From assistant mechanic to director: Joeri Roos is the new director of HCM!
He may have been a familiar face at Hacon Containers for decades, but from now on we can officially introduce Joeri Roos as the new director of Hacon Container Modifications. This 41-year-old technology enthusiast began his career at the age of 16 as an assistant mechanic in commercial construction. He preferred practice over theory and traded books for a welding machine. All of this has brought him to where he is today: director of Hacon Container Modifications. His secret? Swimming against the tide and doing things just a little differently. We interviewed Joeri about his career and future plans as the new director of HCM.
Growth and change
Joeri's adventure at Hacon Containers began in 2007 as a freelancer. He did some jobs for the special construction sector, but when the number of requests increased enormously, we were able to persuade Joeri to join Hacon. Since then, he has witnessed the growth and transformation of the company at close quarters. “We started out as a repair company for shipping companies, but now we are the leading specialist in container modifications,” explains Joeri. In 2022, it was even decided to make Hacon Container Modifications a separate branch of the company, with its own location and its own team of container specialists. This opened up various opportunities for the company to specialize even further in container modifications. And with success!
The Swiss Army knives of the container world
Joeri makes no secret of the fact that he has always followed his own path. “Books and textbooks? Not my thing,” Joeri admits. “I prefer to work with my hands. What my eyes used to see, my hands could make.” It's no surprise that Joeri still enjoys regularly walking around the workshop. It allows him to stay in touch with the practical side of the business. He is proud to see how his team, both in the office and in the workshop, has developed over the years. “We are now effectively a construction company,” explains Joeri. “Our shell is a container, but we do construction, carpentry, insulation, electrical work, and much more. We are like the Swiss Army knives of the container world; we have a solution for every problem!”
Memorable projects
Joeri describes the Hacon Container Modifications team as young and creative, full of passion and freedom to innovate. One of the highlights for Joeri and his team is a major project for a Mammoet crane. “HCM is an important supplier for the largest land crane in the world,” Joeri says proudly. “The counterweight section of the crane consists of specially built containers that we supplied.” This project was a huge learning curve for Joeri and also his first reason for a business trip to China. It was a project that certainly left him wanting more and one that the whole team worked on with great enthusiasm.
Keep the (team)spirit high!
Joeri sees teamwork as crucial to success. “Everyone feels responsible for a project, which creates a close-knit team,” he says. His biggest challenge in his new role as director is therefore to maintain this team spirit and ensure that everyone moves with the changes in the company. And those changes will continue to come, if Yuri has his way. “The upward trend in development, professionalization, and quality control makes HCM indestructible, and this is a trend I would like to continue.”
What will the future bring?
In his new role as director, Joeri wants to focus on transferring knowledge and inspiring people to pursue self-development. “I have always swum against the tide and want others to have the opportunity to look beyond their own limitations.” Joeri also wants to distance himself somewhat from the office and the workplace, because he has a team there that he has enormous confidence in. This gives Joeri the freedom to travel regularly to China, where he can discuss projects and develop business relationships.
And HCM isn't the only thing Joeri will be busy with in the coming months. On October 8, 2024, Joeri is getting married! “We've been together for two years now and are very happy together. Our mothers knew each other from prenatal yoga and lived in apartments next door to each other. However, we had never met before, so it feels like it was meant to be.”
Joeri's story is an inspiring example of what you can achieve with hard work, creativity, and a healthy dose of (self-)wisdom. We wish Yuri every success in his new role as director of Hacon Container Modifications!
