Due to retire in March, Kees de Keiser has been Director Business Development, or Head of Purchasing, at Damen Schelde Marine Services since 2005. His job took him to Asia at least four times a year, maintaining relationships with existing DSMS suppliers and seeking out new contacts.

When he started working at DSMS – still known back then as Schelde Marine Services – in 2005, Kees already had a lot of experience as a buyer for various companies. Together with then director Carel Flipse, he sought out manufacturers in China who could provide SMS with spare parts for their customers’ diesel engines. “I had been a purchaser at Stork in Schiedam since 1997,” says Kees. “At the turn of the century, China emerged as a producer of marine diesel engines and their associated spare parts. There is now a whole network of suppliers of Sulzer/Wärtsilä and MAN B&W parts in China as well as in Korea and Japan. At Stork, I had built up a sizeable network in China since 1999. SMS had a large archive of drawings of Sulzer engines; after all, De Schelde had produced those engines and their parts itself. With those drawings at hand, SMS could do business with Chinese producers. According to Carel Flipse, this technical support combined with the joint network could make SMS stronger.” At that time, a lot of production shifted from Europe to Asia.

The contact with people was the most enjoyable part of my job

Purchasing, as Kees knows, is far more than just placing an order and waiting for the product to be delivered, something that sometimes takes more than a month at the company. “Ultimately, it’s about building relationships. This is very important in China – if you can build up good rapport with the company you are dealing with, they will always there for you. That’s why it was never a hardship to board the plane; I was always warmly welcomed in China. Of course, my work also meant that I had to keep looking for new suppliers, making every effort to add new products to the portfolio, all the while identifying ways how I could make savings as a purchaser.”

Over the years – thanks to Kees – Damen Schelde Marine Services has added Yanmar, Daihatsu and Wärtsilä 4-stroke spare parts to its range of products. “This would not have been possible without my colleagues Bert Prevoo and Stephen Huisman, who went all-out to expand our portfolio and achieve savings in the purchasing plan.”

Kees concludes: “The contact with people was the most enjoyable part of my job – it’s not just about earning money. And I have learned that most people are of good will. Wherever you are in the world, there are always people who want to help you.” Kees is married and has three sons. When he retires, he will be 66 years old, and he won’t get bored. “I have always enjoyed my job, but now I will have more time for my hobbies, such as reading a good book, cycling and walking.”

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