Primabad: “Everyone at Van Duuren thinks in a proactive and solution-oriented way. That is important for us”
Every week, Van Duuren collects ceramic wash basin tops at suppliers in Italy ad Germany for Primabad. Managing director Jan Zwanenberg emphasizes that time and punctuality are vitally important. “Our order line and the delivery promises we make to our customers are inextricably linked to the service from Vianen.”
The ceramics suppliers in Germany and Italy can only just keep up with demand, explains Jan Zwanenberg. He is the managing director of Primabad in Veghel, which supplies hundreds of items of bathroom furniture per week to the larger bathroom retailers in the Netherlands and elsewhere. “We are constantly waiting for new washbasin tops, so as soon as we hear that there is a new batch ready we ask Van Duuren to collect them right away. This is often a last minute order on Mondays or Tuesdays.”
Marcel Habraken’s responsibilities include the logistics at Primabad. He emphasizes the importance of tight delivery schedules: “Once a basin top comes in to our premises it’s usually sent out the same day, but then on a pallet complete with the mirror and the other furniture.”
Regular contact personnel
In Vianen, planners Taib and Lonneke look after the contacts with Primabad, and Jan and Marcel are very satisfied with the way they do this. Jan: “I am personally very happy with the stability of the personnel policy at Van Duuren. Lonneke and Taib have been our regular contact people for quite some time. They know and understand Primabad, and, importantly, they know our suppliers.”
A smile appears Ed Kooiman’s face. Being responsible for sales at Van Duuren he made the first contacts with Primabad. “Over time, these two planners have gained a great affinity with Primabad”, he says. “They complement one another, and know how they must react to Jan and Marcel’s needs and wishes.”
Marcel is very pleased with the flexible attitude of the Van Duuren team. “Everyone is solution-minded and deal with things proactively. We recently had an order for five pallets. It was great to see that the planners on their own initiative contacted our supplier to ask what was happening. Not just waiting (will it all fit in the truck?), but creating and applying solutions, so that you avoid being stuck with a reservation of 4m2 of space when 6m2 are needed.”
Onward through Corona
Primabad and Van Duuren have got through the months of March, April and May, the heart of the Corona crisis, relatively well, say both Jeroen van Duuren and Jan Zwanenberg in retrospect. The managing director of Primabad explains that in France and Belgium the bathroom furniture manufacturers were obliged to shut down temporarily. “Fortunately we were able to continue production. At times during April it was difficult for Van Duuren to get trucks to the right place. Nevertheless, the service continued, for which congratulations are in order. We will be happy to carry on working with Van Duuren in the future. Both companies have a firm grip on the transport, and that can only be good!”