Plastics unsustainable? On the contrary: the plastics sector leads the way in recycling. Breda-based Plastima is helping to make that happen. Rob van den Bosch and Hans Boode are our Entrepreneurs of the Quarter. If there is one material with a negative image, it is plastic. Pictures of plastic soups in the oceans regularly appear in the media. Unjustified, they think at Plastima. 'If everyone neatly disposed of plastic separately, the whole problem would be solved. Because the plastics sector is totally geared to it, to recycling. This puts it miles ahead of other sectors,' says Hans Boode.

Exclusive partner

Together with Rob, Hans is part of the second generation of owners of Plastima, the Dutch market leader in machinery for the plastics sector. 'We are the exclusive partner of 22 A-brand machine manufacturers in the Netherlands. As a result, we supply all the machinery needed for the entire process from manufacturing to recycling. What is made with our machines is too many to mention. From large water drainage pipes to COVID test kits, from house profiles to shaver parts,' Rob explains. Hans adds: 'We also have our own supply of second-hand machines from Plastima Used Machinery with its own service department.'

Trust and investing

That sounds like a sales organisation, but Plastima is much more than that. Rob: 'In the dynamic, forward-thinking plastics industry, new ideas come onto the market every day. Our customers need all their expertise and time to capitalise on them. We provide the technology that allows them to realise their plans and guide them through the entire process from product development to final testing.' Hans adds: 'We do that with a varied team of 14 specialists, who always combine their experience, knowledge and fresh ideas. We also invest heavily in digitalisation, so that we can share and process complex information from projects with multiple teams from customers.' 


Expand

It is not the only way Plastima is investing in the future. The company will soon move to new premises. Rob: 'In our first building, the bond with Rabobank started: they had the ground floor, we had the two upper floors. Now they are our partner in realising a new 450 m2 office space and test centres to our existing machine hall. This allows us to specialise even further and thus expand our services to customers'. Sustainability plays a major role in this. Hans: 'Our customers have to comply with many regulations in that area, but it also gives them a lot in terms of energy savings. Sometimes we come up with investment proposals in machinery that pay for themselves within a year. Furthermore, the number of material reprocessing initiatives continues to grow and we are growing along with them. In recycling machines, we are one of the main suppliers in the Benelux.'

Sustainable future

This sustainable approach can also be seen in the renovated building. Rob: 'Rabobank financed the renovation and triggered us to do that as green as possible. Off the gas, extra insulation, the latest LED lighting and soon also solar panels. That way we can receive the green certificate and we are ready for the future.' Hans: 'That also makes us an attractive employer together with our open and innovative corporate culture. Necessary, because without good technical people we won't get ahead. Fortunately, we have also provided new recruits ourselves: two of Rob's sons already work in the company and my son is doing his graduation project here. So the new generation is already there!'


Real entrepreneurs

For Rabobank, sustainability is an important cooperative theme. This is partly why Plastima is our Company of the Quarter in the second quarter of 2021. 'Plastima is a supplier of high-quality machinery and peripheral equipment in the plastics industry,' explains Rabobank Breda account manager Toine Hanegraaf. 'As a Dutch market leader and family business, they first of all contribute constructively to making a sector that is already leading the way in this field more sustainable. But they also opt for sustainable measures in their own business operations, so that they are ready for the future of the third generation. Real entrepreneurs, in other words; go-getters with a clear vision of the future. And we like doing business with them.