Cleaning with reason and foresight

Fresh look at cleaning and sustainability

Since February, Peter van der Sterre has been at the helm of Wolfswinkel Reiniging in Maarsbergen. He took over the daily management from Wim van Wolfswinkel, who was the face of the family business for more than forty years. The transition fits in with the new direction of the company, where shareholder TransEquity Network is also providing direction.

Wolfswinkel's strength remains providing reliable cleaning services in the ground, road and water construction industry. Van der Sterre: “We are a familiar name to most major contractors. We can scale up quickly and this year, for example, we supported two major closures at the A12.” But they look beyond infrastructure. “We are also present at major events. For example, we recently cleaned the Zandvoort circuit during Formula 1 and swept and cleaned after SAIL Amsterdam.”

The work takes place in multiple phases of a project. Not only at completion, but also immediately behind the asphalt milling and before the application of the adhesive layer. This makes Wolfswinkel an indispensable link in the process, Van der Sterre knows. That role requires flexibility, especially since the sector is under high time pressure.

Innovation and sustainability

In addition to the operational work, Wolfswinkel is firmly committed to innovation and sustainability. For example, rainwater from its own roofs has been used for years for cleaning. The next step is to reuse process water. “What you spray on the road surface, you suck up again. We want to reuse that water soon. This way we reduce our ecological footprint and show that sustainability can also work in our sector,” says Van der Sterre.

The personnel side is another area of concern. The sector is struggling with an aging population and high work pressure. Wolfswinkel consciously takes a socially responsible approach, also towards migrant workers. “We want long-term relationships with employees. No people in small cubicles, but a decent place and future prospects.”

Finally, Van der Sterre emphasizes the continuing role of Wim van Wolfswinkel. “Wim is a walking sweeping encyclopedia. His knowledge and experience are worth their weight in gold. He is taking a step back from day-to-day management, but remains involved in product development, commerce and innovation. He also still visits projects and gives his unvarnished opinion. That is of great value to us and our clients.”

With that combination of experience, innovation and social entrepreneurship, Wolfswinkel Cleaning intends to remain a leader in the industry in the years to come.