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After the upcoming summer vacations, the festivities for customers, suppliers and the further network will definitely take place (see box on page 11), but in July the employees - and their family members - are already celebrating a small party: the inauguration of the new production site of Montapanel, the northern Dutch specialist in ceramic, composite and natural stone countertops.
Speaking is Tim de Graaf, director/owner, of the steadily growing company. "We are now operational with a completely new production line in which we have invested. The production line we were already using at our previous location in Tolbert is - as we speak - also being prepared for use. We are laying a good foundation for much future growth with this move and expansion."
That "something" had to happen was already clear before the huge sales boom of the corona period at Montapanel, because in 2019 - says Tim - the company was actually already near the max in terms of capacity. "We succeeded in creating more capacity in Tolbert through a number of investments 25% then, but the demand from the market was so high that we also quickly 'filled' that new capacity. Of course, we were well aware that part of the growth came from the lockdowns related to corona: after all, just about every private individual in the Netherlands was sitting at home and decided to invest in their own homes. Yes, we too benefited a lot from that in those corona years. But if we took out that extra plus, and looked 'more purely' at the growth figures, we could still conclude that we were in a major growth spurt. So yes, 'something' had to happen because, of course, we did want to continue to shape our ambitions for the future."
Tim explains that initially, it was explored whether a second property could be an option. "But, we quickly stepped away from that. After all, you might wonder if you could work efficiently then. For example, we even had the thought of maybe opening a second production location somewhere in the middle of the country, but in the end it turned out to be wiser to keep everything in one place. And so we decided to build our own building. In Drachten.
Right from the beginning - that is, at the design stage - we thought carefully about logistics. For example, in Tolbert we were working with a production line that was set up in a U-shape. It was our desire to create a production line that would literally stand in one straight line. So, on one side of the building feed the material and on the other side - as output - the worktops. We have now achieved that."
But of course there is more to the premises in Drachten. "We have a beautiful showroom, good offices for all our employees and of course a luxurious, but above all cozy canteen. I think this location has really become very inviting. The outside world sees now more than ever that we are a professional company, that we have a good image and that we deliver beautiful products. Of course we chose our own products for the materialization. Think of our own countertops, wall panels, sinks and floors. Many combined with wood. We extended that to practically all areas. It has become one beautiful whole. Yes, I consider our new production location a recruiting calling card."
Nice of course for Tim and all his employees, that beautiful new building, but the question does arise as to where exactly all this growth is coming from. Tim laughs, "Yes, we've probably been doing something right all these years!" Then more seriously, "I think we laid an initial strong foundation back in 2010 and 2011. In those years we were one of the first Dutch producers to focus strongly on ceramic worktops. The great properties, in terms of appearance, feel and use, have ensured that this type of worktop has now taken a large share of the market."
According to Tim, however, there are other reasons why Montapanel is experiencing steady growth. "For example, the kitchen has become a much more visible part of one's home. Especially in the higher segment: there, a stone worktop is almost always chosen in luxury kitchens. Think also of the beautiful kitchen islands that individuals have embraced. The demand for (stone) backsplashes also grew."
"In addition, we have developed a piece of broadening. For example, we now also produce and sell sinks and wall panels for the bathroom, tops for tables and furniture panels for yacht building. And ... not insignificantly: you see that in the hospitality and hotel industry, stone has increasingly made its appearance in recent years. From counters to serving points. A lot of hotels, for example, have worked on their own upgrade in recent years. We benefit from that, too, of course."
Of course, Tim can't predict the future. "The situation in the housing market has deteriorated, and I wonder when that will pick up," he says. "If the improvement doesn't kick in, the pie will get a little smaller for everyone in the market. Still, I feel like we can start serving a bigger slice of that pie. And yes, fair is fair: besides that, there's a lot going on in the world in all sorts of areas, from wars to energy crises, so exactly what the next few years will bring remains a pipe dream. Fortunately, our order intake is still very good, but the 'craziness' of the corona years is gone. Moreover, I think that the higher segment, which we serve, will always continue to invest in their own homes. So all in all, I see the future with confidence. Also thanks to this new production location. It is equipped for growth: I think that with the 9,000 m2, which we now have - yes, we have almost quadrupled in terms of square meters compared to our old location in Tolbert - we will be able to cope well in the coming years."
When Tim is asked how he sees Montapanel in 10 years, the answer is clear. "I think we will have grown from two to three production lines by then. We certainly also have the ambition to go more international. I expect that by then we will have secured our place in Belgium and perhaps also in the Rühr area (D). I also think that we will have grown from about 50 employees now to 70 employees then and that the market will know us even more as the flexible worktop specialist in the Netherlands."
Tim acknowledges that recruiting good staff is still a 'little thing' in a labor market where there are structural shortages. "In the meantime we have our HR department in good order - they are also working hard to attract the right people to us - but I am now also convinced that the appearance of our new location can be extra appealing. The most important thing, however, is that we remain a good employer to keep turnover as low as possible and that we can continue to offer good training internally. Fortunately, we have all those opportunities to make those ambitions, dreams and wishes come true in Drachten."
Our company Montapanel Countertops employs only people who have many years of experience in manufacturing and supplying countertops. The proven craftsmanship of the production staff and the years of experience of our sales team form an ideal combination. This combination ensures that the range, pricing and quality are at a high and competitive level [...].
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