'Optimal warehouse design is only achieved together with your customer'

Tom Keijzers, general manager of NIMAR Storage Solutions, is well aware of this: to really satisfy a customer, it is essential to be able to listen carefully. Only in this way can you discover exactly what your customer needs and finds important. The company from Raamsdonksveer focuses specifically on warehouse equipment for logistics. Because the family business manages everything in-house - from production to realization - the chain is short, allowing them to serve customers flexibly and quickly.  

Keijzers: "Getting round the table with a customer, coming up with solutions for his warehouse layout, building something cool for the customer. That really gets me going. Our customer orientation is high; we run for our customers. Because we manage everything ourselves, we can react quickly. The processes are efficient, we have invested heavily in our machinery, customers are given a fixed point of contact on projects, and 'a deal is a deal'. This allows us to offer customers speed, flexibility and security."

Manufacturer and thought leader

Since 2003, NIMAR has been part of the Verkolf Group (warehouse and store fitting). Within it, the company has a distinct position. "We focus emphatically on conventional warehouses. As a manufacturer, we supply all kinds of racking (pallet, shuttle, drive-in, cantilever, shelving and large-rack racking), but also, for example, mezzanine floors," Keijzers clarifies. "We take stock with the customer of the sizes, weights and volumes of the products that need to be stored, and then we match the right racking and optimal routing to that. In that piece, you have to be very good at thinking along with your customer." 

More sustainable business

Keijzers: "We are a family business, with a certain vision and values. We go for long-term value creation and want to minimize our company's footprint. For that reason, we also like to enter into long-term relationships with our employees, customers and partners. We work with a large core of permanent employees, with heart for the company. They are attuned to each other, know what they can do with each other, and you always benefit and enjoy that as a company. That's your gold." 

From the perspective of sustainability, NIMAR has made important choices in recent years. A compact chain, energy measures, and full production situated on its own premises, which saves a lot of transportation costs. "In addition, our business model has grown in used racks. We take them in, regardless of whether they are our own brand or another brand. Customers are also asking for used racks more often. From intrinsic motivation, because it is prescribed, or because of the price. We believe it is important to be able to provide customers with the best solutions in this area as well," Keijzers emphasizes.  

Look Ahead

Where does NIMAR want to go from here? "It is very important as a company to always keep moving, to keep a close eye on what is happening in the market and not rigidly stick to a particular model. We therefore continue to invest continuously in our machines, products, customers, partners and employees. In addition to warehouse equipment, we will also continue to provide maintenance and optimization. Offering added value and good customer contacts: that is essentially what it is always about."