Some people are completely at home where they are. Frank Koolmees is one them. He has been a familiar face at Kraker Trailers for 24 years and there are few who do not recognise him. Over the past decades, Frans has witnessed all the important developments at Kraker Trailers up close. Frank reflects on the past 24 years and those still to come. If Frank is clear on one thing, it’s this: ‘I will stay at Kraker Trailers until I retire.’
In the early years of Kraker Trailers, Frank worked closely with Jan Scheele, Jan de Kraker’s business partner at the time. ‘Jan Scheele had great technical insight, but he was happy with how things were going. The two Jans saw the future differently and, after a thorough discussion, decided to go their separate ways. Harmoniously, mind you.’ Frank recalls. ‘Jan de Kraker had a clear vision of what he wanted for the company. He had a new plant built and, as a result, we became a major player.’
K-Force the turning point for Kraker Trailers
But that didn't satisfy Jan’s desire to expand. ‘That’s when the K-Force era dawned,’ Frank continues. ‘I was working on the finishing line and some point or other, Jan came up with the idea of the K-Force. These trailers had been tested in England, on a special track. The test was conducted under optimal conditions for the country, laden to the max and with all those things that could actually go wrong. Kraker has overcome considerable challenges and the result is K-Force - a strong, reliable trailer that can be rebuilt in modules if a part gets broken or needs to be replaced due to wear and tear. K-Force as it is now is a very good and strong trailer. ‘Jan isn't done yet though, he still has lots of plans going through his head,’ laughs Frank.
Special innovations
‘When I hear that Jan still has plans and wants to export internationally, there’s clearly no question of stopping just yet. Jan does not do everything alone, of course, and has a team of people, each with their own expertise. I am confident that Jan will once again bring everything to a successful conclusion. It will take time, there will be more challenges, but he will definitely succeed, he and his team,’ says Frank.
Working with Evert for years at the masters in moving-floor trailers
‘I came here through Evert van de Broeck (production manager), he has worked here for a year more than me. We worked together at a previous company and we had to be on hand around the clock - holidays, weekends, children’s birthdays. You can keep on like that for a while, but not forever. At some point or other, you have (grand)children and you really don't want to miss their growing-up. So when Evert asked me, ‘why don't you come and work at Kraker Trailers as well - we can use professionals?’ it got me thinking. To cut a long story short, we ended up here together, I like that about Jan. His word means something and we quickly agreed.’
A company with family values
Frank struggles to stop talking about Kraker, but there is one thing he really wants to point out, something he considers very special, ‘Look, we all always talk about Jan as the good businessman, someone who always sees opportunities, but sometimes it’s easy to forget that Ellen, his wife, has played an equally outsized role in the company in her own way. She has always made sure that everyone feels welcome, that people’s private lives get the support they need if there are problems. And what really characterises Ellen is the unique gifts she gave to all the children at Sinterklaas, the Dutch celebration of St. Nicholas. That’s a much nicer way to give something than to simply go to Amazon and buy a mountain of identical gift cards to hand out. That’s not how Ellen does things. She picked a unique gift for each child, and they loved it. And as if that weren't enough, she decorated the canteen in Sinterklaas decorations as well. She always had a group of women willing to help out, but most of the work still fell on her. Things like this are what make Kraker Trailers a unique company in which people feel valued and actually want to work.’