Coffee with Dirk-Jan
At Hencon, we like to have a cup of coffee together. In ‘Coffee with…’ we talk to a different colleague each time. This time it is Dirk-Jan Winkelhorst’s turn. Dirk-Jan has been working at Hencon since November 2015.
How did you end up at Hencon?
‘I was looking for a company that I can run as if it were my own. I had put this question to a recruiter and soon found myself in conversation with Hencon’s management. From them I was given the opportunity to first get to know all facets of the company. I then worked out my vision for the company and turned it into a business plan. After two years, the helm was handed over to me and since then I have been responsible for the general management of Hencon Forestry.’
Has much changed at Hencon since then?
Dirk-Jan nods. ‘Things have indeed changed. We specialised in John Deere forestry equipment and we expanded our working area with our new branch in Brandscheid. I was given the opportunity to put my plans into practice and it worked out well. Both for Hencon Forestry and myself. Due to the trust I received from the then management but also from colleagues, I have grown myself. Within this company, there is plenty of room for own initiative and personal development. We are now a serious player in the market.’
What do you get energy from in your work?
‘I get enormous energy from making strategic plans, especially long-term plans. We are on the right track and Hencon Forestry is a fine and healthy company. There are plenty of opportunities and I see it as my mission to future-proof our company. This means that our company will grow. But I find job satisfaction the most important thing. People work hard but fortunately with a lot of fun, which is after all the strength of our company.’
What was your first introduction to the forestry industry like?
‘I remember my first introduction like yesterday,’ Dirk-Jan chuckles. ‘That was during an international meeting in Austria. I was used to dressing up neatly for dinner with neat shoes, tie and jacket. I walk into the room there in the evening and see only people with sturdy shoes, checked blouses and jeans. I was completely overdressed and immediately turned around to change. The forestry world is no-nonsense and everyone knows each other; I feel at home there.’
How do you see Hencon’s future?
‘There are plenty of opportunities for Hencon Forestry and I’m bursting with ideas! However, I have since learned that it is wise to let all those ideas sink in quietly and think about them carefully. That is what I am doing now. I am constantly working on the business and therefore also on the long-term vision. In any case, principles to which I remain faithful in this thinking process are: ensuring our people’s job happiness, doing business honestly and sincerely and keeping to agreements.’
Finally, how is the coffee?
Dirk-Jan takes a sip of coffee and says: ‘We have two types of coffee: filter coffee and instant coffee. There is a lively discussion going on here about which coffee tastes best now. For me, it’s the filter coffee.’
