Those of you who have ever ordered a tent from us will know him for sure: Marc Pluijmaekers is the authority for work tents and everything around it. He is counselling our customers with a lot of expertise, putting his whole heart and soul into each and every one of his projects. He designs tents for every spirit and purpose – and is definitely worth an interview!
Marc, how long have you been working here at Trotec?
That’s a good question … I think it was 1996.
And what exactly is your job in the company?
It’s my job to sell work tents and mobile screens, not only in Germany, but also in Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Norway and various other countries. Apart from that, I also advise our customers concerning machines and measuring devices which are in some way or other connected to the tents.
Which part of your job is it that you enjoy most?
Every time a customer doesn’t find the right tent among our standard models, that’s when the exiting part begins. If there is no tent that perfectly fits the particular needs of a customer, he usually calls me and together we search for a solution to that problem.
… for example?
A customer from Scandinavia wanted to increase the height of a work tent from the usual 2.15m to 2.70m. I then replaced the regular frame with a telescopic rod and made some other adjustments, so that you could adjust the height of every tent corner individually, even in rough territory. Another customer needed a tent for bridge engineering works which could be divided into two single pieces. By fitting in some additional zippers this problem could be solved, too.
And what was the biggest challenge for you so far?
I once designed a tree-tent, which was supposed to protect a very old tree from frost. Apart from that, the special construction was also used as a party tent during the summer months … that was a complete customization, of course. But it was fun!
How do you get the ideas for new types of work tents?
Getting ideas is never the problem … I don’t even need to be under the shower to get ideas. In most cases it just happens: When I see how people solve a tent-related problem, I just ask myself: Why is it done like that – and not differently? Sometimes you see that people still work with Stone Age tent technology, only in a more modern form. Steel tubes and synthetic fibre instead of wooden beams, bear skin and tipis … Then I just think about how such a problem could be solved in a more efficient way.
So what do you have in store for the near future?
We are just planning to extend our range of tents and mobile screens to suit a more diverse target group, like for example the event industry or for screening during road works. Another growing factor are integrated product solutions: Complementary machinery for heating, ventilation, air conditioning or dust absorption are becoming more important for customers. And of course, Trotec is just the right company for that kind of challenge …
Do you also have a “tent-related” problem? Do you need a customized work tent or a special solution to meet your individual requirements? No problem – Marc Pluijmaekers is most happy to take on every new challenge!
For more information about our broad range of work tents and mobile screens take a look at our product catalogue …
