"IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE INDUSTRY GETS THE TIME TO SWITCH"

At the kitchen table with…

"IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE INDUSTRY GETS THE TIME TO SWITCH"

Entrepreneurs are usually working on their business day and night. But what drives them? And what are the things that keep them up at night? In this segment of 'Kitchen table interviews', we talk to them and find out what special stories they have to share. This week:

Erik Bastiaensen started out as employee at CLTV in 1993. When his boss, Jos Goossens, retired, he was able to take over the company. Erik has been a director of CLTV for years now, and loves his job.

Passport

Name: Erik Bastiaensen

Age: 52

Company: CLTV

Children: Dietske (24), Teun (22), Tonke (20) and Ties (16)

Married: Natasja (52)

Hobby: My main hobby is working in the garden and my (hobby) farm. I have a couple of cows at home. Not that many, I’m downsizing, but I really like working with animals - it brings me a lot of joy. Four or five years ago, I had about 40 cows. Currently, I have approximately 10 left. I’m slowly downsizing.

Could you explain to us what it is that CLTV does?

“Originally, CLTV is an agricultural cooperative. It supplies products and services to its members, who are mainly growers of strawberries, trees, and cattle breeders. Examples of products and services are fertiliser, crop protection products, products required for growing crop, but also the cooling of starting material (strawberry plants and nursery) and the transportation of tree nursery products. Throughout the years, we’ve seen some shifts. And I still see things changing within the company. However, the target group and core of the activities doesn’t really change.”

Do I understand correctly that the members also own the cooperative? 

“Yes, you can see it like that. In theory. If a member would leave, the cooperative would still exist. Every member is one vote. The board is a delegation of the members, and the board decides what happens. As director, I am responsible for all operational matters and I am held accountable by the board.”

Who sets the course for the company; do you bring it to the board, or does it work the other way around?

“It’s usually a combination. The board knows what is important to members, and that’s how they look upon CLTV. I am more involved with operational matters, which shapes my vision for the future. The input of employees is important as well. In the end, the board is responsible for the course of CLTV, but I do play a part in that.”

Your father had a farm; is that how you got into the profession? 

“Well, I did go to school, haha. To the Mencia in Breda. After that, I started at the agricultural university in Wageningen. I did focus on cattle breeding. When I graduated, I started working in my dad’s company. However, there was not enough work for me there, so I started looking for something else. Through friends of my parents I ended up at CLTV. I started out as representative for livestock farming.”

You started out as a representative and now you’re the director. What happened in-between? 

“I started out at CLTV in 1993. At that time, it was a different company. It employed 12-13 people. Jos Goossens, my predecessor, would retire a few years later. That meant that I had to decide whether or not I wanted to continue the business at home, or if I would make another choice. CLTV offered me the opportunity to succeed Jos. It was kind of weird when that day came, and I sat behind ‘his’ desk for the first time. I wasn’t even thirty at that time.”

You’ve grown from a relatively small organisation to a medium-sized organisation. Managing 50 people seems to be a tough task. How do you do that?

“Well, I don’t like the sound of ‘managing’. As if I tell everyone what to do every morning. That is certainly not the case. The organisation is very flat, but within CLTV, we do have a few managers. That’s one of the best features of a larger company. If you start to grow, more people are sharing responsibilities with you, and you can complement each other.”

You’ve been the host of trade fair GrootroenPlus, and - last year - its studio. What is your relationship with GrootGroenPlus? 

“That’s a funny thing. I’m actually member of the board of the trade fair - mainly because it’s very practical. We’ve been participating in GrootGroenPlus for years. When the trade fair had to move from Klein Zundert to another location, they asked if our terrain might be a suitable solution. To be honest; I didn’t really like that idea at the time. That is why they moved to Boot en Dart for a few years. Later on, they asked again, and at that time, it was a good match. We were just about to start building a new strawberry warehouse. With a little inching and pinching, we managed to make space for GrootGroenPlus. I think it is very important that something like this is organised for the industry. It allows you to do something for the industry, while getting some additional exposure yourself as well. It shows to the region that you are willing to take on some social responsibility. That’s something we want to project as CLTV.”

Looking at the future, what will be the main priorities? 

“We have multiple. We do have to make some changes - we see that transport is increasing. We need more space for that, so that it doesn’t pose limitations to other activities. We are currently thinking about how to do that in the future. We’ll think about that in the course of 2021. We do face some challenges moving forward.”

The environment is becoming increasingly more important. The demand for green is increasing. However, the agricultural industry also has to follow more rules and regulations. How do you feel about these developments?

“Well, I have to say that I find it very interesting. I’ve noticed that a lot is happening in for example the nursery and strawberry industries. I’ve seen that companies have intensified and improved their cooperation. If a grower is innovating, he will share those innovations with others. No one is keeping it to himself. Most growers do recognise that we have to be mindful about using water, fertiliser, etc. The future requires another working method. Many additional steps are required, but I do see developments that will be implemented on a large scale. However, it is important that the industry gets the opportunity to make the shift.”

And finally, with whom would you like to sit down?

“I’ve been thinking about that, since I knew that questions was coming. Mark Rutte would be the most obvious choice, but he’s so very busy already, so I think I’ll just let him enjoy his spare time. That is why I chose Sjaak van der Tak. He is the new chairman of LTO Nederland. He is an advocate for the agricultural industry. I’m very curious about his plan for the next few years, especially since there are a few advocates for the agricultural industry. They do have the same objective, but not the same road to get there. I’m very curious to see how he combines these parties, to present one vision to the politicians. I really find that fascinating.”