Since February, Tim van Steenderen has been part of the sales team at Used Dairy Equipment. With more than twenty years of experience in the international equipment trade, he knows how supply and demand come together across global markets. His focus is on so called as is machines: used machines that are immediately available for their next owner.
"What appeals to me about this work is the variety," Tim explains. "No two days are the same. One day you are selling an individual machine, the next you are working on a complete production line. On top of that, you work with customers all over the world."
Anyone who thinks international trade is all about moving quickly and negotiating the best deal may be surprised. Sometimes it takes two years before a first meeting takes place. This has little to do with a lack of interest and everything to do with the fact that building trust takes time.
Ramon Borst experienced this recently. For two years, he stayed in contact with a dairy factory in Scandinavia. An occasional phone call or email, simply asking how things were going and whether Used Dairy Equipment could be of assistance. Eventually, his patience paid off: "After two years, I received a message: Ramon, you are welcome on this date. Make sure you are here."
A few days later, Ramon was walking through the factory. Since then, a large part of the equipment has already been sold, even before leaving the factory.
