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Montagebedrijf J. TH. Gerrits is adding new elements—such as inspections and the sale of used warehouse racking—to its four decades of history. The Wijchen-based company is undergoing a transition: son Ruben and daughter Lotte are gradually taking over the business from their father Jan and mother Hilde. “We want to be able to offer our customers a comprehensive package.”
While Montagebedrijf J. Th. Gerrits“ expertise was limited to the installation of warehouse racking until a few years ago, its portfolio has since expanded significantly. Consulting and inspections have been added, as has the sale of used materials. Lotte Gerrits: ”With a comprehensive package of services, we primarily serve direct customers. In addition, we collaborate with various racking suppliers, each of whom also has their own customers. Still, we see the greatest growth potential with the customers we serve directly.”
The Wijchen-based company has been in business for nearly forty years and serves companies in the Netherlands, though it also occasionally works across the border. Gerrits works for clients who choose major racking suppliers, such as Stow, as well as for A-Safe, known for its collision protection systems. For these suppliers, Gerrits assembles or disassembles racking on-site. In addition, Gerrits works for direct clients and supplies, among other things, used racking materials. The company also conducts inspections and provides advice on how businesses can organize their warehouses.
Companies with a small warehouse or a large distribution center are increasingly looking to make smart use of the space they do have. At the same time, there’s a growing focus on both quality and cost control, and that presents opportunities for Gerrits. The new generation is seizing those opportunities. “Our expert advice can be valuable in this regard. We’ve been visiting a wide range of companies for fifteen to twenty years now, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and offering advice.”
During the company’s transformation, the new generation of Gerrits developed a modern website and expanded the company’s operations. Yet one thing remains the same: “Customers must be and remain satisfied—that’s the foundation. But we’ve now combined that with online advertising. This helps us raise the profile of our store, which carries equipment, and our services, such as installation, dismantling, buybacks, and inspections. That’s already leading to more requests for quotes. But we’re also seeing an increasing need for advice.”
Gerrits serves both small and medium-sized businesses and self-employed professionals, as well as large logistics service providers and retailers with logistics operations, such as Lidl, IKEA, ID Logistics, and DFDS. “Self-employed professionals are mainly looking for materials and want to do the assembly themselves, whereas for large logistics service providers, everything has to be in perfect order, and we also handle repairs and inspections.”
Right now, there are two developments that Lotte and Ruben have high hopes for: the sale of used equipment and inspections. “We’ve seen demand for used equipment, such as shelving, increase over the past year and a half. Of course, that equipment has to be in good condition, so we inspect it thoroughly and repair it where necessary. A major advantage of used equipment is the price—it can easily be half as expensive. Because we have a lot of equipment in stock, a customer doesn’t have to wait six to eight weeks for new equipment.”
Lotte and Ruben also see the growing demand for inspections as a positive development for Gerrits: “Having warehouse racking inspected is definitely a wise move—both for insurance purposes and to minimize risks. Especially when people are walking through a warehouse, we always recommend having the racking inspected after installation and then annually thereafter.”
