Oliver Konrad, Technical Sales Manager

Background

After his studies, Oliver began his career at Heubach GmbH, a company producing pigments located just a few kilometers from his home in northern Germany. “It was a logical choice,” he says, “at the time working from home was not yet common and I wanted to work to stay within my family environment. ” Heubach offered him the chance t start in the export and sales department, and he quickly developed within the company. “I started in the inside sales team and after three years I move to the outside field sales, being responsible for the German market at the beginning.” He says. Thanks to continuous growth opportunities, he stayed with Heubach for 25 years. His last position was global key account manager with focus on DACH-Region markets Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Vacancy

When Heubach merged with another large European pigment producer and brought in investors, the corporate culture changed significantly. “The small, family-oriented structure disappeared,” he explains, “and I felt out of place within this large global organization.: Looking for a company that better matched his values, but operated within the industry in which he gained years of knowledge and experience, he ended up at Profiltra. “Profiltra combines professionalism with a personal approach, exactly what I was looking for,” he says.

First impression

His first impression of Profiltra was very positive. “I immediately felt welcome during my meetings with Sebastian Faure, Patrick and Edwin Cobussen,” he says. “Their interest in me as a person and as a professional gave me the confidence to take this important step”. The company’s open communication and structured growth ambitions made a strong impression. For me, the idea of working closely with reliable manufacturers in India and China producing under our own brand, our own Profiltra China team with Richard and Amber, is a great feeling to sell good and competitive products in the European market. This is absolutely state of the art, this is how it should be to work for a professional company. Our products are made to our specifications, everything is well organized and this makes me feel very good that my decision 1,5 years ago was the right one.

Balance ambition and market knowledge

As Senior Technical Sales Manager at Profiltra, Oliver is responsible for the further development of the business within the Color Solutions department. “My experience and existing contact in Germany are crucial here,” he explains. “The direct contact with customers and solving technical and commercial issues give me great satisfaction.” He works closely with Patrick and Sebastian to decide if the developed strategies are realistic and achievable. “The balance between ambition and market knowledge is essential,” he says. “It is important that in my role I can contribute whether strategic decisions are realistic or not through my knowledge and experience within the market.” The cooperation within the team, as well as with his supervisor, contributes to his positive work experience and good business result. “We are on the same page, which is important for good cooperation.”

Future

Oliver looks confidently to the future at Profiltra. “My goal is to make Profiltra more visible in the marketplace every day,” he says. “Twenty years ago Profiltra was not a big name in the pigment industry, but now the changing market with the bankruptcy of Heubach, among others, offers tremendous growth opportunities in paints/coatings and plastics application fields.” He strives to position Profiltra as a reliable partner for customers. “We need to keep working on the recognition that Profiltra is a reliable partner. “Where years ago Profiltra was focused on selected customers and applications, we are now working to become a main supplier to companies for various pigments. “My ambition is not just to be a number in a large organization, but to actually contribute to the success and growth of Profiltra.” The international character, the close cooperation and the family feeling make his workplace not only a nice professional environment, but also a place to where he enjoys working every day.

 

Customer Relations Employee in our most colorful department: Roy’s Story at Color Solutions.

In his twenties, Roy started his career at a company importing lamps, before spending about 6 months per year traveling around Asia for major chemical companies. “Interesting,” he says, “but very hectic and incompatible with family life.” In search of a more stable environment, he found his way to the back office of our former Pigments department.

When asked about what makes his job interesting, he enthusiastically shares, “The international aspect of it, working with colleagues from Europe and Asia and foreign clients, is something I have always enjoyed a lot.” It’s clear that Roy thrives in the international team at Color Solutions. “Working in the team is just great,” he says, “and Profiltra is a true family business, where the social aspect is very important. There are great team events and company outings throughout the year, in short, I really like it here.”

Responding to the question about the most important skills for his role, Roy says, “In my job, you need to be able to speak good English and German, be willing to contribute your own ideas, have a commercial sense, and if you also have some understanding of logistics processes, that’s a plus.” He emphasizes that there is still much to learn in his job and that the willingness to learn and take on new challenges is crucial.

The international nature, close collaboration, and family-like atmosphere not only make his workplace a pleasant professional environment but also a place where he enjoys going to work every day.

If you are also interested in a challenging international job, like Roy, and recognize yourself in the mentioned skills, be sure to contact our HR department at HR@profiltra.com or call Mandy Högl at 036 204 88 83 or Yvonne Karsten at 036 204 88 84

Meet Hugo Ferreira, Service Engineer at Profiltra

Our service engineer Hugo Ferreira was born in Portugal. This handy Portuguese has been working outside his homeland for quite some time now. “The weather in Portugal is beautiful, but the salary is not as nice,” Hugo laughs. He finds the Dutch to be open-minded and friendly, and most importantly, he feels more respected here as a craftsman.

Where craftsmanship meets appreciation

With an impressive 20 years of experience in the installation industry, including 15 years in refractory materials and the last few years in wear-resistant ceramic materials, Hugo has certainly made his mark. His enthusiasm for Profiltra is evident: “At Profiltra, I get the respect I deserve, and my opinions are valued,” says an enthusiastic Hugo. “Working with the team in the Piping Technology & Wear Solutions department is fantastic. This is the second team during my long career that I am truly very satisfied with.”

Even nephew André employed at Profiltra

He even asked his nephew André from Portugal to join Profiltra as a Service Engineer. André has been working for Profiltra for about a year and a half now. About his collaboration with his nephew, Hugo says, “André and I make a great team. With great precision and expertise, we handle the installation of wear-resistant materials for Profiltra’s clients.”

Dutch is a difficult language

Because Profiltra values the importance of our technicians speaking some Dutch, both gentlemen receive Dutch lessons at the office. Hugo already speaks a bit of Dutch now, although he finds the language “quite difficult.” But when asked “how are you?” he replies neatly with “alles goed” (all good).

Do you want to be part of our dynamic team at Profiltra? Discover the possibilities and join professionals like Hugo and André who take pride in their work and are valued for their craftsmanship. Feeling excited about such a great job? There’s still an open vacancy for the position of Service Engineer.

 

 

Meet Mariana Dalemans, Customer Relations Employee Color Solutions

Born in Romania surrounded by a loving family, Mariana decided to choose adventure at the age of 18. In Italy and Spain, she worked in the hospitality industry to finance her studies. Through her dedication and perseverance, she completed studies in microbiology and retail, mastering a remarkable seven languages, and embarked on her career as an advisor at Bouwmaat.

Creative Solutions

Mariana came to Profiltra with a specific goal: to return to her educational background in retail. As a Customer Relations Employee in the Color Solutions department, she is now responsible for sales in the Benelux and Italy. She relishes the challenge of maintaining customer relationships and finding creative solutions.

Passion and Ambition

“I really love my work,” says Mariana. “The intense customer contact makes each day unique and challenging.” Mariana appreciates the unpredictability and the quest for opportunities for customers, while also considering price changes, exchange rates, and other economic fluctuations. “And despite the changing market conditions, I still want to offer our customers the right experience and quality. This is also something that aligns with my values.”

A Future of Growth

In the future, Mariana sees herself advancing to the position of inside sales manager. She values not only professional growth at Profiltra but also personal happiness. She enjoys her work and colleagues; it’s challenging, and there is still so much to discover and learn. For Mariana, what is most important within Profiltra is that she can be herself entirely and has ample opportunities to develop.