interview
ERIC HASSENBERG DRAWS PARALLELS BETWEEN TESLA AND THEVALUECHAIN NV After taking a test drive, Eric Hassenberg, Partner at TheValueChain, was, in his own words, ‘sold right away’. “My interest in electric cars dates back to when I was studying engineering at university in the nineties, but it didn’t gain momentum until Tesla became available on the Belgian market. In 2013 I bought a Tesla model S 85. Which, by the way, I have since exchanged for S 90D.” TEXT & PHOTOS: WIM VANDER HAEGEN
36
GUMPTION
BUSINESS CONSULTING
Before we talk about cars, Eric Hassenberg outlines what is most important at TheValueChain, the company in Kontich, where he is Partner. “We are part of Gumption, a dynamic group that supports young, independent companies on their way to sustainable growth. The Gumption group stands for ‘shared services and values’ with a view of financial and operational support in the areas of bookkeeping, administration, invoicing, etc. Thanks to Gumption, we are able to concentrate on our core competition and immerse ourselves in our vision, our go-to-market strategy and finding growth opportunities. Today, Gumption consists of seven companies, the largest of which is TheValueChain with 150 employees and is active in Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. We are located in Kontich, but have also opened a branch in the Walloon Region, in Louvain-La-Neuve.”
TheValueChain focusses on the implementation of integrated software (SAP) to optimise operational processes. “Our core is business consulting, in which our people take a consulting role with the customers to apply SAP, so that they can, in turn, work more efficiently at a lower cost. By creating lower costs and added value, they distinguish themselves from the competition and are able to grow faster, but in a sustainable way. Usually it concerns projects of six, nine or twelve months, but shorter or longer is possible too, of course. We also have a very international clientele that includes well-known names, such as Atlas Copco and Umicore, but there are a lot of KMOs in our portfolio. Our focus domains are wholesale distribution, manufacturing companies and real estate. We are also active in SAP software for utility companies, such as Fluxxys with a special group of people. I’m saying ‘special’, because this target groups requires specific expertise.”
SUPERCHARGED 2016/03