GRÄPER ALMERE

It started in 1905 with modest beginnings in Amsterdam, and grew into a thriving company in Almere: Alberts & Kluft has a rich history. Now 120 years old, the company has grown into an organisation with some 150 employees that produces and installs prefabricated transformer substations. From 1 May 2025, it will do so under the name Gräper Almere - a new name, but with the same familiar people and expertise.

What is it like to be an entrepreneur in Almere? We talk about it with managing director Wim Gentenaar, who has been with the company for 30 years, foreman Wilco van der Linden and HR consultant Erica Aroutunova. A conversation with a pedigree pioneer about innovation, cooperation and entrepreneurship in Almere.

Unburdening customers

Electrical engineering still forms the core of what the company does, says Wim: "In the first years after the company was founded, we were mainly involved in direct and alternating current, electrical appliances and lighting technology. After World War II, the focus was very much on building the electricity grid in the Netherlands and we installed wooden poles with overhead power lines throughout the country. Today, we focus mainly on the supply and installation of prefabricated transformer substations. Our customer base includes grid operators, energy service providers and other customers in the energy sector, construction and industry."

''In the coming years, we want to further expand our service and service offering to include complete energy solutions so that we can unburden our customers even more. Since 1 May, we have been doing so under the name Gräper Almere. This name change marks a new milestone in our development, but is at the same time a logical step: we have been part of the Gräper Group for 25 years. By now also visibly linking our name to Gräper - a strong and trusted name within the sector - we underline our joint ambition. This way, we strengthen our position in the market, continue to invest in innovation and together build on a future full of quality, reliability and customer focus.''

Growing in Almere

The year 2000 was a milestone for the company in several ways. Wim: "We became part of the Gräper Group and we settled in Almere with our own production hall. The choice was logical: centrally located, a favourable business climate and excellent establishment opportunities. At business park Buitenvaart, we were given plenty of space for our production hall - and we are still happy with that."

The energy transition gave a new impetus that made further growth necessary. It was therefore decided to build a second building in 2021. Wim: "Our permanent account manager at the municipality helped us a lot with this. We were in close contact during the permit process. That was also important, because at the last minute we wanted to change the plans. We already had a permit for another plot, but then a larger site next to our current premises became available. That was a better option for us. The municipality helped us to convert the permit and still build on the other plot."

People make the business

Despite its growth, Gräper Almere (formerly Alberts & Kluft) remains strongly connected to the local business community. Wim: "Networking sometimes falls by the wayside, but we are affiliated to the Association of Business Circle Almere and to Stichting Beveiliging Bedrijventerreinen Almere, which monitors the area here. We also have good contacts with a number of other companies on the industrial estate. For example, during our expansion we had a lot of help from Summit Europe, a manufacturer of aerosol parts for spray cans. They are immediate neighbours of ours and also built new premises a few years before us. When we were expanding, I went to them to ask how they had handled it. Thanks to their tips, we even engaged the same contractor."

With the new hall, not only has the production capacity scaled up considerably, the team grew with it. Erica: We now have about 150 employees and that number continues to grow. Yet there isstill a family atmosphere here in the company. We are more flexible, smaller and more accessible than our competitors. That is also our strength". Wim adds: "We don't necessarily want to become the biggest, but we do want to be the most reliable!"

Finding and retaining new talent is important for Gräper Almere. Wilco: "We always need people. We are starting a new Services department and are looking for colleagues for production, field service, the drawing office and work preparation. There are plenty of opportunities for technical people who like to work with their hands." Erica stresses, "To stay strong, we need a constant influx of motivated people with fresh ideas. We offer plenty of development opportunities, which also makes us an attractive employer."

Working with perspective

Not only recruiting, but also retaining employees is a challenge. Erica: "We continue to grow and that offers opportunities. For certain positions, we already have growth and training plans ready. Offering good future prospects and a nice working atmosphere is important for our employees, so we are committed to that. We have a nice corporate culture, look after each other. A recent employee satisfaction survey showed that we score super high on mutual cooperation. We are proud of that."

Attract and develop talent

To find new talent, Gräper Almere (formerly Alberts & Kluft) is active at job fairs and networking events. But it doesn't stop there. Erica: "With the HR department, we recently visited a company that is going to close down. We talked to employees there to see if they would fit in with us. We look beyond diplomas: passion for technology and wanting to work with your hands are most important to us. We work together with various MBO and HBO schools in Almere and the surrounding area. Soon, a group from ROC Hilversum will visit us for a tour of the company, showing students how they can use their knowledge and skills to make a difference - at our company and in society. We also invest in on-the-job learning. At the moment, about nine MBO students are working for us in a work learning program (BBL) and four HBO students are following courses through us in, for instance, mechanical engineering. We also offer the opportunity for students following a BOL course to do work placement with us."

Wilco explains: "I supervise several apprentices who learn the trade with us. On their first day, we take a tour of all the departments to discover where their talents and interests lie. Some like physical and rough work, others like precision. We always tailor the place to what a pupil can and wants so that they can develop to their full potential. In fact, one of the apprentices who came in last year is doing so well that he is now working in the field. He has now also completed his MBO-2 and is now doing the advanced training we pay for. It is great to see how such a boy develops!".

Booster of sustainability

Almere aims to become the first major energy-neutral city in the Netherlands. That is where Gräper Almere is doing its bit. Wim: "Our new building has no less than 958 solar panels, with which we largely provide for our own energy needs. We are also greening our other premises. We are now investigating whether our buildings can be completely off gas."

Sustainability and digitalisation are important spearheads for Gräper Almere for the future. Wim: "As a company, we have long played a major role in the electrification and sustainability of the Netherlands. We want to develop pioneering solutions to accelerate the energy transition. That is our mission. And given all the opportunities the energy transition offers, I see our future very positively!".

Share your entrepreneurial story too? Tell us at info@onderneeminalmere.nl/en.

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