German colleagues & Zuidberg

Tim Hellwig (36), Peter Knecht (53) and Markus Bauregger (44) work in their home country of Germany as sales representatives for Zuidberg. Tim works in Northern Germany, Peter in the South-West region and Markus is responsible for Southern Germany and Austria.

“The great thing about working at Zuidberg is that it is a family business, ” Peter opens the interview. “Here you are not treated as a number, but as an individual. We operate as a team and everything is negotiable. Zuidberg has grown so much that it is impossible to know all your colleagues, but at least you recognise everyone by sight. In addition, they think along with the employees here and they are also thought of.” And that doesn't just apply to colleagues, Tim adds: “We also have personal contact with our customers. We come to their premises if they have special questions or for service cases. They appreciate that. ”

Tim, at 36 years of age the youngest of the three, has been working for Zuidberg since 2019. Peter and Markus have been working there for nine and seventeen years respectively. Markus: “I actually ended up here by chance. I was working for a German importer which was then taken over by Zuidberg. Zuidberg then made me the offer to come and work for them. In practice, not much changed, because 95% of the products I sold at the importer were already Zuidberg products.”

No language barrier
During his long career at Zuidberg, Markus has seen the company change dramatically. “When I started here, we had eighty employees and one production hall, now we have four hundred employees and three new halls. Besides that the production method has changed, that is perhaps the most important thing. ”

The market is also different from years ago, says Peter. “The demand for front linkages and PTOs has increased enormously in recent years. The retrofitting of front linkages and PTOs to tractors has really taken off. This demand has risen by 70 percent and will continue to do so. Another difference is that a direct line has been established between Zuidberg and the German dealers over the past few years. This allows us to deliver more quickly and flexibly.” Tim: “All three of us are German, so our mother tongue is also German. This is a great advantage in our contact with customers. Language is not a barrier, misunderstandings are excluded. In case of special projects we can therefore support the traders better.”

Looking for a parking space
What the three find striking is the difference in hierarchy between the Netherlands and Germany. Peter: "The hierarchy at Zuidberg is very flat, so far as it exists at all. Especially in my early days, I found it strange that there is virtually no apprentice-to-chef ratio. Nevertheless, there is a lot of mutual respect." Markus: "The managers, like all the other employees, have to look for a parking space themselves every day. And in the canteen, everyone sits next to each other. The fact that this is possible at such a large company as Zuidberg is quite extraordinary, in my opinion. You don't see that happening in Germany." Tim: "In many companies, you are more or less a lone warrior. At Zuidberg you work together to achieve set goals. We have regular contact with each other and everyone helps each other. This takes away a lot of stress and ensures a balanced working day."

Peter: "We grant each other success; there is no question of envy. If Markus has achieved something good, I am happy for him. I am especially curious how he managed to do it."

Close friendships
Peter, Markus and Tim have very good memories of the Agritechnica fair in Hanover. Peter: "Working together as a team for twenty hours a day for a week, really connects people. It's hard work, but it creates such a sense of togetherness. Close friendships have grown out of that." Tim: "The last Agritechnica was in 2019. It was my first introduction to our importers. With a large group we stayed in a hotel for a week. During the day at the fair and at night in the hotel, we experienced so much together and above all we had a lot of fun. It was a very tiring week, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Constantly in motion
Peter predicts that Zuidberg will experience some bumps in the road in the coming years. "It won't be easy with the explosively rising prices in all sectors. But I hope that we may continue to grow and develop innovations. And above all that we may remain a family business." Markus: "I hope that Zuidberg continues to be successful and grows slowly. That requires adjustments and innovations. Over the past forty years, Zuidberg has done very well. If we continue to do so, that will be something to be very proud of.” Tim: "Zuidberg is ready for the future. We are a company that is constantly changing. We are very good at adapting to the wishes and needs of our dealers. I am convinced that we will remain as successful as we are today and that we will continue to expand the market in Germany and Austria."