PURCHASING NAME: ROLAND ITERBEKE
NAME: HENK BRUSSE
PURCHASING: BELGIUM
PURCHASING: SCANDINAVIA
ACHTERGROND: WORKED AS A CATTLE TRANSPORTER FOR
ACHTERGROND: HAS OVER TWENTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS
VAEX THE LIVESTOCK TRADERS UNTIL 2002.
A BUYER AND SELLER IN SCANDINAVIA.
HEDEN: WHEN HE SOLD HIS BUSINESS, HE STARTED WORKING
HEDEN: HE HAS WORKED AS A BUYER FOR VAEX THE TRUCK TRADERS
AS A BUYER FOR VAEX THE TRUCK TRADERS, IN BELGIUM.
IN DENMARK, SWEDEN AND NORWAY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
T: +32 478970709 E: roland.iterbeke@telenet.be
T: +31 (0) 682940993 E: henk.brusse@thetrucktraders.nl
ROLAND ITERBEKE: 'I never look online.'
HENK BRUSSE: 'When I get into my car on Sunday evening, I still have no idea where I am going to buy a vehicle that week.
How does your working week look? I buy vehicles in Belgium and bring them to the Netherlands. Mainly trucks and rigids, and the occasional cattle truck. I bring sold vehicles back to the ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge or northern France. I have a large network consisting of past contacts: cattle dealers, but mostly self-employed transporters. Saturday is therefore the busiest purchasing day for me: during the week, of course, everyone is on the road.
How does your working week look? When I get into my car on Sunday evening, I still have no idea where I am going to buy a vehicle that week. I maintain our contacts in Scandinavia, for which I want to meet people in person. Despite all the possibilities of e-mail and telephone, this is the only way to buy, especially in this day and age. Exclusivity is rare, it's about sitting down with someone at the right time. You really can't afford to ‘come by at some point next week’.
What is specific to trade in Belgium? Supply and demand do not differ from the Netherlands. But a Belgian generally takes longer to make a decision than a Dutchman. The Dutch are more decisive. One of the nice things about Belgium is that people often settle things at the dinner table or in a pub. In the Netherlands, this is more likely to happen in a business setting, at the office.
Why do you think people do business with The Truck Traders? Because they can trust us to pay the right price. And because we handle things quickly and properly after a deal. We pay quickly and arrange shipping down to the last detail. Customs rules are particularly complex in Norway, and consist of several steps. Our Support & Transport team deals with this on a weekly basis and is now an expert in this area. Suppliers like the fact that they can rely on their knowledge and experience.
What is your purchasing tactic? I never look online. People call me up, I drive up to the address and check out the vehicle. That's important to me. Any car can look good in a photo. You can simply omit that which you don’t want to show. I see almost all the vehicles I buy in real life. Plus, today's trucks are so sensitive. They give an error message for the slightest thing. I like being there myself to check things like that.
What is specific to trade in Scandinavia? You mainly see 3-axle trucks and rigids with a lot of horsepower on the Scandinavian market. Excellent vehicles, with a comprehensive option package. The newer trucks are popular throughout Europe, while older models are finding a new home further afield. Scandinavians are very proper in their dealings: a deal is a deal, without any subsequent complications. They have a businesslike approach: you don't get close very quickly.
THE TRUCK TRADERS | 5