Sometimes, life turns out differently than expected. Krijn de Bree originally trained as an electrical engineer and joined a Belgian company where he learned to weld. He worked there from 1982 to 1992. He did welding work on the company’s vehicle fleet and delivered groceries around Westdorpe, something he was quite happy doing for several years. In 2000, he decided it was time for something different and made the move to Kraker Trailers.
Career change
Krijn often wondered if he should do something different and thought about a career change.
When he heard about the partial collapse of Kraker’s production hall in 2007, he submitted an application. Initially, he offered his assistance on a temporary basis, but temporarily soon became permanent. Krijn was responsible for welding the aluminium cargo boxes, including the floor boxes, for a long time. After a while though, he started to notice that it was becoming too much of a physical strain on his knees.
‘In 2016, when the new assembly hall was commissioned, I moved to subassembly. In 2019, I made a very personal decision and opted to reduce my hours. I reduced them still further, to 24 hours a week, in 2021. I could have retired early, but I wasn’t ready to do that. I felt at home at Kraker, had found the place I felt comfortable, even though I had come from electrical engineering.’
Respect for one another
Jan de Kraker valued Krijn both as a person and as an employee, a mutual feeling. ‘You know where you stand with Jan, he is always there for you and there are no double standards. Jan being Jan, he says what he’s thinking, and that’s okay.’
Two co-CEOs. A good match.
‘I think that it was a good move to give Alain and Stephan more responsibility, and for Jan to focus on STS, with his son, Thomas de Kraker. Alain and Stephan are in charge of the plant and office. There’s always thorough consultation, it was a positive step for the company’s growth. Jan saw the potential in these men. That was the first big, important step, along with K-Force. Alain has worked at Kraker for quite a long time, so he was a full part of K-Force’s development. Stephan may not have been with the company for as long, but he has left his mark as well. It was a major leap forwards that really helped to shape the future. Just look at the Eiffel Tower - it’s assembled entirely with bolts. And I’d be willing to bet that it will still be there in 200 years’ time. But yes, something new, most people struggle with that at first. And now, having been doing it for a few years, that scepticism has fallen away. K-Force has proven itself in use and is undergoing further development, which is essential, because standing still is like going backwards.
‘Another great development from Kraker Trailers was the side-door trailer for PNO, one big piece of tech. We have built a lot of those,’ says Krijn. ‘I could talk so much about what Kraker has developed, Jan’s mind is never still.’
There is a time for everything
In the meantime, the inevitable has happened and Krijn is now retired. ‘There is a time for everything. I worked at Kraker for 23 years, and gladly so. I earned well and had very nice colleagues. But don’t ever think that I am just sitting here doing nothing. My wife and I have many shared hobbies and I have my own too.
‘I stopped after 23 years and seven months. I sat on the works council, I kept a record of everything. And not just in terms of work either.’ Krijn’s life is fulfilling, you certainly won’t find him retired to the garden. Krijn’s wife Annalies had worked at the local library for 47 years and she too thought that it was enough. So after Krijn quit in June, Annalies retired in July.