Survival through family feeling

Created by a vision

For 35 years Van Meijel Automatisering has been the specialist in automation for the infra, construction and related sectors. We already wrote several articles about the products, services and added value of VanMeijel for their clients. This time we take a peek inside the company itself and talk to Marieke Zandvliet (consultant Metacom+) and Dianne Kamphuis (relationship manager Customer Success Team), who explain what kind of company VanMeijel is.

VanMeijel was founded in 1987 from the vision of Frans van Meijel: calculation can be simpler. With his own developed calculation package Wecap one of the first steps in digitalization for infrastructure companies was made. Now, 35 years later, sons Peter and Theo have taken over. How do the more than 100 colleagues work together to make their customers' workday more fun, simple and efficient? We asked Marieke and Dianne.

Family Feeling

But what makes VanMeijel not only ís a family business, but also a family feeling? We first ask Dianne, who has been with the company for twenty years now. "In the years that I have been working here, the company has gone through quite a few changes. In different periods there were various focuses on the market and also on the internal organization. Nice to see that development and movement. What is striking is that the family feeling has always been there. Not only externally, but also internally: we really are a flat organization with an open culture and short lines of communication. The customers feel that way, but it is also noticeable as an employee. You feel welcome and just walk in on each other, which makes it very personal. There is no hierarchy, everyone is very approachable." According to Dianne, the strength of the family feeling at VanMeijel lies in the fact that everyone is allowed to be different. "One is extroverted and gets energy from relationships and maintaining contacts, the other is introverted, is a good listener and is very solution-oriented. In addition, there is -also within the teams- a nice mix of young and old; from fresh wind with new experiences to super much knowledge of the industry, products and customers. In that respect we are like a real family, with such a mixed company," she laughs.

Close club

Marieke has been working at VanMeijel for two years now. How does she experience the family feeling? "I started here in December 2020. Indeed, in the middle of corona time so. Despite that, I did feel right at home. That was also in the whole piece before I joined: the pleasant application process, a nice gift before I started work. That already made the start very approachable and nice." Once more colleagues joined the office, Marieke got to know everyone in no time. "People see a new face and immediately come to chat. It really is a close-knit club where everyone knows and helps each other." Marieke also likes the fact that you are allowed to make mistakes here. "As a trainee I was sent to clients quite quickly, of course with the necessary knowledge. Pretty exciting for a while, but you really learn so much from that. You also get a lot of freedom and responsibility to do your job the way you think is best. A pleasant corporate culture in which you develop a lot of self-confidence." Dianne agrees: "It is nice that you really get to give your own twist to your daily work as well as to the own development you can and want to go through here." Besides the pleasant Friday afternoon drinks and boot camps that the company organizes, the pleasant way of working together, the atmosphere and development opportunities make VanMeijel "a great place to work. "But especially the fact that at VanMeijel they want to make sure that everyone is in his or her place and can get the best out of him or herself -which can only succeed within an organization where you feel comfortable- is what really makes the difference," both Dianne and Marieke think. "And the customer notices that too."