How does Van Leeuwen challenge and retain younger generations?

Kim Vellema
Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube, Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands

Van Leeuwen has a widely diverse workforce. People from different ages and backgrounds work together, even when they’re based in locations throughout the world. How does Van Leeuwen ensure that younger generations also feel affiliated to the company? And how does the company remain a valuable employer for this group? Van Leeuwen HR advisor Kim Vellema shows what goes on behind the scenes of this family business.

I have been working for two years at Van Leeuwen as an HR advisor. The diverse staff and the challenges of working at different locations are what appeal to me most. Moreover, Van Leeuwen is an ambitious company and employees are often involved in the process to make these ambitions a reality. Take the quarterly meetings, for example. They truly show the open culture at Van Leeuwen. Here, important themes, results and other important developments are shared with the employees, who are also encouraged to share and develop their own initiatives. This fits our core value of ‘innovative entrepreneurship’. In the same spirit, Van Leeuwen also wants to encourage younger colleagues to share new insights and ideas.

Young Lions day

Another way of reaching out to our younger colleagues are the Young Lions days. They are meant to inspire our younger colleagues, allow them to network and to have fun while doing so. The Young Lions day can take up to a full day and we organize them for employees of 35 and younger. Our goal is to bring the group closer together, which then makes it easier for them to get in touch with each other. At the most recent Dutch-Belgian Young Lions day, a whopping 61 colleagues turned up.

Introduction days and onboarding program

As I mentioned before, Van Leeuwen’s workforce consists of people from many different ages and cultures. In order to properly introduce new – usually young – employees to the company, we at the HR department are working on programs to fill introduction days and onboarding activities. These programs will also be used at Van Leeuwen locations abroad. It will be our way of showing Van Leeuwen’s long and rich history to new employees. After all, we’ve been around for 95 years!

Economic Development Board

We also introduced the Economic Development Board to initiate cooperations with local companies. The goal of the EDB is to establish a strong economic area in the Dutch ‘Drechtsteden’ region, by recruiting more young professionals and making sure they stay on board. We create opportunities for these young professionals to work together through various challenges: innovative research projects organized by the companies we work with. At the end of the challenge, the participants present their findings to the company which organized the challenge. Networking skills are an important factor of these challenges, allowing them to learn from each other. At the same time, of course, it’s an opportunity for us at HR to promote Van Leeuwen.

Continuity and innovation

Our core values of ‘continuity’ and ‘innovation’ are sure to attract young professionals. Our efforts to digitize, automate and robotize are good examples of how we put these values into practice. We generate a dynamic and ‘FutureFit’ atmosphere and although we need a new skill set to work with these fresh concepts, those skills are second nature to young generations. These talents just finished their education, know the digital world and are quickly used to dynamic shifts. Our staff is rich and varied because we successfully attract and recruit young professionals.

We are also looking for ways to set up a global digital e-learning platform, so our employees are always empowered to develop their skills and knowledge. For many younger colleagues, a life filled with education seems obvious. Older colleagues usually need some encouragement to learn new things.

What the future holds

Family businesses are often seen as stuffy and conservative, but as you’ve just read, Van Leeuwen is on the move. We encourage new innovative projects, also in the field of Human Resources. Van Leeuwen, in other words, is an international company with a focus on the future. This makes it a great employer!

Information

Locations

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Lindtsedijk 120
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: +31 78 6252525
E-mail: vlptg@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: (078) 625 25 25
Fax: (078) 625 20 20
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.nl
Industrieweg 26
4153 BW Beesd
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Phone: +31 345 687777
Fax: +31 345 683304
E-mail: sales.stainless@vanleeuwen.nl
Hamburgweg 6
7418 ES Deventer
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Phone: +31 570 500700
Fax: +31 570 500777
E-mail: info-precisie@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: +31 78 6293340
Fax: +31 78 6293350
E-mail: sales@teulingstaal.nl
Ettenseweg 7b
7071 AA Ulft
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Phone: +31315236884
E-mail: ulft@vanleeuwen.nl
Schaarbeeklei 189
1800 Vilvoorde, België
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Phone: +32 225 54000
Schlütershof 30
47059 Duisburg
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Phone: +49 203 99340
Berner Str. 38
60437 Frankfurt am Main
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Phone: +49 69 904322-0
E-mail: Distribution.frankfurt@vanleeuwen.de
Industriestrasse 21
71665 Vaihingen/Enz
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Phone: +49 7042 101-0
Fax: +49 7042 101-55201
E-mail: distribution.vaihingen@vanleeuwen.de
Chemnitzer Straße 8
14612 Falkensee
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Phone: +49 3322 277-0
Fax: +49 69 904322 110
E-mail: distribution.berlin@vanleeuwen.de
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 29
04103 Leipzig
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Phone: +49 341 - 231037 0
Fax: +49 341 231 07 720
E-mail: Distribution.leipzig@vanleeuwen.de
Havellandstrasse 10-14
68309 Mannheim
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Phone: +49 621 3940
Fax: +49 621 394-255
E-mail: Distribution.mannheim@vanleeuwen.de
Am Moosfeld 26
81829 München
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Phone: +49 89 78046-0
Fax: +49 8978099-13
E-mail: Distribution.muenchen@vanleeuwen.de
Heisenbergerstr. 17A
33104 Paderborn
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Phone: +49 172 2901748
Hammerbrookstraße 92
20097 Hamburg
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Phone: +49 40 600384-0
E-mail: Distribution.duisburg@vanleeuwen.de
Grugaplatz 2
45131 Essen
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Perfektastrasse 69
1230 Wien
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Phone: +43 19346222-0
2, Avenue des Pays-Bas
69881 Meyzieu (Lyon)
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Phone: +33 4 72 451515
Fax: +33 4 72 451520
E-mail: vlfrance@vanleeuwen.fr
32, rue de Mogador
75009 Paris
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The Deckhouse, The Waterfront, West Midlands
DY5 1LW Brierley Hill
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Phone: +44 (0)1384 487600
Fax: +44 (0)1384 487619
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Brunel Road, Skippers Lane Industrial Estate
TS6 6JA Middlesbrough
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Phone: +44 (0)1642 056450
Fax: +44 (0)1642 457914
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Crompton Way, Bolton
BL1 8TY Lancs
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Phone: +44 1204 301 611
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Unit 1A, Rotunda Business Centre, Thorncliffe Park
S35 2PG Chapletown, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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Phone: +44 (0)114 2577577
Fax: +44 (0)114 2570639
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Amstrong Road, Daneshill industrial Estate
RG24 8NU Basingstoke
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Phone: +44 1256 811 121
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Tullow Industrial Estate
Bunclody Road Co. Carlow, Tullow
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Phone: +353 (0)59 9181120
Fax: +353 (0)59 9181124
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Via Leonardo Da Vinci 97
20090 Trezzano sul Naviglio MI
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Kratka 753/3b
682 01 Vyskov
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Phone: +420 515 532 201
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Průmyslová 1666
263 01 Dobříš
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Phone: +420 318 533 420
Fax: +420 318 533 450
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Areal ATPED, Na Brne 1972
500 06 Hradec Kralove
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Phone: +420(0)491610010
Fax: +420(0)491610199
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Nabrezi Dr.Edvarda Benese 20
75002 Prerov
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Phone: +420 585 312 764
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Jurajov Dvor 523
925 28 Pusté Úľany
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Phone: +421 31 7711 500
E-mail: vlp_info@vanleeuwen.sk
Mikovíniho 4
91701 Trnava
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Phone: +420 491 610 081-2
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
ul. Roździeńskiego 17
41303 Dąbrowa Górnicza
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Phone: +48 32 765 36 00
E-mail: distribution.poland@vanleeuwen.pl
Otiski Vrh 25A
2373 Šentjanž pri Dravogradu
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Phone: +386 2 878 78 52
Fax: +386 2 87 87 860
Lörinci ut 139
2220 Vecsés
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Phone: +36 29 889 190
Fax: +36 29 889 191
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.hu
Rodūnios kelias str. 11
LT-02189 Vilnius
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Phone: +370.523.204.51
E-mail: vytautas.kausas@vanleeuwen.eu
17 C.A. Rosseti Str.
020011 Bucharest
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Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: sales.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
Soseaua Draganesti, nr 32
230119 Slatina
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Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: info.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
TOSB Otomotiv Yan Sanayi İhtisas Organize Sanayi Bölgesi
1.Cadde, 15. Sokak, No:12, 41420 Şekerpınar-Çayırova, Kocaeli
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Phone: +902627230200
Fax: +90262 658 98 01
131, Zelena str.
79035 Lviv
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95-113 Lee Holm Road
NSW 2760 St. Mary´s
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Phone: +61 2 9896 1111
16 General Macarthur Place
Queensland 4301 Redbank
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Phone: +61-7-3413 8200
Fax: +61-7-3381 9591
E-mail: vlbrisb@vanleeuwen.com.au
1/82 Greens Road
Victoria 3175 Dandenong South
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Phone: +61-3-9701 3999
Fax: +61-3-9706 7588
E-mail: vlmelb@vanleeuwen.com.au
31 - 35 Vulcan road
W.A. 6155 Canning Vale
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Phone: +61-8-9455 2882
Fax: +61-8-9455 2828
E-mail: vlperth@vanleeuwen.com.au
Unit 1 lot 261 Schumacher Road
SA 5013 Wingfield
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Phone: +61-8-7002 5100
Fax: +61-8-7002 5111
E-mail: vladel@vanleeuwen.com.au
4, Pioneer Place
627893 Singapore
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Phone: +65 68979301
Fax: +65 68979318
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
No 3, Lot 5, Jalan I Park 1/1
Kawasan Perindustrian I Park 81000 Bandar Indahpura
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Phone: +60 766 060 76
Fax: +60 766 066 07
Suite 11-02, Level 11, Menara IGB, The Boulevard, Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur
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Phone: +60 (0)322873358
Fax: +60 (0)322845771
E-mail: malaysia@vanleeuwen.com.sg
Chonburi Industrial Estate (Bo-Win) 341 Moo 6 Highway no. 331 KM 91 District Bo-Win Amphur Sri Racha
20230 Chonburi Province
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Phone: +66 (0)38345765 or 66
Fax: +66 (0)38345247
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
25 Alma Link Building, 10th Floor, Soi Chidlom, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
10330 Bangkok
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Graha Pratama Building, Floor 14, Jl. M.T. Haryono Kav. 15
12810 Jakarta
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Intiland Tower 3rd Floor, Service Office Suite 02, Jalan Panglima Sudirman 101-103
60271 East Java
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Room 1708, You You International Plaza, 76 Pu Jian Road, Pudong New District
200127 Shanghai
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Phone: +86 (0)2158311866
Fax: +86 (0)2158311900
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.cn
Qiao Bei Xin Rui 3rd Floor, Rm 311, No 10 Jintang Road, Dongli District
Postal 300301 Tianjin
Plan route
Phone: +86 22 84878680
OilField Supply Center, Exec-03
P.O. Box 261145 Dubai - UAE
Plan route
Phone: +971 4 8833872
Fax: +971 4 8837974
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Al Ghaith Tower - Office #1202, Hamdan Street
P.O. Box 47144 Abu Dhabi
Plan route
Phone: +971 (0)26271840
Fax: +971 (0)26271244
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.ae
Prince Sultan St, Qurtoba Sehamiya Tower, Office 602
Al-Khobar 31952
Plan route
Phone: +966 1 3 845 4438
Fax: +966 1 3 845 4439
E-mail: sales@ubsco-piping.com
West Bay, Palm Tower 2
Suite 3003 Doha
Plan route
Phone: +974(0)97444533150
Fax: +974(0)97444533101
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Building No. 1060, Plot No. 15, Way No 3709
South Ghubra, P.O. Box 835, PC 115 Muscat
Plan route
Phone: +968 2450 5524
Fax: +968 2448 3832
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Block No. 2, Plot No. 284
Al Ardiya Industrial Area, P.O. Box 4819 13049 Safat
Plan route
Phone: +965 2225 4545
Fax: +965 2434 4610
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
2875 - 64th Avenue
T6P 1R1 Edmonton Alberta
Plan route
Phone: +1 (0)780469 7410
Fax: +1 (0)780466 5970
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.com
1225 North Loop West, Ste. 810
Texas 77008 Houston
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Phone: +1 281582 3150
Fax: +1 281582 3151
E-mail: usa@vanleeuwen.com
Olofsdalsvägen 32, Box 101
SE-30104 Halmstad
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Phone: +46.70.64.10.122
Koesmosevej 48-58
5500 Middelfart
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Münchwilerstrasse 37
CH-9554 Tägerschen
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Phone: +41719299393
E-mail: info@kindlimann.ch
Avenue des Baumettes 3
1020 Renens
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15 route de Merville
27320 La Madeleine de Nonancourt
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Phone: +33 2 32 58 01 54
Fax: +33 2 32 58 16 60
E-mail: distribution.france@normydro.com
Luchthavenlaan 4
1800 Vilvoorde
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De Limiet 15
4131 NR Vianen
Plan route
Phone: +31 (0)347 361911
Fax: +31 (0)347 361730
E-mail: info@combulex.nl

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How does Van Leeuwen challenge and retain younger generations?

Young Lions day

Introduction days and onboarding program

Economic Development Board

Continuity and innovation

What the future holds

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