The beginning of September saw Europe’s biggest maritime trade fair bouncing back with vigour after two years of pandemic-related cancellations. Damen Schelde Marine Services (DSMS) attended SMM Hamburg, sharing its biggest ever stand with Damen Marine Components and Damen Anchor and Chain Factory.

SMM Hamburg is a truly global maritime event, allowing DSMS to make personal contact with customers from all around the world. It should come as no surprise, therefore, to read that the company sent a comprehensive contingent of personnel to Hamburg. “This included sales managers covering Europe and Asia in addition to account managers with clients in Scandinavia, UK, Benelux and the host country of Germany,” says DSMS EU Sales Manager Jeroen Caris.

Some of the DSMS team at SMM Hamburg. From left: Guido Kloosterboer (Account Manager Germany), Ezra Lamers (Sales Manager Asia), Josine Glerum (Account Manager Scandinavia & UK), and Arnold Suykerbuyk (Managing Director). Some of the DSMS team at SMM Hamburg. From left: Guido Kloosterboer (Account Manager Germany), Ezra Lamers (Sales Manager Asia), Josine Glerum (Account Manager Scandinavia & UK), and Arnold Suykerbuyk (Managing Director).

Besides making contact with clients, SMM is also the ideal way to build up relationships with suppliers. To this end, the DSMS team included two technical purchasers. “They met with existing suppliers as well as keeping an eye open for new innovations and new companies that we want to do business with,” Josine Glerum, DSMS Account Manager for Scandinavia and UK, adds.

SMM Hamburg also provided DSMS an opportunity to meet up with its numerous sales agents. “This is no less than 19 people,” Josine continues. “They play an important part in our sales organisation.”

SMM provided DSMS an opportunity to meet up with its 19 EU sales agents. SMM provided DSMS an opportunity to meet up with its 19 EU sales agents.

The maritime trade fair season continued following SMM Hamburg, with DSMS sending representatives to MTB Workboats in Southampton in the third week of September. The DSMS team will also be attending IMPA (a maritime supply chain trade fair organised by the International Marine Purchasing Association) which is taking place on the 13th and 14th of December.

DSMS’ investment in trade fair participation goes hand in hand with the extremely healthy levels of growth the company is currently experiencing. “This is growth that we are seeing over our whole line of products; a fact that can be put down to the dedicated team here at DSMS, combined with the strategic supply chain decisions that we have had in place since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic,” Jeroen concludes.

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