GRUNDFOS

Danish company Grundfos is known worldwide for its innovative, high-quality pumps and pump controls. Every year, the company produces millions of pumps for various applications such as heating, cooling, water supply and wastewater. Millions of Dutch households have a Grundfos pump in their meter box. Also in non-residential construction, industrial market and water management, Grundfos is active on all continents. All the more special that the company has a branch in Almere. Martin Schippers has been with Grundfos for eight years and has been responsible for the Dutch branch as Country Director for several months. We spoke to him as well as to Willem Pronk who has been with the company for 25 years. Willem is currently Manager Business Support Western Europe and, as a proud inhabitant of Almere, a familiar face in the local network.

Denmark's national pride based in Almere

Over 80 years ago, Poul Due Jensen designed an electric pump, laying the foundation for Grundfos. The company has since grown into the world's largest pump manufacturer with 20,000 employees and branches in more than 60 countries, including the Netherlands. "In Denmark, Grundfos is a source of national pride," says Martin. "Everyone knows the Due Jensen family. The company's impact on Denmark is comparable to that of ASML or Philips in the Netherlands."

Grundfos has had a branch in the Netherlands since 1970, and for many years the company was located in Weesp, but the premises there became outdated and offered little room for growth. In 2007, Grundfos moved to self-designed premises on Veluwezoom in Almere. Willem Pronk was closely involved in the process from the start: "We didn't want to be somewhere tucked away on an industrial estate. It was the location near a residential area that appealed to us. Thanks to the municipality, we were the first to build here with a view of the Weerwater, and we're still happy about that.

Pioneering in innovation and sustainability

Grundfos is all about innovation and sustainability. Martin: "As a premium brand, we are at the forefront of technology with numerous proprietary inventions that we have patented worldwide. Because we are not listed on the stock exchange, we don't have to hand over profits to shareholders and can invest heavily in innovation: 5-8% of profits go to Research & Development every year. That is truly unique". Sustainability has been a core value of the company since the 1980s, long before it became a trend. For instance, Grundfos has been supporting water supply projects in vulnerable areas in Africa and South America for some 50 years.

Sustainability also plays a major role in its own products: "Ten per cent of all energy worldwide is used for pumping water. With our technology, we can reduce that to four per cent. We are also strongly committed to circularity. In Denmark, a special team dismantles old pumps so that 80 per cent of the parts are reused. We also want to introduce that model in Almere for returnables."

Almere: strategic location for all of Europe

The Grundfos building in Almere is not only used as home base for the Sales and Service teams, but is also an important hub for Europe. Martin Schippers: "Almere's location is ideal. Because we are near Schiphol Airport, we are much more accessible than, say, London or Paris. That is crucial for international cooperation. It is also very convenient that the van der Valk hotel is just around the corner. We book about 800 hotel nights there a year. Good for the local economy!".

Clients from all over the Netherlands also know how to find their way to Almere: "We have several classrooms here and also an experience room with test stands of our main products. There, we hold weekly sessions to train our customers in the use and maintenance of the pumps."

New opportunities for cooperation with education

With the tight labour market and rapid technological developments, finding good staff is a major challenge for a company like Grundfos. Nevertheless, the team in Almere is mainly looking at what is possible. "In the coming period, we want to explore the possibilities of training or hiring people ourselves" says Martin. Willem adds: "In the past, we had good contacts with Windesheim and the ROC. We also often had trainees in the past and we are still a training company, but during the corona period that fell silent. Then we had a major, internal reorganisation where we started working with a divisional structure. Now that calm has returned, we are definitely open to revisiting how we can revive cooperation with schools."

George van de Rijt (Sales manager Commercial Building Services)

A warm home with room for growth and commitment

Once people are in here, they really can go in any direction. As an international, corporate company, Grundfos offers plenty of growth opportunities. Martin: "We are a warm home for everyone. With good facilities, room to develop yourself and attention for each other. Many colleagues like to work at home, which is fine. Yet I believe in the power of coming together: spontaneous conversations and encounters give energy and create connections. That is why we ask everyone to spend at least two days at the office and we organise a joint moment six times a year. Most recently, we had a summer barbecue in the Jaap Edenhal, complete with curling on the ice. Those moments make our team stronger".

Social engagement is also given plenty of space. Every employee gets three extra days off for voluntary work. From Christmas arrangements for the food bank to painting jobs for Stichting Jarige Job. Last year, almost a hundred colleagues cleaned up litter around the Weerwater. In this way, Grundfos invests not only in people, but also in a cleaner, stronger Almere.

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