Foeth is always open for new professional talent, even when not actively looking for new employees. A good example is the case of Rob, who was put forward by other colleagues. Management was impressed by what Rob had to offer and was hired promptly. He tells more about his experiences working for Foeth.

Rob was brought into Foeth in 2021 by Andrej and Frank, colleagues from his previous job, who had already found their place within the Foeth team. There was no specific vacancy at the time, but they were working on the plan of setting up a Projects team. Rob explains that with Andrej's help, a meeting with Erik (CEO) was set up, the same thing Rob did for Andrej at their previous job. Soon after, Rob was able to get started.

A personalised position

"The position was built around me, so to speak, which appealed to me because it allowed me to fill it in myself.", Rob says. "My experience at an auction company was a valuable addition to the method at Foeth." However, it was challenging for Rob to transition from a broad role to a more specific one, as Foeth mainly focuses on a particular niche of process machinery and projects related to process equipment. His previous employer was not purely a trading company, as Foeth is. There, he could address a wide range of trade, whereas now he focusses on interesting plants, technical engineers, and project managers/decision makers. This requires a different approach and a facilitating role towards customers. "The freedom I have been given in this role and shaping it myself has helped me tremendously in making the position my own."

"In my role, I also get involved in certain projects, such as the rebranding of Foeth and the website and its development. Within Foeth there is room for these tasks, but the company is also very thoughtful with organizing all kinds of things for employees, such as events at Easter, a family day in June, and a barbecue at Christmas."

I look for the connection

Rob jokes that his role does not require him to be Sherlock Holmes, but it does require him to research, proactively approach the market, be on the ball, take action, and follow up on cases. It is important for him and his job to understand the issues facing decision-makers. Communication is key to getting it right and building a relationship with the client is a must. For Rob it is also important to understand what materials the customer is currently using and assess whether this is of interest to us. Rob talks about Foeth's own website and how it's an important source of information when you start in his role. In world of the processing industry, Rob often encounters the same brands, indicating to him he is working with good materials. "Machine groups are also important, but that's not always my responsibility. I mainly focus on the dynamics of a company. For example, if a factory is going to close, you might come across materials that fit into our range and then you'll be the first to make an offer."

Gradually, he has noticed that Foeth can target even more accurately in certain areas, which he does in collaboration with his colleagues. "It's nice that the company has a clear vision of where it wants to go and knows which customers it wants to reach and serve. Building relationships even with clients that may not be within our scope can still be useful. This is especially true if you want to unburden the client and there is a broader context. Sometimes it's good to buy something, even if it doesn't fit directly into our inventory, it does mean you've helped the customer."

Visiting trade shows, such as PowTech, Akuna Foodtech, FI Europe, Achema and CPHI, is also an important part of his work to build connections. During these fairs, Rob conducts interviews to find out if visitors are already familiar with Foeth. As an example his tells about the owner of a company or the sales staff who can give him all kinds of tips or further inputs. "I also gained a lot of knowledge about new machines at trade shows. I can then use this information in conversations with customers who may need something. At the fair itself, you can even switch gears to do business, it is appreciated if you stop by, also to build a relationship." On average, Rob invests 2 days per trade show, and usually visits 4 to 6 per year, depending on Foeth's own trade show participations. He mainly goes to fairs in Germany, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, but there can be exceptions if there are interesting fairs to visit.

A great team

"There is a great atmosphere at Foeth. It is a small club with informal and short lines of communication, which was different at my previous employer. At Foeth, knowledge, skills, and commitment were appreciated from day one." Rob appreciates that attention is paid to completing or winning projects, which he finds very nice to experience. Teamwork is also very important for Rob when he is working with a colleague from Purchasing whom he sends to a customer he has spoken with. "I regained the feeling of teamwork here. Especially the interaction and sparring with colleagues in the Purchase team, but also with colleagues from Sales, who give me tips on certain customers or projects." Rob says. "It is always nice to look around Foeth's premises and to walk along with a colleague doing technical sales with a customer. You see that customers are often impressed by what we have to offer." Rob tells that a customer recommended Foeth to sister companies, particularly a large pharmaceutical company in Germany. "It's a compliment when people ask me how I found them and how I got on this path."