Global - Gielissen | Interiors | Exhibitions

Transcription

Global - Gielissen | Interiors | Exhibitions
In this XXL Global
It has taken a little while, but here it is: the new
Global. Packed as never before with more pages and
plenty of articles covering a veritable spectrum of
topics and unique items that combined highlights the
wide range of sectors we operate in on behalf of our
clients. From cultural institutions to heavy excavation
equipment. The Rozet for example - the new cultural
palace in Arnhem or the Ocean Museum in Biarritz,
close to the French-Spanish border. Or, read the
interview with Floating Houses, the German maritime
architect’s firm for whom Gielissen is currently building
a number of houseboats, or the article reporting on
the enormous stand complex with which Hitachi
Construction Machinery Europe participated in the
Bauma. But in this edition of the Global you’ll also find
non-client related articles. Ever heard of Brand utilities?
Your company may be able to benefit from this.
And, in Innovation Lab, our new column, we outline
a few innovative 3D technologies that quicken the
heartbeat of festival goers and event participants.
In a nutshell: huge diversity and great items in our
new Global. Enjoy!
GLOBAL
Rozet: the new Arnhem cultural center
The finest and most
imposing and versatile
stairway in the Netherlands
Already an unparalleled cultural icon
When the Global editor steps into Rozet in Arnhem, the
brand-new center in the field of knowledge, culture and
education, he looks in vain for a central reception desk.
He has an appointment with Robert van Aalderen, project
manager with the municipality of Arnhem, and then,
as visitor, you naturally report to a central reception unit.
For a moment, he thinks he has spotted it on the second
floor, where two rather formal gentlemen are seated
behind a sort of broad wooden balustrade. But they then
turn out to be two visitors to the library who are working
there on their laptops on an internal balcony.
So now wait for Peter Broere, Project Manager at Gielissen and
responsible for the Gielissen activities in Rozet. He is also present
at the interview. And because the editor has turned up far too
early for the appointment, he decides to take a look round
the building (after all, it is a public building). With growing
amazement and admiration, for one imposing sight follows
another: the imposingly wide, 200 meter long oak interior
stairway along the north and south facades of the building,
the many showcases and cupboards framed in wood along the
high interior of that same stairway, the enormous library over
two floors, the exhibition area/coffee corner at the landing of
the stairway (180° change of direction), the magnificent grand
café on the first floor and at the top the theater auditorium and
the large roof terrace with a wonderful panorama across the
old city center. And then the user areas: nowhere do you get
the impression that the stairway has consumed too many square
meters. The library in particular is splendid, partly thanks to the
book cases integrated into the facade walls. When the Global
editor is standing around, somewhat dazed, enjoying all he
has seen, Peter Broere taps him on the shoulder: time for the
appointment.
Read more on page 2
Column Wigman
Different times,
different directions
Do you often also get the feeling we’re living in
exceptional times? Of course, the economy isn’t running
as well as we would all like. To start with politicians and
many economists have for a long time impressed upon
us that we’re experiencing difficult times and are now
declaring (with well-founded reason?) that things are
on the up. We are all busy making cuts and cost-savings
where we can, and the competition sometimes seems
to be price-based. In short: it all looks pretty bleak.
Yet, simultaneously, every day brings with it fantastic
opportunities for every business, and we encounter
fantastic new projects.
The rosettes
Tiny sculptures not only cover the exterior facades, but also
decorate many locations in the building. They are rosettes
and also give the cultural complex its name. Robert van
Aalderen: ‘The Arnhem-based graphic design studio
Catalogtree searched for a metaphor for knowledge transfer,
the basic objective of Rozet. They subsequently came up with
their own version of a Penrose diagram, a figure that roughly
speaking lays causal links in space and time. A diagram that
in turn finds its inspiration in the behavior of salt crystals.
Under certain natural conditions, these multiply themselves
and produce the most fantastic patterns. Surely a fine
metaphor for increasing knowledge?’
Contrasting emotions therefore;
emotions that conflict considerably.
The question of course is how to deal with that. Our
business too must find a way of tackling in that tricky
market and ever-increasing price pressure. In the previous
Global we wrote how we duly realized that we must
produce as leanly as possible. An efficient production
process and avoiding costs of failure are an absolute
must in this day and age.
But we’ll continue to operate of course. Indeed, that
underpins our organization.
We do so by delving into client’s queries as promptly
and as best as we can, each and every day. After all,
increasingly stringent standards are being imposed
on response times too. Our clients (naturally) expect a
substantiated response, as well as acceptable pricing.
This we were already doing, however we are trying to
expand upon this wherever possible; sometimes quite
literally, such as with the Qatar-based branch. Here too
new and different business relationships with clients
and suppliers are being initiated. You see, we believe
the traditional relationships between client and supplier
are also changing.
Only by truly working ‘leanly’ together will yield the
best results and that is only possible with good, open
understanding between client and supplier. That’s more
easily said than done when different interests have to be
taken into account, yet is essential in attaining optimum
results. In my opinion we’re all trying to find our way in this.
We would be delighted to hear your thoughts: how do
you see the future, the relationship between you and
Gielissen, and how can we facilitate one another?
And, talking about the future: 2014; a year in which
we can perhaps live up to the aforementioned, in full
faith in one another’s good intentions and specialist
competencies. I would like to wish you a prosperous
New Year, both personally and with your business.
Bart Wigman, CEO
Four cultural institutes
“No,” says Van Aalderen, responsible at the local council for this
type of multi-functional building project, “we don’t have a central
desk here. It isn’t necessary. The institutes housed here - the Library,
the Art Company, The National University, and the Heritage Center
(the city museum) - form a clear and transparent entity where each
visitor can, using the excellent routing signs, arrive wherever he or
she must be. That was also the assignment to Neutelings Riedijk,
the architect: design a building that houses four relatively diverse
institutes and functions - working, reading, learning, borrowing
‘We give the client what he wants,
not what he expects.’
(Jan Willem Neutelings)
(library and art lending library) and experiencing - and yet still create
one synergetic entity. Thus multi-functional in the true sense of the
word, but also with an emphatically public character, an enormous
living room where everybody feels at home. The integration of
functions can be found in everything: in the imposing stairway,
actually a sort of city street with the functions a street has, in the
many seating corners, the food and drink facilities, the entrances to
the various ‘shops’ etc. In combination, these generate a feeling of
being at home, of being in the right place. Incidentally, the rooms
and exhibition and presentation possibilities (the wooden frames,
for example) are also excellent for communal activities. Around
a specific theme for example. And the sixth (top) floor is, with
its terrace and café, an ideal location for literally a top-level party
or business meeting.”
Schedule of requirements preeminent
“It’s true, on our site you will search in vain for a certain philosophy,
vision, mission statement or whatever you would like to call it.”
Frank Beelen, architect at the renowned Rotterdam-based
Neutelings Riedijk architect agency, is talking. And with Rozet,
the agency has added another outstanding project to its roll of
honor. “For us, the schedule of functional requirements is always
preeminent. ‘Form follows function’, in which Form must really be
the best possible architecture, so the peak of architectonic design.
The question we always ask ourselves first when addressing a new
project is how we are going to fill the volume programmatically,
so within which spatial structure can all functions, literally and
figuratively, fall into place. Of course we do have an architectural
credo. We like clean, geometric shapes, shapes that tease and
challenge, without sacrificing anything in functionality. As a
rule with facades that are covered with a thin skin of decorative
patterns, ‘the jacket’ as we call it ourselves. A well designed
sculptural building must also have various layers. Take Rozet:
from the distance you only see that it is a striking sand color
(‘Arnhem blond’ according to Beelen) building; you cannot
distinguish any details. As you get closer, you see the whole
structure, the shape of the building, in particular the vertical,
springing concrete elements with which the facades are constructed.
When you are really close, you see that the facades are studded
with rosettes, the decorative mini-sculptures after which the
building is named and which actually form the Rozet logo.”
No square, but a street
“Initially we had a type of Italian square in mind, and around it the
four institutes and other public functions. But we quickly rejected
that idea; the site where Rozet would be built was too long and too
narrow for that. That is why the square became a street, a street
that rises through all the floors and ends at the sixth (the top).”
‘We like clean, geometric shapes,
shapes that tease and challenge,
without losing anything in
functionality’
(Frank Beelen of Neutelings Riedijk)
Gielissen and Rozet
Gielissen constructed virtually all fixed interior sections and also
a number of the individual elements of Rozet. That took place
in two stages. The first was part of the carcassing. For that,
Gielissen constructed, among other things, the solid wood
corridor frames, the oak corridor walls, all soundproofing
internal facade coverings, also made of oak, the casing of the
columns and naturally the imposing stairway. In the second
stage, they built all the fitted furniture, including the 200
wooden frames and showcases, the interiors of the grand café,
the library and the theater auditorium (including the padded
walls there). And, as mentioned earlier, several large interior
sections including the enormous table in the grand café.
‘The collaboration with Gielissen
was very good. We are not easy;
we can go on about things for hours.
But each time the result exceeded
our expectations’
(deMunnik-deJong-Steinhauser)
When the subject of ‘sustainability’ is mentioned, Beelen explains
that this was self-evidently an important item in the design. “
As, incidentally, it is with every building today. Take the enormous
stairway, the inside street. This does not only determine the spatial
layout of the building, but thanks to the natural draft of the air
from below to above, it also acts as a climate-neutral ventilation
facility. Further, there are solar panels on the roof, the building
has heat and cold storage and the roof is overgrown with plants.
We have also mainly made use of natural materials: wood, metal,
concrete and glass. The building is also literally sustainable, by the
way: it is constructed in such a way that it can withstand the ravages
of time. Coming generations must also be able to enjoy Rozet.”
Feeling for detail
deMunnik-deJong-Steinhauser designed special cupboards for the
library, which match the characteristic architecture. The concrete
cores between the corridor street and the library are used
functionally and fitted with specially designed ‘core cupboards’.
The library floors are ‘embraced’ by what may be the longest
bookcase in the world: this ‘facade cupboard’ folds itself around
the windows and perfectly follows the rhythm of the facade.
The rhythm of bookcases, interspersed with diffuse incidence of
daylight, gives a very special effect. Together with ‘free-standing
cupboards’, made of white perforated steel, they are in perfect
balance with the solid oak and concrete of the facades.
(deMunnik-deJong-Steinhauser)
Cupboard filled with knowledge
They talk about the Rozet project with inspiration and enthusiasm.
The biggest challenge, it emerged from their explanation, was
in giving each of the participants in Rozet their own face. In the
interior design by deMunnik-deJong-Steinhauser, the individual
institutes do indeed have a clear personal identity, but attention has
also been paid to a shared identity. In the design, the building really
becomes a ‘cupboard filled with knowledge’. This beautiful piece of
The Heritage Center
When entering Rozet the visitor can go in two directions. The road
to the left leads to the cellar, to the Heritage Center, where a
semi-permanent exhibition about the past and present of Arnhem
can be seen. An ingenious showcase system offers various
possibilities for exhibiting the heritage collection and linking it to
fascinating stories. In the middle of the space are the large ‘source
showcases’ with a large number of exhibited objects, with smaller
‘mounted showcases’. Considerable attention has been paid to
the construction: large glass surfaces and narrow profiles give an
uninterrupted view of the exhibited objects. Around the museal
central area is an in-depth layer with additional information and
study places for archive research. This is a cupboard wall with
spy-holes, showcases and seating areas. The uppermost part of
these wall-high cupboards is manufactured of translucent acrylate,
a material that filters the daylight as it enters. The rear is fitted with
LED lighting, which provides sufficient light for the area and yet still
retains the museum-like character.
Halfway through the interview there is a sudden cheer. Apparently
the library has been voted the very best library in the Netherlands
(see editorial box).
‘We have given the individual
institutes a clear personal identity,
but attention has also been paid
to a shared identity’
Interior design
The interior design comes from the design tables and screens of
architect collective deMunnik-deJong-Steinhauser, a collaboration
between De Munnik (Bert), De Jong (Gertjan), both architects and
Steinhauser (Abbie), spatial designer. All three were involved with
the interior design of Rozet from the very start, when it was being
undertaken by Merkx+Girod architects, the renowned agency that
was awarded the interior design but withdrew half-way through.
In good consultation with Evelyne Merkx, one of the name partners
of Merkx+Girod - they still share the same (friendly) building in the
Amsterdam Jordaan district - Abbie, Bert and Gertjan took over the
assignment.
‘A tested collaboration in a new format’ they call it themselves.
‘Tested’ because within the Merkx-Girod context they had already
designed a number of high profile interiors, such as that of the
Amsterdam Hermitage, the temporary Rijksmuseum in the Philips
Wing and the Selexyz bookstore in the Dominican Church in
Maastricht.
furniture is not only found in the frame wall and the library, but also
in the café-restaurant. A large cupboard of Sendzimir galvanized
steel separates the bar and the kitchen from the seating area.
It occupies the whole breadth of the rear wall and connects the
rooms that are partly separated from each other by three concrete
cores. Large tables and sofas fill the space and are interspersed with
second-hand furniture, reupholstered in contemporary fabrics.
Best library in the Netherlands
During a festive event in the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht
(early October), the library of Rozet was chosen as Best library
in the Netherlands 2013, in the category large libraries.
From the jury report: ‘Designer Neutelings Riedijk has in
collaboration with the interior architect and the team of
the library created a magnificent library. Everything breaths
quality, including the collection, and they have thought of
every detail.”
Innovation LAB*
Open-mouthed, glittering eyes,
hearts beating faster...
A festival, a trade show, a sports event - anywhere
where large groups of people converge - yields
countless opportunities to emphatically focus
attention on a particular aspect or object. And,
in such a way that it makes and leaves behind
an unforgettable impression. For this purpose
a number of innovative technologies, let’s say,
spectacular gadgets, can nowadays be deployed.
Really, ‘making an impression’ is putting it too
lightly; these new technologies leave mouths
agape, make eyes glitter and hearts beat faster.
In short: they lend the event an unprecedented,
and thus entirely novel, dimension, and as such
communicative power. Some could now even be
designated true ‘game changers’ for a particular
brand, event or location.
Video mapping
Video Mapping is another state-of-the-art technology that draws
the attention of a large gathering via light effects towards a vast
two or three dimensional object. An object made up of hundreds
of small video screens upon which all kinds of color variations and
any desired image can be projected. These objects can be anything,
from bespoke imaginative objects to customary forms such
as animals, human shapes, car models, (Christmas) trees, etc.
As such they transform into a single large dynamic, 3D video
screen. So, forget the traditional flat screen but instead any form
you can conceivably think of. Objects that were previously static
change via video mapping into integrated, ever-changing
structures. Video mapping can of course be combined with
sound systems.
www.sober-industries.com
Hypo surface
An enormous video screen still makes a huge impression, but if
that video wall suddenly starts to undulate or show other three
dimensional movements, then that impressiveness increases
tenfold. This is possible with Hypo surface: a digital technology
that transforms a previously static video wall into an ultra dynamic,
flexible image projection. The undulating and/or movement effect
is so impressive that people standing close to the screen draw
back when it starts to ‘move’. The visual surprise is literally
unparalleled and embodies the communicative power of this
technology.
The options are, of course, limitless: music festivals, three dimensional
commercials on large buildings, lifelike commentaries in museums
and at trade shows; you name it. Indeed, Hypo surface isn’t only
for use on flat surfaces but can be used on three dimensional
objects too, such as a car or other large object. It can also be
integrated with sound input, Internet applications etc.
www.hyposurface.com
Pixmob lighting
Pixmob comes in many formats and applications. Each festival
goer receives a wristband with a small LED light that pulsates and
changes color along with a lightshow or to the rhythm of the music,
so making the public an integral part of the performance and, in
turn, transformed into an enormous display. Or, luminous vinyl
balls (of various sizes) with an inbuilt LED light that descend onto
the public. They can change color, in synchronization with the live
music, lightshow or when caught by the public. Or, luminous pearls
incorporated into an item of clothing, whereby the small LED
lights naturally can change color or even respond to grooving
physical movement. In this way visitors to an event comprise a
direct part of the show itself. In other words: optimum interactivity.
The remote technology ‘behind the scenes’ can also provide the
wristband wearer or the ball ‘catcher’ with digital information
after the show.
www.pixmob/info
Giant inflatables
Enormity, in whichever form, is always impressive. Especially with
people, animals and objects only known in ‘normal’ dimensions.
However, a meters-high piece of cheese, an enormous hand,
a gigantic baby, or a man-sized games computer - anyone coming
across one will be all eyes a-glitter.
Even objects that are by their very nature large or even gigantic
but that are encountered in unexpected places, make a similarly
overwhelming impression. A rocket at a pop festival, factory
chimneys in a stadium, a flying saucer at an airport. How do
these objects become so enormous? Simply by blowing them up.
They are inflatables. Although the company that designs and
makes them - Airworks - prefers to call them air sculptures;
simply because you rarely or barely realize these are objects
inflated with air. That the communicative impact of an inflatable
is just as big as its dimensions is self-evident.
www.airworksinflatables.com
* In this edition of the Global we’re focusing on remarkable, often technical,
innovations closely affiliated with the sectors we operate in. To start with:
four techno gadgets that can be primarily deployed at large events.
The latest sea giant by Heerema Marine Contractors
A vessel jam-packed with
offshore technology
Cité de l’Océan Museum in Biarritz
Did you know that in Norse mythology
Aegir was a sea giant as well as god of
the sea? No wonder then that Heerema
Marine Contractors has named its
latest deepwater construction ship
(210 meters long and 46 meters wide)
after this famous god of the sea.
On Friday 20 September a champagne
bottle christened the prow and the
ship was ready for its maiden voyage
to the Gulf of Mexico.
3500 meters deep
After the Balder, the Hermod and the
Thialf, the Aegir is the company’s fourth
offshore construction vessel. All four are
the biggest in the world. The Aegir is
equipped with state-of-the-art offshore
equipment. For example, it has an 80
meter high crane with a boom measuring
125 meters that combined can install fixed
platforms in shallow waters. But it can
also lay 32 inch pipes (approx. 8 meters)
at extreme ocean depths (3500 meters).
Naturally every conceivable facility is on
hand for the crew (approx. 300), to create
an enjoyable experience at sea, including a
cinema, fitness gym and sauna.
It’s no wonder then that the company
highlighted the christening of the Aegir.
An enormous spectacle surrounded
Aegir’s first official voyage, including a
video presentation, band, dance troupe
and drummer Ceasar Zuiderwijk (from
Golden Earring) all making up the
entourage.
From Gielissen, Jan van Grinsven
(Senior Account Manager) and Frank Heijman
(Senior Project Manager) were invited, as
for more than 40 years we have developed
the stands with which Heerema Marine
Contractors participate in large offshore trade
shows, such as the OTC Houston and SPE
Offshore Europa in Aberdeen.
See also the article about the IRO, the
Industrial Council for the Gas and Oil Industry.
www.heerema.com
A true voyage of discovery
across the oceans and to
the poles
The great oceans guard many secrets. Most of them have
been solved. We know how they arose, that they were
the cradle of the first forms of life, that storms and
tsunamis are formed there and how the phenomenon
of tidal change works. But other matters still give rise
to question marks: are the oceans truly endangered from
pollution, can we in the future harness these oceans
for (tidal) sources of energy? And what about Atlantis,
the Bermuda Triangle, the Great Flood: are these fact
or fiction?
Solving the oceans’ riddle
A museum opened two years ago about four kilometers to
the south of the center of the old harbor city of Biarritz on the
south-west coast of France (not far from the French-Spanish
border): Cité de l’Océan (Ocean City). A museum - its name says
it all - dedicated to everything to do with the oceans. Thanks to
modern gadgetry, the visitor can be immersed - both figuratively
and literally - in the secrets of the oceans. Interactive equipment,
touch-screens, 3D animations and other smart presentation
technologies are used to combine education and entertainment
in a clear and impressive way. You can investigate the deepest
oceans in a submarine (and meet giant squids!), take a look on
the bridge of a beached ship, listen to the exciting stories of
Plato (Atlantis) and Columbus (America), and inside an enormous
whale discover how life once originated in the depths of the sea.
Obviously the many functions of the oceans are also covered:
food, energy, water, minerals, climate effects, transport etc.
Another sea museum
Ocean City is housed in a magnificent new building, white,
light, transparent, and in the shape of a wave. It is designed
by the celebrated architects Steven Holl and Solange Fabião.
When you stand in front of this striking architectonic creation,
you cannot resist entering: it is so inspiring and exciting.
The museum, incidentally, is part of Biarrritz Océan,
an organization that also runs another sea museum: the Sea
Museum (Musée de la Mer) that can be found in the old city
center, nearby the sea. This museum is much older and
concentrates primarily on life in the seas and oceans: it mainly
contains large sea aquariums, dolphin pools and so on.
Océan Blanc, in other words, the poles
And why are we writing about this? Firstly, because of Ocean
City itself. Everybody traveling in South West France should take
the time to visit this museum. Secondly, because in July this year
the museum opened a new permanent exhibition: Océan Blanc
(White Ocean), completely dedicated to the poles. You can explore
these two white, icy ends of the world from an igloo and a polar
base. How do animals such as polar bears, walruses, seals and
penguins survive in such extreme conditions? Who were the first
to plants their flags here? How thick are the polar ice caps?
How is scientific research taking place there at the moment?
All questions that are answered in an entertaining and
fascinating way.
And why are we writing about this? Simply because Gielissen
has worked for and with Asten-based P&P Projects on the
construction and installation of the complete interior of Ocean
Blanc.
The mayor of Biarritz, Didier Borotra, who opened the Océan
Blanc was extremely satisfied with the result achieved by
‘les gents professionels de l’Hollande’.
So if you are heading that way next summer...
Offshore IRO trade association
‘The Dutch flag continues
to flutter on many a sea’
IRO and Gielissen
From the very start of the OTC - in fact exactly
44 years ago - Gielissen has designed and built the
trade show stands for the IRO. As such the IRO is one
of our oldest and most loyal clients. Once again in
the coming years we will supply the Holland pavilion
with the standard OTC stands, in addition to a
number of large, individual stands.
‘70% of the IRO members
are strongly export oriented’
but it doesn’t necessarily steer the IRO. We are quite
discerning; the prospective member must be truly
active within the sector. We sometimes come across
non sector affiliated companies trying to get on
our membership list. This might be to do with the
economic crisis; they hope to be able to get a piece
of the pie via our networking events. You see,
organizing and holding these networking events
comprises one of our core activities. We are the
glue between the members. Over and above these
networking events we organize and initiate all kinds
of permanent and temporary meeting platforms:
workshops, committees, seminars, courses etc. The
maintenance and promotion of this network is really
appreciated by our members, a fact we frequently
notice during the meetings. The IRO is, as it’s so
fantastically put: of and for the members.”
Export promotion
“Export promotion is another of our core activities.
70% of the IRO members are strongly export oriented.
This is why, for example, trade missions are vital to
us. As soon as Ministers or even members of the
Royal Household join a mission to a country where
NOCs (National Oil Company; state-owned enterprises)
are mooted, then doors open that in turn, as a rule,
considerably expedite business. Participating companies
come into direct contact with the decision makers.
As our government primarily focuses on renewable
energy, these types of missions are unfortunately
highly sporadic. This is a huge missed opportunity
for the Dutch economy, in terms of employment
opportunities and product¬ development for example.
Where there is still a lot of oil and gas to be extracted
our members can do great business. And these raw
materials will also be vitally important in the future
too in order to meet global energy demand.
Underlying causes are the global growth in population
and the increase in the well-being of the middle
classes across many non-Western countries. This in
turn means we ourselves can develop all kinds of
initiatives in these countries.”
Five years ago the Global already
included an interview with the IRO, the
trade organization for suppliers within
the oil and gas industry. Times change
however; the IRO has relocated from
Zoetermeer to Rotterdam, membership
has grown considerably and two years
back former director Hans de Boer retired
and Sander Vergroesen stepped into
his shoes. Time therefore to renew our
acquaintance.
‘The IRO promotes the
interests of 430 suppliers
within the upstream oil
and gas industry’
Global top 5
“Offshore oil and gas extraction has undergone explosive developments within
the last half century,” explains Vergroesen. “In 1947 the very first offshore oil
drilling took place in the Gulf of Mexico, at a depth of 5½ meters. Nowadays
one sees (drilling) platforms above the deepest of oceans, and highly accurate
and complex drilling occurs via satellite control. Ships lay tens of thousands of
kilometers of pipelines across the sea floors. In all this the Dutch oil and gas
industry plays an important role; we are even one of the 5 top global players.
Oil and gas platforms, harbor construction, tanker terminals, engineering
companies, drilling platforms, pipeline ships, and offshore wind farms: Dutch
firms are fully involved in all these activities, especially within the supply sector.
The Dutch flag continues to flutter on many a sea. IRO promotes the interests of
these suppliers within the offshore industry; and these amount to quite a few;
at present we have 430 members. Each company, each organization, be it large
or small, that has earned its spurs in the upstream gas and oil supply industry is
affiliated with us. And within our association they are all equally important.”
Networking events
“Yes”, concurs Vergroesen, “Our membership has indeed risen sharply in the last
five years”. “In part this is down to the increase in offshore wind farms. This
demands a great deal of offshore know-how. Of course, growth in itself is great,
Embassies are crucial
“To this end we regularly call upon the local Dutch
Background
IRO was founded in 1971, when offshore oil and
gas extraction started to rapidly evolve. At that
time the membership range was far more varied
than now; each company and body in any way
marine related could join, including therefore the
government, oil companies etc. The IRO at that
time was an acronym for Industrial Council for
Oceanology. As a result of the 1973 oil crisis North
Sea oil and gas extraction became increasingly
common. In 1991 the decision was made to
change the acronym IRO to the more appropriate
Industrial Council for the Oil and Gas Industry.
Since then the association has only comprised
suppliers to the upstream oil and gas industry
(on & offshore).
Embassy”, continues Vergroesen, “Take Mexico, where the current president is
trying to modify two existing pieces of legislation in such a way that aside from
PEMEX (the National Oil Company) it is also appealing for international oil companies
to operate in the Gulf of Mexico. Our ambassador in situ has drawn PEMEX’s
attention to the quality standards, expertise and up-to-date equipment Dutch
suppliers have to offer. In doing so he also advised the PEMEX management to
provide further information in the Netherlands about their plans and developments
in Mexico. The result was that this year we arranged a mission to Mexico, where
we visited three PEMEX sites. This initial reconnaissance has already yielded a number
of concrete steps.
As you can see, ambassadors can therefore play a crucial role in finding openings
in a domestic market; which is why I seriously question the prudence of saving so
much on the number of embassies and/or embassy staff. This demands careful
consideration as before you know it will be a case of penny wise, pound foolish.
As far as that goes I’m delighted to briefly wear the ambassador hat on behalf of
our ambassadors.”
New Holland pavilion
“Export promotion such as this also of course includes our participation in
international trade shows. I already mentioned OTC Houston, but we also attend
the large trade shows in Aberdeen, Abu Dhabi, Perth, Stavanger, Rio de Janeiro,
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. We have participated in the OTC from the very
beginning. With our 1000 m² Holland pavilion we are one of the biggest participants.
Incidentally, if we had been in a position to fulfill all our participants’ requests, we
would have ended up at 2000 m². That pavilion is primarily series production-based,
so every participating IRO member gets a standard stand within the set-up. Of
course there are members - often the somewhat larger companies - that go to
the OTC with their own stand. They then lease the floor space from IRO, thus
they exhibit together at the Holland pavilion. As of 2015 we will work with a
new stand concept; merely because we need to move with the times. Our industry
is bursting with innovations that the stand must of course exhibit. Together with
Gielissen we are busy working on a new design.”
‘ I’m delighted to briefly wear the ambassador
hat on behalf of our ambassadors’
BenQ, from OEM company to world brand
group and users is an absolute prerequisite for achieving them.
We involve that target group directly in our product development,
and with some products, such as gaming monitors, right from
concept to end product. We invite professional gamers to our
R&D centers in Taiwan to test products and to see how we can
improve our monitors. In the professional gaming world, we are
now a highly respected monitor brand. That is largely thanks to
the extremely refined technical optimization, such as rapid reaction
time, handy navigation, high refreshment frequency and less
image flickering, to mention but a few of the many relevant
features that make our gaming monitors the ‘monitor of
champions’. And don’t forget that all these sophisticated
‘Bringing Enjoyment
‘n Quality to Life’
Adams Lee
If you are looking for a monitor, a
projector or a touch screen for at home or
in the office, you have almost certainly
come across the BenQ brand. A relatively
young brand that has quickly made its
name and is primarily known among the
connoisseurs and professionals, among
people who place particular value on
superior quality and exceptional design.
It is not without reason that the name BenQ
originally stands for ‘Bringing Enjoyment
‘n Quality to Life’. Worldwide, the BenQ
Group is a prominent market player in
more than 15 sectors (see also the box).
technical solutions make it possible for professional gamers to
take their gaming performance to the very highest level. That in
itself gives considerable enjoyment! Our slogan for this gaming
segment is ‘Gaming is in the details’. Naturally these monitors
form a niche market, a very important niche market incidentally,
and you can find a large number of technical product specifications
from this segment in our monitors for a broader, general user
group.”
The European headquarters of BenQ are in Eindhoven.
There we spoke with Adams Lee, Vincent CN Lin
and Natalia Frolova, respectively President, MarCom
Director and MarCom Product Branding Leader,
about the growth of the brand and about their
compelling philosophy and their market strategy.
From OEM to BenQ
“In Europe, we mainly market three product groups,
and reference was made to them in the intro,”
says Adams Lee. “Actually four, for there is also
QisDesign, our brand for design lighting solutions,
which we are increasingly bringing to the fore, but
more about that later. We have seen a spectacular
growth in recent years, mainly in professional
projectors and monitors. Yet BenQ has only been
in existence under its own name for about thirteen
years. Until then we were simply another average
Taiwanese OEM company [Original Equipment
Manufacturer, ed.]. Based on high-quality R&D, we
developed and manufactured real top products for
companies which then marketed the equipment
under their own name or brand. We were thus the
production company behind many major brands.
At a given moment, we noticed that our products
were in such demand that we decided to start
selling them under our own brand name, BenQ.
A sophisticated marketing strategy, even then
based on the conviction that our products would
make life a lot more pleasant, did the rest. An
improved technology to make life more pleasant.”
QisDesign, the lighting division
of BenQ, is characterized by
a perfect integration of LED
technology and design.
‘We continuously and intensively
monitor the (changing) needs
of the target groups.’
Top gaming monitor for the gaming world top
“In Europe we quickly gained a substantial market share, primarily with our
LCD monitors and DLP projectors,” adds Vincent CN Lin. “That is mainly
due to our direct marketing approach. If you make claims such as Bringing
Enjoyment ‘n Quality to Life, combined with a personal approach in which
technology and design go hand in hand, then close contact with your target
More than just top products
“We have been successful with our other products for the same
reasons,” continues Vincent CN Lin. “There we continuously and
intensively monitor the (changing) needs of the target groups.
At BenQ, product development is based on accurate market
research and target group analyses. Prototypes are always first
tested extensively by our test groups. New products are never
launched unless we know they will be appealing, both in technical
performance and in styling and design. And this proves successful;
our monitors are in the top 5 in various countries and our DLP
projector range is a worldwide market leader. It is not, however,
just about a good quality product, you must also be extremely
careful in choosing your sales channels. We work very closely
with distributors, resellers, retailers and online shops. Good
margins, good service and excellent products are the cornerstones
of our collaboration. QisDesign, our lighting division, assumes
a special place within the BenQ product range. We started this
about three years ago. Each lamp is distinguished by a perfect
integration of LED technology and design, which makes it
immediately striking through its characteristic design. Even on
and off switches are eliminated; they are operated by touchtechnology. We have already won several design awards with
them and they are even exhibited in the Red Dot Design
Museum in Essen (Germany).”
New slogan
“Recently we have changed our slogan Enjoyment Matters into
Because it matters”, says Adams Lee, continuing the conversation.
“Our company vision of Bringing Enjoyment ‘n Quality to Life
remains our core value in which BenQ stands for worldwide
supplier of technology and solutions for people. But within the
BenQ Group, several companies have experienced an enormous
expansion in recent years. These include BenQ Medical Technology
and BenQ Medical Center. The word ‘Enjoyment’ is no longer
suitable. That’s the reason for the new slogan: Because it
matters. BenQ thinks it important to concentrate on improving
various aspects of life that people consider really important,
not just at home and in the office, but also in education and
the medical sector.”
It all happens at ISE
“We first want to show all these new innovative products and
solutions live to our European business partners” adds Natalia
Frolova. “The ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) exhibition offers
the perfect opportunity for receiving direct feedback from our
partners. The ISE is held annually in the RAI Amsterdam and is
the best visited European tradeshow in the field of professional
AV systems. Here we will demonstrate our very latest projectors,
monitors, touch screens and also the design lamps from our
QisDesign range. Virtually all our customers from throughout
Europe visit our stand there. Each year we entertain an increasing
number of new interested visitors, which means that each year
we have to have a larger stand and also a more prominent place
in the exhibition hall. In recent years, Gielissen has designed and
constructed the stand at ISE for us. And judging by the enthusiastic
reactions from our visitors, they have done this with success.
That is largely due to the thoughtful positioning of all product
demonstrations and the appropriate ambiance in the hospitality
area. We are still very pleased with the collaboration that dates
from 2004. It is really open communication. We can say everything
to each other, because we know that it is all intended to arrive
at a better exhibition result. We are now working together
again, for the ISE 2014.”
About BenQ
The BenQ Group, which also includes BenQ Corporation, is
made up of 15 independently operating technology companies
which work closely together and share their raw materials and
services. All 15 belong to the worldwide top in their own high-tech
industry sector. These sectors extend from green energy TFT-LCD
equipment to medical equipment and light systems.
Worldwide the BenQ Group has approximately 100,000
employees and has an annual turnover of more than 20 billion
dollars. The global head office of BenQ Group and BenQ
Corporation is located in Taipei, Taiwan. In addition, BenQ
Corporation has five continental head offices: America, China,
Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. BenQ Europe, with its
office in Eindhoven, is active in all major European markets and
has 10 regional offices for dealing directly with these markets.
Brand utility: from advertising promise to service provision
‘Your brand value can
really be made tangible’
Successful brand utilities make the brand value tangible, bring it
to life.
Do you know what a brand utility is, or to put
it in other words, a ‘useful brand tool’? If you
answer the question with ‘no’ that is most
probably because you do not know the name,
for you have almost certainly at some time or
other come into contact with a brand utility.
In both an old and a new, frequently digital,
form. Less than a decade ago, virtually every
car had its Shell Street Book, and Girotel, the
telephone predecessor of internet banking,
will be familiar to older readers. Modern
examples are Appie, the digital shopping
list and delivery service of supermarket
Albert Heijn or Nike+, an app that records
everything about you while you’re running.
So a good brand utility should be close to your core proposition?
If at all possible, yes, otherwise the relationship is not clear enough.
And there are enough examples of good brand utilities. Tesco is
a supermarket chain in England, competing on price. It has
developed an app which immediately shows you which
supermarket has the lowest price for a certain product. Charmin,
a toilet paper brand, has an app which shows you on your
smartphone where a public bathroom can be found and how
users grade it. Beer brand Wieckse has developed an app inspired
by the successful Buienradar.nl [Rain Radar] called Zonneradar.nl
[Sun Radar]. Where is the sun shining, where can you sit outside,
in other words, where is the weather perfect for drinking beer in
the open air? And what about the travel and holiday planners?
The average time spent at a travel agency used to be 70 minutes.
Now it takes just 7 minutes to arrange things. At home, of course.
Time-saving and convenient!
But don’t companies / brands do all this to generate turnover?
Of course, that is an important criterion. You can think up a nice
brand utility, but it has to bring commercial success, generate
sufficient conversion. A brand utility preferably helps a customer
make a purchase, for example those of Amazon and Tesco.
The mobile charging stations of Nokia at music festivals are a
sympathetic action, but the influence these have on sales of
Nokia phones is only indirect. There are a few important criteria
for a much used and therefore successful brand utility. It must,
as we have said, prove your core proposition or at least support
it; it must fulfill a need, so it must be useful, a genuine aid;
it must be original; and as company you must be willing to
subsidize it with marketing money, so that the customer has to
pay little or nothing for it. In addition, but this is, however, not a
real prerequisite, but rather a recommendation: do not assume,
as classic advertising often does, a demographic target group,
but focus on people with a certain mutual need, who do
something, e.g. shopping, sport, travel, cooking, drinking beer
etc. Activity is often a key word within a good brand utility concept.
So a brand utility is a service or product that is
offered in order to promote a brand. It is not just
an amusing gimmick; the phenomenon signals an
important shift within marketing communications
(advertising), namely from promising something
(classic advertising) to keeping that promise.
An effective brand utility does the latter.
Ingmar de Lange is brand strategist and is not only
the leading expert in the field of brand utilities,
he also pioneered it in the Netherlands with his
network agency Mountview.
So a brand utility is actually a clever advertising tool?
A littleYes and a very big No. Of course it is intended
to promote a brand, but unlike classic advertising
- we promise you this or that - a brand utility
actually keeps the promise (at least partly). A good
brand utility is the combination of promotion
(advertising) and service provision. It helps the user,
it makes certain things easier. Shell made the
promise of its slogan ‘We help you on the road’
tangible with its Street Book. At a music festival,
the classic way of promotion is to show a large
flag or banner with an intriguing slogan, but
operating there with a mobile beer tap (Major
Tom) that prevents long lines at the beer tent gives
your brand an extra dimension. Or take Amazon,
which has launched an app with which you can
immediately check in a bookshop how much the
book costs from them. Incidentally, it perfectly
reflects their core business: selling books.
Are people willing to pay for a good brand utility?
Most brand utilities are free or very cheap for the user. (Also see
the answer to the previous questions with regards to marketing
money.) The consumer is perfectly prepared to pay something for
it (e.g. for an app). On the other hand, if people aren’t prepared to
pay anything for a brand utility, then there is something wrong
with it.
‘A smart brand utility strategy can make
a brand big’
So a company should be careful before launching a brand utility?
Yes, there is more involved than people think. First, see whether
the concept satisfies the criteria listed above. And take enough
time to develop it. Here again, you need to invest before you can
benefit. Then decide in which stage of the customer journey
(need, orientation, decision, purchase, consumption/use, after
sales and evaluation) you want to insert your brand utility. And
if it proves a success, you must take competitors into account
(me-too manufacturers); in other words, see whether the brand
utility can be developed further, or whether in time you can add
certain features to it. Innovation must continue; this allows you
to continue to surprise the user and bind them to you. Look at
the automobile industry. Despite the fact that the existing models
still meet all requirements, automobile manufacturers will introduce
You can think up a nice brand utility,
but it has to generate conversion’
new models each year, models that are even better equipped.
Consider the prototype, the first release of your brand utility, as
a basic model. That is why it is also important to keep listening
to the user. How do they experience the brand utility, what can
be changed, improved?
Don’t brand utilities exist thanks to our digitalized society?
There are of course classic, physical brand utilities - I already
mentioned a few - and you can also think of Ikea that put up
beds in airports for travelers with a long waiting time, or the
German beer brand Stiefl that stuck a free public transport ticket
to each bottle so that you could get home safely after a night on
the town. Or Bol.com, which offers free shipping above a certain
amount. But you are right, a lot of brand utilities would not exist
without the digital possibilities. Digital media is the engine, the
In fact, I do not know of any online brands
that have become big through big advertising
campaigns, with the possible exception of
Zalando.
Many traditional advertising campaigns appeal
to the emotions. Can a rational instrument like
a brand utility also do that?
Yes, certainly. A good brand utility can be given
an emotional charge. Skype has a functional
approach, (almost) free telephone calls, but an
emotional consequence, e.g. the face of your
loved one.
As a rule, not much advertising is made for brand
utilities. Why is that?
That’s true. It’s partly because a brand utility is in
itself an advertising tool and partly because they
are spread via social media and word of mouth
advertising. Recently I had to park my car in the
city center (Amsterdam, ed.), something I virtually
never do. Well, I asked a couple of friends which
parking app they use and why that particular one.
That’s how it works.
Are there brand utilities that have become widely
accepted?
What about online banking and travel planners?
A brand utility has become a commodity, as it is
called in marketing terms. That is the ultimate goal
of every company that deploys a brand utility. It
means that it has struck the right chord and has
become indispensable. The danger, of course, is
that the chance of imitators increases. So keep
on developing your brand utility as I mentioned
above.
What is your advice to a company that wants to
know more about making use of a brand utility?
Above all this: often business people think
‘That isn’t right for my company’, but it is possible
to think up a brand utility for virtually every
advertising promise. Every brand value can be
made tangible.
www.mountview.nl
catalyst, both in technical possibilities and in distribution. That naturally is
mainly because digital services are so easily multipliable.
But the opposite naturally also applies to a bad brand utility?
Yes, then I would refer you to the answer I gave to the previous question.
A bad brand utility will simply not be used very much and therefore will be
little known and hardly distributed at all. Incidentally, there are still too many
brand utilities that are little more than a neat gadget, so without any real
functional relevance or conversion potential.
Can a company with a weak proposition still launch a strong brand utility?
It’s not very likely, but it is possible. Imagine that a bank says: ‘We are simply
the best bank’. A too generic and thus empty claim. But a smart brand utility
can support that or even make part of it come true (for example, the brand
utility shows that the bank is faster, more convenient and more transparent).
What is much more likely, and that has also been proved, is that a brand
utility strategy can make a brand big. Google, Facebook, Marktplaats have
all become big without employing expensive advertising campaigns.
Their functional added value was simply greater than that of their competitors.
Awarded by the SH&M Center of Excellence
Gielissen: best practical
training company within the
wood and furniture sector
The future for the next generations for the large
part comprises job satisfaction, a position that
matches their skills and ambitions, and that offers
development opportunities. Our company would
like to be proactive in this by offering them all
the facilities required in learning a trade within
a professional working environment. In doing so
we aim to fill the sorely needed link between
academic courses and trade and industry. This is
why for over a decade now we have offered
around 20-30 training apprenticeships each year
(ranging from pre-vocational secondary education
to higher vocational training).
Yet again, the best!
These efforts are regularly rewarded. Not only because
trainees frequently opt for a job at Gielissen after their
vocational training, but also officially, with awards.
A couple of years ago we were already lauded the best
practical training company by the Savantis Center of
Excellence. And again on 7 November this year, by the
SH&H Center of Excellence.
Safety in the learning environment
By means of this competition the SH&M Center of Excellence is
looking to highlight the importance of being able to learn within
practicing professions; for intermediate vocational training
students of course, but most definitely for trade and industry
too. After all, vocational education needs comprehensive
practical training. Students only truly get to grips with the trade
on the shop floor of the nigh on 3500 recognized practical
training companies within the wood and furniture sector.
On the other hand, trade and industry needs new graduates
on their workforce who also know how their trade works in
practice. The criteria in this election ran as follows: ‘Which
practical training company teaches the best?’ and ‘What makes
a training company good at what they do?’ In addition, during
the company visits this year the jury paid extra attention to the
criterion ‘Safety of the learning environment’.
Extract from the jury report:
‘At Gielissen teaching is second nature, a trainee is well and truly
a trainee and as such enjoys protected status. The trainees are
provided with their own workspace and follow an introductory
program that equals that of a new employee. The practical
assignments are linked up to everyday tasks as much as possible.
The trainees within the wood department can really learn
everything they need to know within the various production
locations. Furthermore, Gielissen runs a tight ship, whereby
order and neatness are clearly discernible. And, last but not
least, the company emanates a cheerful and dynamic look&feel,
whereby the staff is clearly proud of their company and products.’
And now onwards and upwards to the national elections!
SH&M will also nominate the 2013 winner, including our
company, for the national best practical training company too.
The winners from all sectors will therefore participate. This
competition is devised by the Education, Culture and Science
Department. The results will be announced in March 2014.
Maritime Design Agency: Floating Houses
The Floating 44
• A living space of more than 44m²
• A 15m² roof terrace
• The pontoon is made entirely out of
high-grade aluminum
• 2 bedrooms
• A separate shower and toilet area
Floating holiday homes;
the latest maritime trend
Since the end of 2010 a boatyard can also
be included in the Gielissen portfolio:
Gielissen Lindskens Shipyard in Wanssum
on the river Meuse. However strange it
might at first sound, it was however a
logical progression. Lindskens, specialists
in the design and build of cabin cruisers,
had won the commission to build a number
of houseboats: deluxe, floating holiday
homes. For this the boatyard required
a versatile interior designer. The rest,
as they say, is history.
The aforementioned project focused on the
domestic market. A similar houseboat based
project is taking place in Xanten, Germany
(along the Rhine, not far from the Dutch border).
Here there will be an ultra modern water
recreation park, with all conceivable maritime
facilities. Together with the distinguished maritime
architect’s firm Floating Houses® in Berlin, Gielissen
will each month build at least two Floatings 44
for the Lindskens Shipyard for this park: a highly
comfortable houseboat with 44 m² living space
and a 25 m² roof terrace. A terrific project
resulting from fantastic collaboration.
The perfect moment therefore to become better
acquainted with Floating Houses; based on 10
questions posed to Marie Woidig, Marketing &
Social Media Manager at Floating Houses.
Can you briefly outline the Floating Houses profile?
Floating Houses has been around for 13 years now. Our core business is
developing and arranging the build of floating houses; as mentioned, floating
and occasionally seafaring, deluxe holiday homes/villas, in addition to sourcing
and developing the maritime facilities for these. This can greatly vary from creating
a mooring in an existing harbor for a floating house, to planning, developing
and building a complete marina, suitable for a large number of floating houses.
Xanten is a good example of the latter. In recent years we have completed
more than 30 projects, both large and small scale, throughout Germany.
You’re a relatively small company. What sort of companies do you work with?
At the end of the day, especially with large-scale projects, input from many
different parties is required. The most important being: maritime architects,
statisticians, developers and of course various boatyards to build the ships,
including of course the Gielissen Lindskens Shipyard. Indeed, Floating 44
was developed by the renowned Baumhauer und Eicher Architekten agency.
There must be other maritime project offices in Germany.
What is your particular USP?
What I just mentioned actually; that we develop total concepts. We create
concepts, plan the development and construction of maritime recreation
locations, and make all the necessary arrangements, from requesting mooring
permits to supplying total water recreation concepts along with the
corresponding marketing, financing and investment advice. Everything in fact;
upon request we can deliver such a location on a turnkey basis. This broad
scope makes us the market leader in Germany. Of course, there have been
maritime companies that have built one or more houseboats, but that’s just a
snippet of the whole story. You also need to create the context facilities and
accommodation, in order to use the boat. The ‘context package’ as I call it.
Is Floating 44 just one of numerous models in your boat portfolio?
Indeed, we have around 10 models, but also a Floating Restaurant, Floating
Hotel and a Floating Bar Lounge. The Floating 44 is one of the smaller models.
The bigger models even have one or two floors on top. For that matter, we
differentiate between ‘floating’ boats and houseboats. The latter can sail, so
can be equipped with an engine. The Floating 44 is included in this category.
For you it’s primarily a B2B market presumably?
We do also work directly with end users, but yes, we mostly try to capture
the interest of investors, local authorities and developers for our concepts.
What does your marketing and marketing communication entail?
As far as the corporate target groups are concerned, our reputation as a
qualitative total supplier usually brings these straight to us. They have a general
idea for a water recreation project but it requires fleshing out. From time to
time private individuals own a great stretch of water and wish to do something
on it with houseboats. They too will get what they are looking for from us.
Those are mainly the commercially interested parties but how do you find
the end users – the people who ultimately enjoy such a fantastic boat?
It’s with good reason that my business card reads Manager Social Media.
We use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn etc. a great deal. Then the word
spreads quickly that we’re working on a new project, are about to develop
new locations, and launch a new boat etc. Furthermore, existing and potential
N.B. Floating 44: developed by the renowned
Baumhauer und Eicher Architekten agency
clients receive a newsletter and we advertise in
popular German water recreation magazines.
And, of course, we have show boats for interested
parties to look around in. We had our first one
back in 2001 in Berlin. In Xanten there’s a Floating
44 show model moored up, with others due in
Berlin, Leipzig and on the Baltic Sea.
Talking about Xanten, what exactly will come there?
A new houseboat park is currently being developed
in Xanten on the Northern Lake, Vynen. An ultra
modern recreation location, equipped with maritime
facilities. The park is located in a magnificent area,
ideal for water recreation and with beautiful
surrounding countryside. We do everything there,
from A to Z. The boats, the 10 Floating 44s,
are currently being built at Gielissen Lindskens Shipyard. The last one is due to
be completed in April, so they can be leased in the summer at which time the
entire maritime accommodation must of course be finalized too.
That’s a project close to the Dutch border. Has any interest been shown from there?
We have indeed received a couple of requests from Holland.
And now you’re having the 10 Floating 44’s built in Holland?
Yes, other boatyards were keen, but the knowledge and expertise at Gielissen
Lindskens Shipyard, both in terms of ship building and in terms of high-end,
high-grade interiors, proved decisive. In addition, they already had experience
in building houseboats. To date we’re steering the same course
Joint venture focusing on the French expo market
Gielissen +
Servis Group=
paradIGme
On the one hand France is an important
country for us as it is the largest trade
show country within Europe, with vast
international trade shows in Paris and
Lyon. On the other hand, it is rather a
difficult country to access in terms of the
expo sector. A couple of large organizers
of trade shows and exhibitions and suppliers
dominate the market there and follow
a distinctly hermetic strategy.
For some time now Gielissen has enjoyed
very good contact with the Servis Group,
our Spanish counterpart. Like us, they
are interested in the French market but,
again, like us, they are encountering
mostly fabricated barriers and restrictions.
The obvious next step was to combine
forces and to jointly reconnaissance the
French market, which is why Paradigme
- a joint venture between the Servis
Group and Gielissen was set up just
before the summer. We have a lot in
common (family concerns, decades-long
experience, international branches and
being key national players), but do
The Netherlands faces a vast
international market; our country
is far too small for our expansive
aspirations. That has been the case
for nearly 60 years now, and has
resulted in five international
branches. However, one European
country remains a nigh on
unexploited area: France.
however complement one another too.
For example, the Servis Group now has
more materials, and our service spectrum
is considerably broader. The intention is
to open a Paradigme office in Paris in
the not too distant future.
We will keep you posted about our
progress regards the French market.
The Dutch Fish Agency stands on its own feet
preparation times and the number of calories.
And not only for familiar fish, but also, for example,
for mullet, red gurnard, squid and sardines.
And now that we’re talking about recipes, just after
summer, so in that hectic start-up stage and with
limited financial resources, we published the first
issue of our new magazine called Visculinair. Filled
with recipes and other culinary tips and facts. It can
be found in the fish shops. (With a broad smile:
“No? Then ask for it!”)
‘Despite a tight budget,
we work with dedication
and enthusiasm’
‘Fortunately the sector
realizes that the Dutch Fish
Agency is essential’
“We do not only promote fish consumption, we
also believe that providing good information is just
as important. At the moment, the issue of sustainable
fishing is making headlines. People are concerned,
justifiably or not, about maintaining stocks of fish
species, certain fishing techniques, unwanted
by-catch etc. Every fish lover knows the MSC and
ASC quality labels for, respectively, sustainable fish
caught in the wild and sustainable farmed fish.
We try to demonstrate that the Dutch fish sector is
constantly searching for the proper balance between
environmental issues and the right to earn a respectable
living. Incidentally, we would also like to point out
that if such a quality label is missing, this does not
always mean that the fish company involved operates
in an irresponsible way. Obtaining such a certificate
is a long and expensive process. It often means that
they are fishing or farming in a sustainable way, but
do not yet have the certificate.”
Fishing is as old as mankind, just like
hunting. Fishing equipment and fish
refuse dumps dating back 100,000 years
have been found beside large lakes and
along the coasts. Even back then, people
enjoyed a piece of fish. That has never
changed, whether it is a salmon steak,
a salted herring, a bowl of mussels or
any of the other types of delicious sea
banquets. Yet here in the Netherlands,
fish consumption is low. Annually,
around 3.5 kilos of fish and shell fish are
consumed per head of the population,
which puts us fairly low down on the
European fish consumption ladder (in
Belgium, for example, they eat 12 kilos!).
The Dutch Fish Agency is trying to do something
about this. No easy task, particularly as recently it
has been made financially independent. Agnes
Leewis, director of the Fish Agency, explains.
From ship to shelf
“Yes, since the middle of this year, we are having to
stand on our own feet. At the moment, we are like
a toddler taking its first baby steps, but we soon
hope to be making major strides. Incidentally,
we have already taken the first one.
“Until July we operated under the auspices of the
‘No Visculinair in the shop?
Ask for it!”
Fish Marketing Board, an umbrella organization for
all stakeholders in the fishing sector. The Dutch
fishing sector is actually very well organized.
Fishermen, fish and shell fish breeders, processors,
wholesalers and retailers, each link in the chain right from ship to shelf - has its own branch
organization. Their strengths were bundled in the
aforementioned Marketing Board, an organization
for and of the whole fish sector. Financially, the Fish
Marketing Board was funded by compulsory levies
from all the affiliated members. And that really was
everybody in the sector, considering the special industrial organization,
governed by public law, of the Marketing Board. A crucial aspect of its tasks was
creating and maintaining contacts between all the parties involved in the fish
sector. So not only between the companies, but also with the government
(Department), social groups, nutrition agencies etc.”
Fish Marketing Board disbanded
“You will notice,” continues Leewis, “that I speak about the Marketing Board in
the past tense, for unfortunately it is in the past. The government has decided,
for financial-economic reasons, to disband all Marketing Boards, so also those
for dairy, poultry, arable farming etc. “The demise of the Fish Marketing Board
also meant the end to the financing for the Fish Agency. Since we were able to
convince everybody in the sector that the PR activities had to continue, we have
carried on as a private foundation. The disadvantage is that we are now financially
dependent on voluntary contributions, but an advantage is that, as we no longer
fall under the Marketing Board, we can operate even more independently and
objectively. From this basis, we try to generate revenue from new promotional
campaigns which we carry for the various sectors and branch organizations. In
addition, we hope that the economy will improve again and that fish consumption
increases so that we have more to spend. But despite the tight financial resources,
we are working with considerable dedication and enthusiasm for an important
sector that employs 20,000 people and has an annual turnover of 3.6 billion Euros.”
Various campaigns
“The low Dutch fish consumption (see introduction) means that we have a lot to
promote,” continues Leewis. “Not so much to people over 50, who have learnt
to eat fish from a young age, even if it is only the traditional herring, plaice,
fried fish or shrimp cocktail. The under 30 group are also eating fish, mainly
‘In addition to promotional activities,
we also provide a lot of information’
because it has discovered its many culinary possibilities. The group in between,
those aged between 30 and 50, eat the least amount of fish; for some reason or
other, it’s not part of their world. There we mainly focus on claims about health,
freshness, easily digestible, and the many types of fish available. And of course
we also focus on the youth. Because old habits die hard - we want them to
learn to eat fish at a young age, like the people over 50. So we visit primary
schools and give courses and tasting and flavor lessons in collaboration with a
local fish shop. Of course we adapt the fish snacks to the tastes of children a
little, with something sweet or sour, but as a rule they appeal to their taste, both
literally and figuratively. With the pleasant ‘by-catch’ that when the parents (often
in the 30-50 age group) see their children enjoying the food they often want to
try things themselves. In addition, we run a number of general promotional
campaigns, such as the poster campaign ‘The men of the sea’. These show all
types of ‘fish heroes’, the rugged men who take to (and survive) the sea to bring
ashore the tastiest fish. With the ‘Fish of the Month’, in which we spotlight a
certain species of fish, we show how it is caught and processed, the various
ways it can be prepared, how a top chef serves it (film) etc. For December,
the fish of the month will be salmon.
New: Visculinair
“All these things and a whole lot more can be found on www.visrecepten.nl
(tip for Christmas!) a consumer website run by us. Its name - fish recipes - says
it all: it contains tasty and exclusive recipes, complete with instruction films,
Seafood Expo Global
“So we give information about all these matters.
Via folders, brochures, factsheets, social media
(including the app VIS!), our websites etc. we keep
the consumer, media and government informed
about activities, developments and other relevant
issues related to fish.
One promotional activity focusing exclusively on our
own branch is the participation in exhibitions. By far
the most important of these is the Seafood Expo
Global, held each year in May in Brussels. The Dutch
fish sector is there with a large Holland Pavilion, in
which some 15 companies present themselves.
Each year we sit down with Gielissen to see how
we can handle it this time. They do not only design
and build the pavilion but also fit out the stands for
the participants. This year, because of the uncertainty
about the future of the Fish Agency, it was touch and
go as to whether we would actually have a pavilion
at all. Missing the exhibition would be a terrible shame,
for we have a prominent position in the central hall.
Then you notice that companies realize the importance
of your activities. Despite the uncertain situation,
all those who enrolled were quite prepared to pay
‘up front’. Everyone understood the necessity of
participation, facilitated by the Fish Agency. It was
our first, tangible success in our new form.”
Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV at the Bauma
‘This trade show is an
absolute must for us’
(see editorial box). One of the cornerstones under
this conglomerate is Hitachi Construction Machinery.
With approx. 9% of the entire global net Hitachi
turnover it’s an essential division. As already mentioned
in the intro, construction, excavation and earth is
shifted all over the place. This establishment supplies
our machines to 40 countries: in Europe of course,
but also in a number of other countries in the Middle
East and in North and West Africa. In each of these
countries we have a dealer in place who in turn sells
our machines on to the end users. These vary greatly
from contractors, property companies, state-owned
enterprises, local authorities, road builders; you name it.
‘Our machines are at the
vanguard in terms of
technical reliability and by
that I mean reliability in the
broadest sense of the word’
Here in the Netherlands in Oosterhout we assemble
some of our product range, the relatively small
excavators - relatively, as, no matter how small, it
remains impressive material - and the medium-sized
machines in Amsterdam, whilst the giants are
produced in Japan. In Amsterdam we boast two vast
production quarters as well as extensive grounds in
which to park the finished machines and to provide
(potential) clients with demonstrations.”
Across the globe a vast amount of earth is
shifted. After all, wherever construction
takes place and wherever waterways and
roads are constructed, excavators, wheel
loaders (shovels) and hoisting cranes
literally shift mounds of earth. Certainly on
a global scale, but in particular in fastgrowing economies such as in China, India,
Russia and Brazil. Many of the machines
bear the Hitachi name. For the European
market the majority of these machines are
assembled in Amsterdam, where, for that
matter, the Hitachi Construction Machinery
(Europe) NV (HCME) head office is also based.
Of course, HCME attended the last Bauma too (in April this year); the three-yearly
construction trade show in Munich, and by far and away the most important
construction trade show in the world. With its 570,000 m² floor surface area it
is most likely the biggest trade show in the world too. (More than half a million
corporate visitors!) An equal given was that HCME had an enormous stand,
more like a stand complex really. Designed and built by Gielissen, as we have
been doing for Hitachi for the last 10 years.
‘In Amsterdam we boast two
vast production quarters as well
as extensive grounds’
That’s the reason for talking about attending the Bauma but also about Hitachi
itself of course, with Marlous Stoer, Coordinator Exhibitions & Events within
the Corporate Communication department.
Huge brand recognition
“Everyone knows Hitachi; many people have one of our TVs, washing machines,
DVD players or even drills at home. As such we boast huge brand recognition.
However, we also cover a very broad spectrum with our industrial products
Reliable Solutions
In answer to the question ‘In which way do your
machines stand out, and what are your strongest
USPs?’, Marlous Stoer picks up the latest edition of
Ground Control from the table - the HCME trade
magazine (circulation: 100,000!). She points to the
slogan on the front: Reliable Solutions. “That says
it all, that’s no mere advertising catchphrase. Our
machines are at the vanguard in terms of technical
reliability and by that I mean reliability in the broadest
sense of the word. So, not just in terms of the work
for which they were designed and produced excavation, hoisting, shifting earth - but also in
terms of all the other facets that make a machine
a first-rate machine. Safety, ease of use, cabin
Hitachi in a nutshell
Hitachi was founded in 1910 in the Japanese
village of Hitachi, which means sunrise. The
company started out as a shop selling electrical
components for the copper mine industry.
Nowadays it is active in a range of sectors, from
digital media & consumer products to automotive
material, IT systems, power stations, train and track
material, high-grade material and components,
medical equipment, water treatment and water
recycling systems; it is difficult to conceive of a
sector within the state of the art technology that
it does not operate in. The Hitachi name can be
found on more than 20,000 different product
types and more than 300,000 employees earn
their living working for this global giant.
comfort (seating comfort, sound insulation etc.), as well as sustainability of course.
As far as the latter is concerned, in Europe highly stringent ecological standards
and legislation prevails, which is why this is where we first introduce our latest
machines. Machines with high engine efficiency are linked to the utmost low
emission and sound standards, and as such they are market leaders. For this
reason at the last Bauma we primarily exhibited our latest models. That trade
show is the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate our latest products to everyone
who works, takes decisions in or supplies the sector, from operators, suppliers,
and procurement managers to large construction companies etc.”
Stand measuring 5600 m²
“The Bauma is a must for us”, she concurs, when we ask about the importance
of the Bauma to HCME. “HCME also attends the three-yearly Intermat in Paris,
however the Bauma remains indisputably in first place. It attracts more than half
a million corporate visitors! This is why we literally and figuratively operate on
such a big scale there. After all, don’t forget that this trade show takes place in
Munich and that with its robust economy Germany comprises our largest sales
area within Europe. That’s why Kiesel, our German dealer and a very important
client, had its own stand within our large stand; an acknowledgement of the
strong business ties we enjoy with Kiesel. This was easy from a practical viewpoint
when you have a stand measuring more than 5600 m² in floor surface area, with
an upper level. In actual fact it looked like a medium-sized HCME establishment.
With it we were among the largest stands at the Bauma. But our status demanded
it too. If we want to guarantee all those visitors (even from Russia, the CIS, Asia
and North and South America) an optimally useful and pleasant experience at
the stand, then you must have everything to hand: a professional reception area,
consultation rooms, information counters, an extensive range of restaurant facilities,
lounges, a covered café, etc. etc. And, of course, a surveyable and readily accessible
outdoor demonstration area. Everything in fact that corresponds with professional
performance and impeccable hospitality.”
‘With 5600 m² we were among
the largest stands at the Bauma’
An experienced partner in every respect
“This stand was designed especially by Gielissen for this Bauma. A stand that,
as already mentioned, met all the requisites for a smoothly running trade show.
It’s with good reason therefore that we start with all the preparations a good six
months in advance. At such an important trade show such as this every last
detail must immediately be right; a rough outline simply won’t cut it; which is
why it is so delightful to work in conjunction with such a thoroughly experienced
partner as Gielissen. Their problem resolution capacity for example is truly
phenomenal. However much one prepares in advance, both during the concept
stage, and during set-up, snags will always pop up. These are nearly always
caused by external factors, so in other words, by matters out of your own hands.
Time and again they resolve the issue quickly and satisfactorily.”
www.hcme.com
Buro Bogaarts Interior Design
‘With all our designs
people come first’
‘ For an architect it’s disastrous
when a terrific design is executed
sloppily or below expectation’.
certainly didn’t form part of our brief. The client could very well
have responded negatively (‘Why are you meddling?’). But that
didn’t happen! The boardroom did indeed end up above the
company restaurant, something which could never have come
about without an open and honest relationship. Which leads me
nicely onto our philosophy, vision or whatever you choose to call it;
which puts people first. The interiors we design are used by people
- people who, as a rule, spend a lot of time working or living there.
This is why it’s vital they feel at home there. It has to truly be their
space. In other words: the interior must be 100% user-friendly.
Optimally attuned to the accommodation and utilization purposes
therefore.”
The approach to the complex is still
under construction, the parking lot is
patently makeshift, however, that’s far
from the case with the M building of
the former Saksen-Weimar Barracks
(see editorial box).
It radiates renovated splendor. At one
time it housed military vehicles and a
warehouse; nowadays it houses four
creative companies, one of which is
Buro Bogaarts Interior Design.
Contact with clients
Jos Bogaarts, director-owner and name
giver of the agency is clearly delighted with
his new abode. “I started out on my own
10 years ago. At the time I worked as an
interior designer with a medium-sized
agency, but I wanted more independence;
to determine myself how to tackle
assignments and how to work together
with clients. I started out working from
home and things picked up quickly. Seven
years later I had my own agency in the city
centre and in June this year moved here,
not far from the A12 and with ample
parking space.” In answer to the question
what he means by independence, Jos Bogaarts
responds that it primarily concerns the
contact with clients as well as his individual
philosophy and way of working. “The two
directly correlate, but looking at that contact
to start with, I’m not that keen on strict,
very formal client-supplier relationships.
The assignment brief is key of course, but
for me it’s also about the feeling, and
daring to be open and honest with one
another. If the mutual respect is there and
an appreciation of each other’s knowledge
and skills, then together you’ll attain
optimum results.”
Putting people first
“A great example of this is the new
boardroom at the Shell Technology Centre
along the Amsterdam IJ, which we are
currently working on the interior design for.
On the original plans this boardroom was
within the office complex. However, I believed
such an important staff location such as this
should be close to the people: where the
direct and indirect contact is enjoyed with
the staff and where the hustle and bustle is.
This is why I suggested situating the
boardroom above the company restaurant.
In doing so we were really putting our
necks on the line, as this suggestion
Building and interior in balance
“When designing a large interior,” continues Jos Bogaarts,
“so, where different people work, I prefer to consult with the
representatives of all departments. So, not just the management.
Moreover, everyone can devise a limitless wish list, including points
about which some may think ‘’Surely that’s impossible, that’s too
extreme, impractical, costly etc.’ No, we reply; you name it, as
that’s how the best ideas come to light. Time and again it brings
us to the most fun, wacky and original ideas that often transpire
to be the most achievable. For that matter, with a completely new
build we prefer to sit round a table with the architect as early on
as possible. That’s what we strive for in any case, as unfortunately,
it’s far from always possible. Yet, the building and the interior must
be in complete harmony, must be integrated - nigh on form an
organic entity. You only attain this if everyone is up to speed with
each other’s ideas and plans from the early stages and these are
attuned to one another. That happened with the Fox Vakanties
(subsidiary of the ANWB) head office in Hoofddorp for example,
where, even if I say so myself, an equally striking and intriguing
as well as sustainable result was achieved.”
Sustainability three times over
The word ‘sustainable’ is topical and a key concept within the Buro
Bogaarts vision. Jos Bogaarts: “For me ‘sustainability’ has three
clear aspects, so not just material sustainability; but also efforts
made concerning environmentally-friendly and recyclable materials,
combinations and installations. These are, of course, of vital
importance. However, sustainability within the context of creating
The location’s background
The Saksen-Weimar Barracks boasts a colorful history.
Construction was only completed after the German invasion in
May 1940. The Germans moved in straightaway. In the years
following the war a number of infantry battalions were
accommodated here. In 1999 the Defense Department opted to
cease the barrack’s military function and it became an asylum
seekers centre. It subsequently served as a studio space for
around 300 artists. In 2007 Arnhem local authority bought the
complex with the idea of turning it into houses, cultural spots
and innovative companies. In 2009 it was officially named
Saksen Weimar.
Karel Bernard van Saksen-Weimar-Eisenach (1792-1862) was a
General in German and Dutch military service. Among others,
he fought on the Dutch side in the Battle of Waterloo (1815)
and in 1830 advanced on the Belgian insurgents. Between 1849
and 1853 he commanded the Dutch army in Dutch East Indies.
a user-friendly environment, like we talked about just now, I find
just as important. A sophisticated space-light segregation, efficient
walkways, comfortable work and consultation units, etc, etc.
Furthermore, sustainability must also cover a long lifespan of an
interior. Durable materials, easy to replace components, deploying
previously used materials (cradle-to-cradle); these are all aspects
that are becoming increasingly important. A company or organization
that appreciates that will as such also seek the right balance between
economical and ecological operations. Optimum integration of these
three facets can, for example, be found back in the previously
mentioned Fox Vakanties head office, which is even Excellent
BREEAM rated (the highest score); a popular ‘green’ building
rating system.”
Buro Bogaarts and Gielissen
Talking about the head office, adds Jos Bogaarts, Gielissen handled
the entire fixed interior there too; the numerous round, oval and
asymmetric forms, exclusive materials and complex color compositions
in our design; certainly no mean feat. I can only say, it was perfectly
executed. I say ‘also’ because we first encountered Gielissen in
relation to the LG Benelux head office in Amstelveen. Since then
we have undertaken a handful of fantastic, large-scale projects,
such as a highly luxurious private canal-fronted building in
‘ I’m not that keen on strict, very
formal client-supplier relationships.’
Amsterdam, and last year the new KNSB center in Utrecht, where
together we created a truly magnificent interior, even if I say so
myself. Ultra modern yet with a very traditional Dutch skating
image. In such an instance it’s marvelous that you can explicitly
trust an interior designer such as Gielissen. For an architect it’s
disastrous when a terrific design is executed sloppily or below
expectation. It really must match the brief 100%. Gielissen lives
up to our designs, that’s all there is to it.”
Buro Bogaarts operates within five sectors: corporate, private,
healthcare, hospitality and government.
Please visit www.burobogaarts.nl for further information.
Photos: Rob Kater Photography
Listerine’s multicolored stand concept
A stand to make
your mouth water
No doubt you have heard of the brand
Listerine: dental hygiene products. You
see, for 1 billion people rinsing with one
of this brand’s products forms part of
their daily dental hygiene. According to
Listerine this number could rise. But in
this instance it has to be said that you
only notice the difference once you’ve
tried it. That’s why Listerine opted to
participate in a number of trade shows.
Gielissen designed and built the requisite
stand.
Amazing stopping power
Listerine is part of the Johnson & Johnson Group, the biggest global player
in pharmaceutical, medical and consumer products. The mouthwash brand
falls within the latter segment.
As already mentioned, Listerine recognizes opportunities to increase its
market share. This is why Johnson & Johnson commissioned its European
advertising agency, Kontrast in Düsseldorf, to devise an all-round campaign
for Listerine, including promoting the brand at trade shows. For this last
initiative Kontrast resumed contact with Gielissen. For marketing-strategic
reasons Johnson & Johnson decided to have the mouthwash brand run
entirely independently in terms of promotion; separate from the Johnson
& Johnson brand therefore.
The eye catcher we designed for the stand is a Listerine bottle measuring
several meters high. Nowadays Listerine offers a range of mouthwashes,
all varying in taste and composition. Each mouthwash is recognizable by
its individually colored bottle. To emphasize this extensive product range
(and broad choice) on the stand, the gigantic demo bottle changes color
simultaneous to the product info being displayed on the monitor (located
where the label is usually to be found). So, the bottle can change from
purple to green and orange, or any one of the other four product colors.
But it isn’t just the bottle that continuously changes in color; by means of
LED lighting the entire stand matches the bottle color too. This creates an
amazing, multicolored spectacle: stopping power in glorious Technicolor.
The stand was naturally also equipped with a number of sinks, to allow
for actual testing. Mass mouth washing ensued.
The technique behind continual color changes of a demo bottle and stand
such as this is extremely complex and, of course, costly. Good reason therefore
for Listerine to only deploy this stand at large trade shows in Germany, Austria
and Switzerland (German speaking areas therefore). For Listerine The
Netherlands - that primarily does small trade shows - a simpler concept was
devised, in which the ‘giant bottle’ remains the central eye catcher, however
the interchangeable color palette is toned down somewhat.
The ‘German’ stand has already stood at trade shows in Vienna, Frankfurt
and Cologne, and will return to Frankfurt in November.
* Did you know that the Listerine name derives from Sir Joseph Lister? This English
doctor was the first surgeon in 1865 to carry out an operation in a fully sterilized
space. This was noticed by a certain Dr. Joseph Lawrence who, based on research
undertaken by Joseph Lister, developed the first mouthwash in 1879. He named it
after his famous predecessor. Hij gaf het de naam van z’n beroemde voorloper.
Gielissen’s activities far
exceed our national borders
Continental – Main Football WC 2014 Sponsor
We have made various displays and furniture components
for car tire manufacturer Continental for various operational
centers across Germany. We will make the same range again
for placement at the football WC next year in Brazil.
Continental is one of the WC sponsors and as such will be in
prominent focus.
Nike in Chicago and beyond
We recently undertook our first assignment for Nike,
the renowned sports brand: a new interior for the flagship
store in Chicago. This to immense satisfaction on both
sides. To this end we are now looking into the building of,
and interior placement for, other Nike shops in the US and
Europe.
New St Jude Medical contract
Following a tender process involving three international
competitors, St Jude Medical, developer and producer of
state-of-the-art heart and neuromedical products, has again
opted to execute congress and trade show participation for
the next three years in Europe with Gielissen. In doing so we
will modify the existing stand concept so as to attain a more
up-to-date image. We will also support the St. Jude Medical
team in congress and trade show participation in Asia.
Cordis at TCT in San Francisco
Cordis is a division of the Johnson & Johnson Group, the
global player in pharmaceutical, medical and consumer
products. Cordis develops and manufactures cardiovascular
and endovascular products and services (vascular refers to
blood vessels). Gielissen has worked for Cordis for several
years now and in recent years has also designed and built
stands for the company to be used at American medical
congresses. That happened this year for the first time for
the Cordis stand at the TCT Transcatheter Cardiovascular
Therapeutics - the biggest congress in America in this field
(end October).
Correction
There is an erroneous statement in the Gielissen photo book. The Hunter Douglas stand at the R+T trade show in Stuttgart
was designed by Sine Concept Design Studio based in Antwerp. Gielissen was only responsible for realizing the stand.
Sine Concept Design Studio is a creative design agency with whom Gielissen has enjoyed a pleasant working
relationship for many years. The next edition of Global will include an extensive interview with Odette Groeneveld
from Sine Concept.
Will you help us
win the TV
Success Award?
Heard of ‘De Succesfactor’? It’s the very popular TV business program
on RTL that brings successful companies into the limelight. Not only to
show what Dutch businesses still have to offer in these hard economic
times, but in doing so to also inspire other entrepreneurs. The company
that succeeds in this the best, and in the most striking way, is eventually
crowned with the TV Success Award - the most
notorious Dutch business prize. And that
crowning is around the corner!
Gielissen Interiors & Exhibitions is market
leader in the Netherlands and a top five
player on the European market. We develop
effective solutions for national and international
clients. Full service and worldwide.
Our 310 professionals design and realize
three-dimensional projects in any form and
size in the field of interior projects, retail,
trade show exhibits, events, congresses
and brand activation.
Operations in Amsterdam, Eindhoven,
Helmond, Wanssum, Hannover, Stuttgart,
Antwerpen (Lier), Atlanta, Scottsdale,
Abu Dhabi.
Editorial team:
Saskia van Kasteren, Edo Veenstra,
Layout: D&B Communicatie BV
Printing: Drukkerij Snep BV
Every week over the last year during the program 5 companies are given
a chance: their core business but also their commercial ambitions and
strategies, and exciting projects etc. are looked at. These companies
are selected in accordance with stringent, objective criteria. Gielissen –
nominated for the interior sector – took to the TV stage last June.
The winner of the award will be announced on Saturday 25 January
2014. The selection will be made by an expert jury as well as the viewers.
Global is a promotional magazine
representing all Gielissen companies
Please send comments and suggestions to:
Gielissen Interiors & Exhibitions
Postbus 7069, 5605 JB Eindhoven
Telephone: +31 (0)40 235 36 37
[email protected]
www.gielissen.com
Gielissen accepts no liability for any loss
whatsoever arising from actions or decisions
based on the information offered in this
newsletter. Please contact us if you have any
queries about the content of this newsletter.
We are keeping our fingers crossed!
G13-12 SvK