Foreword

Innovation. A search for this word on the internet yields numerous, often colorful descriptions, such as: focusing on the future renewal of strategy, products, services and markets with an inquiring and curious spirit. There are more neutral descriptions as well, such as: all activities focused on renewal in a company.

Innovation is at the foundation of any successful company. This ‘inquiring and curious spirit’ has been part of Van Leeuwen’s genes for almost 95 years. This way we constantly renew our products, services, processes and organization, to create an optimal match with developments in the market and the requirements of our customers.

Technological and IT developments nowadays play a major role in a company’s renewal. Digitization and robotization offer numerous opportunities for improving products and services and to design processes more efficiently. We are taking promising steps in this area at various Van Leeuwen branches.

Additional steps will follow in the near future. After all, innovation is an endless process. New developments, insights and possibilities are constantly changing the world, society and the business community. This includes the world of Van Leeuwen and its markets and customers as well. As a leading, globally operating trading company and specialist in pipes and tubes, we continue to be frontrunners by constantly innovating our services.

We do this in various ways, for example by optimizing our distribution and other processes and making them more efficient. Through product innovations and further developing our added value services and expertise in complex projects. By deploying digitization, robotization and modern IT applications in support of providing fast custom services to our customers. By investing in the growth of our international network. And finally, by investing in our employees, who are ready to serve our customers day in, day out.