After more than 16 years at H.Essers, Wouter Weltens has seen the organization evolve from a strong, Limburg-based family business into an international player in logistics, without losing its family atmosphere. Today, he is a Business Unit Manager in Limburg and is responsible for multiple clients and teams. It’s time to discover his career path and story.

How did you grow into your current role?
Wouter: “I started as an Operations Support specialist in Halls 6 and 7 in Genk. I did that for about a year and a half. Because the company was experiencing strong growth at the time, I was given the opportunity in 2011 to become Operations Manager and to launch a new project (Ansell) together with Donny Houben. And in that role, I did launch several other projects too, even as far as Dubai.”

“In 2017, another organizational restructuring took place to support the company’s growth. That’s how I advanced to the role of Business Unit Manager in Limburg; a role I still enjoy doing today.”

What exactly do you do in your role?
Wouter: “Business Unit Manager is a broad role that comes with a lot of responsibility. I’m personally responsible for various partners, and that involves the big picture: fostering positive collaboration with them and ensuring that we are, remain, and continue to grow financially healthy. I also make sure that everything (people satisfaction, support services, compliance, …) runs smoothly internally; I lead a team of three Operations Managers, and I’m involved in numerous strategic projects. So, it’s quite a job.”

What’s your relationship with H.Essers as a company?
Wouter: “I have a close connection with H.Essers. Which is normal, since I’ve been working here for over 16 years and this is only my second (and longest-standing) employer. Over the years, I’ve seen this organization evolve from a strong family business into an international player in logistics. And the family-oriented culture is still very much alive.”

“I notice that in meetings I’m often the oldest—both in age and in seniority—and that there are more and more people at headquarters, which means fewer and fewer people I recognize. It’s a sign that we’re still growing year after year. When you’ve worked here for 16 years, you feel connected.”

“You might find this interesting: I had my first job interview here with… Gert Bervoets. At the time, he was in charge of Warehousing in Belgium. After a second interview with Salvatore Napolitano, I started in Warehousing. For the first two weeks, I even worked as an order picker to get to know all the processes. That gave me a lot of knowledge that still comes in handy today in all kinds of situations with colleagues and also with clients.”

Why do you enjoy working here?
Wouter: “Here, you get opportunities to develop and grow as a person. I also really appreciate the responsibility I have; I can truly make a difference. Finally, I have a lot of freedom to shape my role and focus on the things that give me energy.”