Frank van Buren is the new director of Hacon Containers
A few weeks ago, he swapped the blue of Hacon for the blue of the Danish fjords for a well-deserved vacation with his family. One adventure follows another, because Frank van Buren will be the new director of Hacon Containers as of July 1, 2024. It is not really a new adventure, because Frank has been a familiar face at Hacon for 17(!) years now. But now, for the first time, he will be the new helmsman at the helm. We spoke to Frank about his new position, the past, and the future of Hacon.
The path to directorship
In 2007, Frank entered the wonderful world of containers for the first time. At least, at Hacon, because before his time at Hacon, Frank worked for many years as a logistics employee at a shipping supplier for worldwide deliveries and as a customs declarant at the Maasvlakte. So if anyone knows containers inside and out, it's Frank. "I joined Hacon through the previous director/owner, whom I had known for a long time from the days when Hacon still had its own trucks and the emphasis was on transport. When I started in 2007, there was a greater need for transport support. The container trade grew rapidly, and there was a need for additional space. That's when I moved more and more from logistics work to depot management," says Frank.
Frank served as a depot manager until 2019, but that doesn't mean his growth has stood still all this time. “We started with a forklift driver and a mechanic, but more and more people and tasks were added at a rapid pace. Over time, I also started doing purchasing and sales.” In mid-2022, I stopped providing and outsourcing height and width transport for third parties, including the army, because it no longer fit within Hacon's vision.
In 2019, the depot moved to its current location at Bunschotenweg 131. Frank became depot manager there for a number of years, before taking on the role of general manager for both internal and external services. But Frank wouldn't be Frank if he didn't take on even more tasks. “Because the previous director of operations left, I took on quite a few tasks. So, step by step, I rolled into the director's role, taking on a little more each time. Now it's important to pass on what I've learned over the years so that we can continue to move forward in the future.”
Frank during the placement of the first pile of the new warehouse in 2019.
The future of Hacon containers
Frank is the new helmsman at Hacon Containers. But to say that he is going to take a completely different course would certainly be an exaggeration: "I have seen a lot of changes in recent years. In 2017, Hacon consisted of a single company with eight employees, including workshop staff. We have since grown into two independent companies with four locations and 45 employees, and I am now the director of Hacon Containers with 22 employees at three locations. So we will mainly be building on what we have achieved in recent years," explains Frank.
In recent years, Frank has increasingly moved from the operational side of the organization to the strategic side. He would like to continue along these lines: "I want to strengthen the foundation we have built. We do this by simplifying and improving processes, limiting margins of error, and further expanding the business with product development, among other things. Our Hacon Solar launch and the new grandstand container are perfect examples of this," Frank says proudly.
The grandstand container: the latest addition to the Hacon range!
The Labrador of the container world
Where there is growth and development, there are also challenges. Such as finding the right personnel within the organization, but also the right division of tasks. Finding people with ambition who also want to grow. And Frank himself is living proof that the latter is possible. “We always work with our staff to see if everyone is still in the right place and where we see opportunities for growth. As a result, we also have relatively low staff turnover.”
Frank goes on to mention a number of reasons why working at Hacon is so enjoyable: "The culture is very social and engaged. There is a strong sense of commitment among the staff, but also among the families. One of the most enjoyable activities is the annual family day. We also support a charity chosen by the staff and their families every year, and we are Gold Card holders at Blijdorp Zoo, which means we have adopted a red panda. In addition, you are given a lot of freedom and support to develop yourself. And it's not just the staff, but also the customers who are often committed and loyal. We never have any conflicts with partners and/or competitors. We get along with everyone. We are actually the Labrador of the container world."
Frank with his faithful four-legged friend Boet.
Proud
As the new director of Hacon, Frank will have his hands full with the strategic development of the company in the coming period. After all, there is always room for improvement. But Frank is also particularly proud of what he has achieved so far: "What I am most proud of is that I started with a HAVO diploma, without knowing what I wanted to do with it. At the beginning of my time at Hacon, I was still stacking and wrapping pallets for private individuals. Now, 17 years later, I have been entrusted with the position of director of a fully-fledged private limited company."
Based on his own experience, Frank believes in the power of people themselves. Commitment and solidarity also give strength and confidence, and that works both ways. Based on that vision, Frank is the ideal person to take the helm at Hacon on July 1. Because at Hacon, fortunately, you don't have to do this alone.
