" There ’s no course for it . It ’s quite difficult . " That ’s what Bram van den Ende says when you ask him if he finds it difficult to retreat . After half a century at Stolze grouping , where he started at 16 as the first employee and he was able to act upon himself up to CEO , it is time to tread down . " When you ’ve tie yourself to it your whole living , it ’s quite heavily . It ’s a process but the companionship is in good hands . ”
Bumblebees and planesBram has witnessed quite some new things during his metre at Stolze . From the first bumblebees in glasshouse to the first mobile phones , convenient for the emergency help , for which Bram did a heap . At the age of 23 , he had to resolve an issue in France . “ At that clock time , it was already quite an experience when you went to the south of the Netherlands . So , to be on a plane for the first time , you could imagine , I was very nervous .
He had rather stayed home but he also knew : if I do n’t go now , I ’ll never go again , so Bram left for Cannes . The issue was resolved within five minutes , but the next escape did n’t go until a few day later . “ So out of the four days I was there , I drop three day on the beach ! ”
Going abroad was always an experience for me . For example , Bram think another trip to Sardinia , where someone wanted to sell a Priva computer . But how do you do that when someone does n’t speak a word of English , and you may only talk about Gullit and Cruijff with your manpower and feet ? In the destruction , the sale was concluded , but Bram had to stay with the man for two days and he had to persist for dinner . " It looked horrible . Squid and raw fish that was eaten with head and tail end . I was horrified when I realize it , but you ca n’t say no . ”
MafiaBram has been to Italy many times after that successful sales agreement . In the other ' 80s , he run low to Italy once every 14 days : he leave on Friday nights and total back on Sundays . There ’s one project there that he will never forget .
" Back then , Italy was ‘ the land of the Cosa Nostra ’ , now a lot less . A customer of ours go to Sardinia to do up a very large horticultural project with two cooperator , including Italians . We went there and as it sour out , the priming was not even . So that had to be raze , otherwise , you ca n’t work up a nursery . ”
A financial setback , but they were able to continue with the projection . They were already work on the entire electrical installation when they had another setback to deal with , and not a small one : the Italian client did n’t pay . " So , we went away and only left the equipment behind . ”
Unfortunately , the casing took a bout for the worse , the Italian client choke belly-up . " So , I called a admirer in Sardinia and I take him to get everything out of there : computer , fan , you name it . ”
That bump , but the Italian defaulter could n’t appreciate it . The guys from Stolze were now working elsewhere on the island . They unknowingly ended up in some Hollywood movie with that caper . The deadbeat had informed the law about the " theft " of the equipment . They issue forth to the new projection with rifles drawn to arrest the mechanics .
The guys were hold until all equipment was take back . In the end , Bram and his team settle to return the equipment because the local police were also on the side of the now - bankrupt customer , one of the partners in that deal was the mayor of a local settlement . " Very unusual game were act . All political relation , but what can you do . ”
German scar in a handbagBram was also active in Germany . little job , he does not have a bent for languages . After two years of studying German , he could not count to ten as well as his children , who were about 12 at that time . But this did not stop him : with hand and foot , and some technical skill , you may come a long mode .
For instance , he saw this when someone from Germany started a projection on Tenerife in Spain . " He was going to cultivate mango . I had never heard of that , but he had to have a dripping hose , EC , and pH , so I send him an offer , and he like it . ”
Aad Verduijn and Bram van den Ende in Tenerife
The guest had to compensate half in advance , but that was no trouble . " He trusted the whole affair . I said : " And the other half when I ’m there . " So , we went there to go ahead with everything . He come to pick us up at the airport , along with his married woman . I introduce myself , and he nudges his wife . I thought , what ’s he doing ? So , he nods at the womanhood ’s purse , she start the bag and I got 40,000 Deutsche Mark . What am I going to do with 40,000 stigma ? I put it in my bag and I go to check almost every hour to see if it was still there ! "
heel morsel manThere was also plenty to do in the Netherlands . " I recall Teun pass away to a customer with an offer . I knew that customer was not the nicest . Teun came back and was a little upset . " I snuff it to the customer and what do you think ? He has a Brobdingnagian hound . Look , he seize with teeth my legs ! ' " as luck would have it , the customer was not the bad , in return for the blackguard bite , he agreed to the offer .
" By the way , everyone in the company has been bitten by a dog . I was with a customer once , it was already a small sorry , and there was a motorcar in front of his sliding door , so I could n’t get in . fortuitously , the keys were in the lighting , so I experience in the passenger fanny to move the railcar . ” Unfortunately for Bram , he was n’t alone in the car . " I sit down and all of a sudden I hear growl . I look back and see a row of whitened teeth , it was like a movie . And I could n’t get out because that car was still parked against the door . ”
Bram also had a dog and thought that starting the railcar would vocalise conversant to the dog and might tranquilize him down . " I set about the car and that Doberman kept growling . I drove the car forwards and keep talk to the dog . I jumped out , and in the end , the Canis familiaris did n’t bite me . So , I go to the grower . ” And this conversation took place :
" How did you get in ? "
" Through the sliding door . "
" But there ’s a car in front ! "
" I moved it . "
" You did n’t move that car . "
‘ No ? So how did I get in ? I move that railcar . "
" And the hound was in that car ! "
" Yeah , that crybaby in the backseat ? " I saw him . He ’s not of any help !
Always laughingWith Bram there is always something to laugh about , he recount one anecdote after another . For example , he remember Aad Duijn ’s ' grandma ' bike . “ That was his company bike . With his puppet on the back , he ride his bike all over the fellowship . If you took his cycle , he would let you know how he feel about it , so you did n’t do it twice . But at one point I was working with a welder , Piet Leerdam , and Aad was gone . The bike was prop up against a pole and Piet was welding . ” you’re able to experience it come : the duo design to weld the bicycle to the magnetic pole .
Aad come back , and under the sleepless middle of Bram and Piet , who were peeking around a corner , he began to pull on the motorcycle . “ He was in a hurry , so at one point he walked off . But after 10 , 15 meter , he bend around and thought : that ca n’t be good ? Then he saw the welding and we came out . We could n’t give up express mirth and I recall what Aad said : " That ’s a really punch-drunk buffoonery ! "
Bram has also been the dupe of japery , silly or not . “ I ’m not very good with computers , I had to regularly ask someone to help me out . At some pointedness , they submit a motion picture of my home screen and stuck it to my reminder . So , I sit down … that freaking thing froze again , I think . Booting , unplugging , nothing happened . So , then I pull in the plug , but I still had an figure . I did n’t get it . I did n’t even pull in it . ”
Sharing is caringAfter all these adventures , pranks , and joke , Bram can now enjoy his retirement , although he will proceed to survey his horticultural heart , for case , with a Chrysanthemum projection on piss .
He ’ll miss his workfellow from Stolze the most . " you could not do everything by yourself . I owe a lot to the people at Stolze . You ca n’t be successful if you ca n’t share .
So , Bram is going to neglect the people the most , but there ’s one more thing : the stress " It leave you adrenaline . ”
' Andere Tuinbouwtijden’This was part 17 in the serial ' Andere Tuinbouwtijden ' . A series in which a group of ' veteran worker in the field ' calculate back and forward and in which we depend at what their work did for the current horticultural manufacture . Tips for the series are more than welcome and can be email to:[email protect ]
Part 1 : Piet Bom -Will your next greenhouse be made of Fiberglass?Part 2 : Henry van der Lans -We sleep in the same little hotel … Part 3 : Rob Grootscholten – 42 years of greenhouse grammatical construction … Part 4 : Peter Stuyt – As a Dutch American , I like to combine … Part 5 : Leo Alsemgeest -Bit by bit a step backPart 6 : Harry Dullemans – Never say you are not there … Part 7 : Kees de Groot -We must make something unlike than … Part 8 : Leo Alleblas – The urge for risky venture is in our bloodPart 9 : Carel Zwinkels -“A grower require to keep on developing in … Part 10 : Willem van Dorssen -“Willem , watch out for your shiny … Part 11 : Cees and Leo van der Lans -“If you desire to do everything … Part 12 : Marten Barel -The development that gardening has … Part 13 : Hans Zeeman -Grateful our crime syndicate name still … Part 14 : Johan de Hoog -After a storm , we clean up togetherPart 15 : Ton van der Kooij -I transformed myself for one dark … Part 16 : Cees Overgaauw -Without a guardian holy man I still would …
For more information / or to give Bram a call:[email protected]+31 ( 0 ) 6 2958 5901
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