In the What'Sub series, we give the floor to our subcos. They talk about their partnership with Circet and zoom in on their growth process over the years. Richard Voets, co-owner of Heijmans Kabelwerken, explains what their partnership with Circet has achieved over the years.
In what way do you work together with Circet?
Richard: "In 2014, we were tasked by Circet to lay electrical cables for lighting poles and telecommunication cables. We now focus on laying coaxial and fibre-optic cabling. The latter mainly for VodafoneZiggo projects in the south of the Netherlands."
And how does that work out?
Richard: "Great: there are never any problems with Circet. This is unique in this industry. We know our contacts well, the atmosphere is friendly, lines of communication are short, and any problems are solved quickly. We always get our orders through neat work packages. Also nice is that the assignments are very varied: big, small, complex, simple. Removing large concrete slabs from the ground, heavy stabilisation work, breakdowns we have to solve last minute: it’s all in a day’s work. That’s what keeps it interesting."
The partnership in figures (2023)
Have you grown thanks to Circet?
Richard: "Absolutely. Heijmans Kabelwerken started 17 years ago with five staff members. Today, there is 20 of us. That is not to say that those 20 people work for Circet continuously, but we owe that growth to the partnership with Circet. In fact, half of all our assignments come from Circet. And we definitely want to grow further - there is plenty of work out there!"
"There are never any problems with Circet. That is unique in this industry."
What is the biggest benefit of the partnership?
Richard: "Circet relieves many burdens for us. Orders are put through cleanly, problems are solved quickly, invoices are paid on time. Therefore, we don't have to pay much attention to administrative matters, and we can fully focus on production. That's nice, really."
How did you gain the necessary knowledge and experience?
Merlijn: "At the start of each project, we review the specifications and guidelines together with Circet , which are constantly changing due to all the new techniques and apprature. We always start on a direction basis. That means we are reimbursed for the first few jobs because we are learning and discovering - together with Circet.
We share all findings related to the project with Circet. On this basis, Circet can make a good estimate of the work and costs. From the moment we have mastered everything, we officially take on the project. This way, we can make a steep learning curve each time."
"At the start of each project, we work on a directional basis. That way, we run little risk as a subco."
The partnership is clearly bursting with confidence, can you give another example of that?
Merlijn: "The new Odido project! From the start, we were involved in the rollout of that new network. As a result, we were the only subco aware of the specifications, materials and guidelines. We shared our knowledge and experience with the other subcos for this project. So we trained them.
Enthused by Heijmans story? Then take a look at what we can do for you in a partnership.
Also discover the stories of ...