In 2022, Henk and Jeroen Zuidberg openly shared the story of handing over the family business — a special moment where passion, entrepreneurship, and family came together. A few years have passed since then, but the commitment and dedication within our company remain as strong as ever.

How it all began
Jeroen Zuidberg took over the company from his father in 2004:
“We carefully explored all the options.”

In 2004, Henk Zuidberg handed over leadership of the company to his son Jeroen. To the outside world, it may have seemed like the obvious choice, but for those involved, it was anything but simple. The decision was certainly not taken lightly.

Henk: “I was responsible for the company and all the employees — I needed to know whether Jeroen was capable. So we agreed: we’ll evaluate for three years, and if both the management team and I believe he’s ready, then we’ll proceed.”
Jeroen: “My father said: ‘You need to know what you want, otherwise we’ll sell the company.’ That’s when we started to explore the possibilities.”

The first step: Business School
Jeroen: “I was 26 at the time and had no experience in leadership. I enrolled in the TSM Business School, which I successfully completed. There, I received confirmation that Zuidberg had a solid foundation and clear understanding of its market position. Our company was large compared to other participants, who mainly sought to assess their company’s viability — something that wasn’t an issue for us. Zuidberg was well-structured and financially healthy.”

During the trial period, Jeroen also explored international options:
“I spent three weeks in Sweden with the management of Alö, the global leader in front loaders, to see if a sale was a viable option. The cultural differences were too great, so that was not the right path.”

Two captains on one ship
Ultimately, there was only one logical conclusion: Jeroen would take over the company. Henk: “On December 31st, 2003, I was still the owner and shareholder. On January 1st, 2004, I transferred everything to Jeroen.” Jeroen: “Once the contracts were signed, my father stepped down from the management team.”
Henk: “That was a deliberate decision. Two captains on one ship simply don’t work. However, for the employees, it wasn’t immediately clear. Many still saw me as a kind of director.” Jeroen: “That was challenging in the beginning. When my father said something, it carried weight. People listened more to the former owner than to the new leader. That required good coordination between us.”

Defining the role of managing director
With Jeroen’s leadership came a different management style.
Jeroen: “When my father gave an instruction, people simply followed. That’s what they were used to. I’m less technically involved, which allows me to delegate more. I expect people to take initiative and handle matters themselves. If mistakes or issues arise, they can always come to me. My focus is on observing and asking questions afterwards. Although that’s sometimes difficult — I tend to fill in the blanks for people.”

Like his father, Jeroen doesn’t give compliments easily:
Jeroen: “That may be part of our nature. It can sometimes come across the wrong way, but I want to improve that — successes deserve to be celebrated. My father immediately notices when something isn’t functioning well. He’s very direct, always with good intentions, but it’s not always received that way. As managing director, you’re expected to communicate effectively. For me, it’s a continuous search for the right balance in our growing company. Continuous improvement doesn’t stop on the shop floor.”

Just Jeroen
Jeroen was seven when his father founded Zuidberg. At home, everything revolved around the company.
Jeroen: “For my father, Zuidberg is his life. Whether it was before, during, or after dinner, it was always about work. At birthdays, visitors were often taken on factory tours. Zuidberg is very important to me as well, but I approach it more as a business.”

Together with his partner Jolanda and their children, Jeroen has a blended family:“I have three daughters from a previous relationship, aged 9, 11, and 13, and Jolanda has two daughters aged 14 and 15. Only my youngest regularly asks about work; the others aren’t too interested at this stage of life. Kids at that age don’t really think about their future yet. I also don’t live next to the company like my father — I live in Zwolle and have my own circle of friends. For them, I’m just Jeroen, not ‘Jeroen from Zuidberg’, as I often am around here.”

Becoming an OEM supplier
Henk started the company on his own and gradually expanded the workforce. By the time Jeroen took over, there were 100 employees.
Henk: “So much has changed since then. The decisions Jeroen faces are very different from what I encountered. Back then, we only produced front linkages and PTOs — nothing else. But after 2004, we acquired Staalservice Lelystad, added transmission production, and started designing and producing tracks.”
Jeroen: “Today, we are largely an OEM supplier, which has changed everything. It’s more important than ever to have the right people in the right roles.”

Preserving the family spirit
What hasn’t changed over the years is the company’s family culture.
Jeroen: “You can be a family business with 100 employees, but you can also maintain that spirit with 400 employees. Operationally, we can’t function like a traditional family business anymore — our clients expect a highly professional organization. You can’t rely on past success alone. Procedures must be detailed, everything thoroughly tested and validated. Products must meet production quality standards, not just ‘good enough’ as judged by individuals. All processes must be fully controlled.”

But for the staff, Jeroen still wants to preserve that family feel:
“It’s important that our people feel part of Zuidberg. My parents built that very well. Thanks to them, we have a strong reputation here in the polder, both as a company and as an employer. In summer, the freezer is stocked with ice cream, good results are celebrated with cake, and everyone receives something extra during the holidays. Our speeches remain informal. This way, we ensure that our employees feel like Zuidberg people, not anonymous workers in just another organization.”