the AVZ-Group. In that position, he was responsible for day-to-day policy and also for the conversion of production at Smits that was implemented in 2016-2017.^*

Finally, on the right, Ivo Grevel, joined AVZ-Group as commercial director on October 1. Grevel is new to the sun protection industry, prior to this he gained a lot of sales experience at Akzo Nobel and most recently at Struyk Verwo Infra. "Until recently, I was looking down at concrete paving, now up at solar shading!" 

Altera slatted roof.

A team with an eye for the market
The sun protection industry is not unique, of course, but it does have its specific characteristics. Niels Beerens and Tom van Boxtel know the industry, Martin Koning and Ivo Grevel are getting to know it. The gentlemen don't see that as a problem. "In essence, it's the same everywhere," Martin Koning said. "It's about serving the customer as well as possible." Ivo Grevel agrees. "Every industry has its unique facets, but of course there are also a lot of similarities between industries." 

Features of the awning industry are its seasonal and partly still small-scale nature, with family businesses. "But there is a lot of development in that," observes Tom van Boxtel. "Entrepreneurs and consumers are changing. There is constant development, to which we as an industry must respond." Ivo Grevel hooks into that. "Our main objective should be to unburden our customers. With important companies in the industry, the AVZ Group has the knowledge and facilities to prepare sun protection specialists for the future." 

Top year!
The economy is doing well, consumer confidence is high and the weather was great until the end of October. So the 2018 season was very good for the sun protection industry. The AVZ Group was able to take advantage of that as well. "A very good year with a long post-season for all the companies in the group," Niels Beerens summed up the mood.  

Martin Koning elaborates. "This year was indeed good and we hope that 2019 will be just as successful. It is important as a company to continuously move with the market. I have already noticed that there is a loyal and motivated team at Smits that is willing to go along with the changes that are needed." 

Cubola.

Lean machine
Production at Smits has been completely overhauled in recent times. That process, in which Niels Beerens was closely involved as operations director, has been successfully completed.   

"What does remain a challenge is the scarcity in the labor market. Here, too, the AVZ Group has taken proactive action this season, resulting in a high level of customer satisfaction," Beerens notes. Delivery reliability is an important spearhead for Smits, Martin Koning believes. "The sun protection specialist and the project sun protection company must be able to rely on being delivered at the agreed time. A deal is a deal!" 

Strong together
The fact that the new managers are jointly introducing themselves to the Dutch and Belgian sun protection world is the best proof that the close relationship within the AVZ-Group will continue in the future. "The AVZ-Group consists of several leading companies, each with its own specialization," said Tom van Boxtel. "The big advantage is that we all use the same parts and components, which makes switching between self-assembly and turnkey very easy for an awning specialist working with us." "The strength of this combination benefits our customers' flexibility," adds Ivo Grevel. 

"At the AVZ-Group, the customer is central, whether he chooses components or turnkey," Niels Beerens emphasizes. "It fits in with our aim to unburden the customer: every sun protection specialist can choose the solution that suits him best at any time!" 

Altera slatted roof.

Stagnation is decline
One of the AVZ Group's spearheads for the coming years is development and innovation. For example, the previously announced Altera slat roof will be released in early 2019. "Our aim is to release several new products, product improvements or innovations every year from now on," Beerens explains. According to Ivo Grevel, in order to tackle product innovation in the best possible way, interaction with the customer is indispensable: "What needs do our customers and end users have? A more important aspect of product innovation is ease of assembly, partly to anticipate the shortage of assembly personnel."

New hats new laws
New people don't mean a whole new strategy for the AVZ Group for 2019. "We did formulate a number of spearheads," Niels Beerens said. "For example, we want to further intensify the cooperation within the entire AVZ-Group - which is already close-knit - we want to focus on innovation and we will continue with digitalization, especially of the ordering environment to further unburden our customers." Ivo Grevel adds that it is not about change for change's sake: "What we have been doing well for years we want to keep, what can be done better we are going to improve." 

What the AVZ Group wants to develop further is the one-stop-shop idea: customers should be able to come to the AVZ Group for a complete range of products. This may include parts and components for self-assembly, but also ready-made products that only need to be assembled. 

As a parent, does CRH also have a voice in corporate strategy? According to Beerens, it does not. "CRH is and remains our parent, but we operate autonomously, although of course there is influence in certain areas. For example, in the area of safety, for which there are corresponding rules at all CRH companies." 

Cubola.

Group appearance
Most of it has been said, but something still remained unmentioned: the new corporate identity. "We want to implement that further," Niels Beerens concluded. "With this we show our solidarity and radiate recognizability to the outside world."  

^* See Z&R 8 of 2016, p, 10 et seq.

Text: Thijs Pubben    Image: Thijs Pubben, AVZ