3 minute read
You don’t get big by doing nothing
New generation, new plans for the future. Since Jan Hol handed over his company to Martijn, Anouk and Chantal in 2019, a renewed Holbox has slowly but surely revealed itself. The plans for the future are great and with, among other things, a major expansion in Poland, the first steps for a bright future have already been taken. What plans does the new generation still have and how do the Hol children follow in the footsteps of the previous generation? Father and son discuss how, as a family business, you can retain your core values, but at the same time never shy away from innovation.
COMMON SENSE
Jan starts Holbox in 1976 and focuses on what he’s good at: selling. Jan: “In the beginning I only sold cardboard boxes, but over the years, my focus increasingly shifted to displays. The techniques that were emerging at that time really appealed to me, and what’s more, the display market looked much more challenging to me. It allowed us to provide much more customisation and as such, build strong relationships.” Martijn: “My father is a true networker and has built up an impressive portfolio over the years with clients such as Douwe Egberts, Swinckels and L’Oréal. His focus is therefore on new business, while like my mother, I’m more into finance and I mainly focus on managing the factory.” During the credit crisis, for example, Martijn played an important role in securing the future of Holbox. Jan: “Martijn is the captain of the ship. As the main person responsible for our production, he’s aware of everything and knows the company inside and out.”
LEARN YOUNG
Holbox has played a role for Martijn all his life. As a child, he raced through the warehouse with the trolleys. Now, as the managing director, he’s at the helm of the company. That doesn’t mean he’s the only one calling the shots, though. “I have final responsibility on a daily basis, but major investments are only made if everyone agrees. If we don’t come to a compromise as a family, it won’t happen. We want to prevent our relationships from coming under pressure, so we wouldn’t want it any other way.” And although Jan formally took a step back, he’s still present in the background. “My father contributes more than 45 years of experience in this business. He always has new ideas and continues to trigger colleagues to innovate. He really is Holbox’s brainbox. I still learn from him every day”, says Martijn.
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
With the new generation at the helm, Holbox looks to the future full of ambition. This not only focuses on sustainability and the smallest possible ecological footprint, but also on entering into sustainable customer relationships and partnerships. “The display market is currently picking up more strongly than we’ve ever seen before. In the German market in particular, we’re experiencing very strong growth and as far as our products are concerned, we see a large increase in the number of requests for custom-made displays. Of course, we want to continue this trend, but this requires an expansion of our production capacity. That’s why we’re expanding our production capacity in Poland and by 2023, we want to move to a new, larger and above all greener site in Echt”, Jan and Martijn explain. Although this relocation is largely in the hands of the new generation, Jan will still remain closely involved.
“Our industry is changing rapidly and developments follow at a rapid pace. We both have a strong interest in new innovations and developments that can take Holbox to the next level. We continue to trigger each other and grow together.” With the expansion of the production site in Poland and the planned relocation and expansion of the site in Echt, the first ambitious plans of the new generation are already taking shape. What’s next on the schedule? “Of course, we continue to develop and always want to stay ahead of the market”, says Martijn. “We’re known for our sustainable and innovative displays, so expect many sustainable display solutions in the coming years and a couple of innovations that will get the display market moving on a grand scale.
