Outlook on Customers
The digitization of our service is in full swing: over the coming years, more and more customers are expected to communicate with Van Leeuwen via webshops, a customer portal and our social media platform. In addition, we are prepared for the stricter requirements imposed on the traceability of steel by the circular economy. Customers can count on material certification with full traceability. By staying ahead of the trends within the chain, we continue to offer our customers the best possible support.
Steven Ruijters,
Commercial Director, Van Leeuwen Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands
‘Whether you call it the Smart Industry, the Internet of Things or the fourth industrial revolution, everything revolves around the digitization of information and the interconnection of systems within the supply chain,’ says Steven Ruijters, Commercial Director at Van Leeuwen Zwijndrecht. ‘Van Leeuwen is responding to this with webshops and a customer portal where customers can find product information, place orders and download certificates for the materials ordered. In addition, the renewal of our ERP system clears the way for increased transaction ease for our customers, and higher efficiency within the chain.’
‘Customers of the future at all times want to be able to quickly find the information they are looking for. To share our knowledge in modern ways, Van Leeuwen has started to post blogs on its website that are shared via social media. In these blogs, our own specialists speak about relevant developments in the markets we serve and about the solutions we provide. By sharing sector-specific information with the right customer groups via the right channels, Van Leeuwen will increasingly take on the role of knowledge center within the chain.
What trends are we observing? During a customer seminar about sustainability, the emergence of the circular economy in the steel construction sector was discussed. Recycling and reuse are decisive criteria for customers, as well as engineers and architects in selecting construction materials. To be able to effectively determine how used steel can be recycled or upcycled, the original material must be fully traceable. Van Leeuwen is able to offer this full traceability by means of material certificates that are linked to the pipes via charge numbers. This information can be used directly in the innovative systems used by our customers, such as the Building Information Model (BIM), a digital 3D representation of all physical and functional characteristics of a building, which can be consulted throughout the building’s entire lifecycle, from construction through to its demolition or reuse.
We continuously immerse ourselves in the changing requirements and needs that are at play in the market segments of our customers. We do this in part by maintaining a dialogue with our customers and on the basis of customer satisfaction surveys. Although the future is in providing digital accessibility, long-term and personal relationships with customers will continue to be highly valuable for Van Leeuwen. We will therefore continue to invest in branches close to the customer and in skilled, well-trained employees who speak the customer’s language. This means the customer will always have the option of choosing digital or personal contact.’
Tuncer Aslan,
Key Account Manager,
Van Leeuwen Germany
‘We are able to effectively support German customers with our international project and account management, domestically and beyond their borders.’
‘We opened our Van Leeuwen office in Moers in August 2017. We primarily serve customers in the Equipment Manufacturing and Fluid Power segments with products from the stocks held by Van Leeuwen Precision and Van Leeuwen Zwijndrecht in the Netherlands, and Wauters in Belgium. This way we make the extensive product range in our European stock locations available to the German market for pipes, the largest in Europe. Our one-stop-shop solution is being well received. The benefits for our customers are a reduction in the number of suppliers as well as lower prices.
We also differentiate ourselves on the basis of our international project management and key account management services. These are well-developed at Van Leeuwen Germany. As a result we are able to effectively advise and support German customers that operate beyond their borders, or are planning to do so.
Finally, Van Leeuwen’s business mentality is well suited to the German pipe market. Trade partners here attach great value to trust and personal contact. Investing in relationships is the key to success at Van Leeuwen Germany as well. Market conditions are continuously changing, but the partners remain the same. This is why Van Leeuwen Germany focuses on long-term partnerships with customers and suppliers: in good times and bad.’
Aaron Madgwick,
State Manager New South Wales,
Van Leeuwen Australia
‘Ready-made solutions and advanced ordering and transaction systems give us an edge.’
‘Our Australian customers are increasingly demanding ready-made solutions for projects in the civil infrastructure and petrochemical sectors. Customers not only purchase pipes from us, they also entrust the entire treatment process to us, so that they no longer need to concern themselves with this. To provide this custom work, we work closely with suppliers in our network, that are often Van Leeuwen customers themselves. Custom work primarily concerns galvanizing and shotblasting pipes. In addition, we provide coatings for storage tanks for the petrochemical industry. We recently significantly expanded our stocks in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane to be able to meet local market demands..
In addition to custom solutions, we are noting a desire for advanced ordering systems among our customers. We target this by offering service to the customer at any time of the day through modern technology on mobile phones, tablets and laptops. Today’s customer wants to be able to conduct business with us any time of day and from any location. And Van Leeuwen keeps investing in systems that provide the customer with easy electronic transactions. By connecting our systems with the systems of our customers and suppliers we are increasing efficiency within the chain. This gives us an edge over our competitors.’