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The interview Rob Luijendijk

MD | Amels

The MD of Amels has his plate full, juggling the needs of the workforce and extremely demanding clients. He tells SB about his daily life at the shipyard as well as his belief in total company connectivityINTERVIEWED BY JULIET BENNING

ob Luijendijk isn’t an easy man to pin down. With a very full diary it takes some comprehensive emailing before we find a

date that suits, and that is later cancelled due to a last minute client meeting — but

any superyacht journalist will concede that the client is always the absolute priority and consequently rearrangements were undertaken swiftly and with good grace.

The taxi takes me from Antwerp airport to the commercial harbour of the small Dutch town of Vlissingen. The area, though industrial, is orderly and seems to hum with a dynamic kind of efficiency. Here, occupying the west side of the harbour entrance, is the Amels yard. On approach the pride the yard takes in its work is immediately obvious — displayed on the flanks

of the outer shed is a large poster depicting an Amels yacht confidently charging along, cutting through the water with gusto.

After driving through the yard I am deposited outside a one-storey office complex and once within, in a neat meeting room, I meet the company’s MD. Looking leaner than in the photos I had seen, Luijendijk, is a tall man with a head of pale curls. With blue eyes under light brows and a warm smile, Luijendijk greets me by immediately apologising for rescheduling our original interview date. Despite running one of the most successful yachtbuilding operations in the industry, Luijendijk doesn’t set out to be revered. He places great emphasis upon keeping his feet “firmly on the ground” and integrating with the workforce. Some of this is played out in the Amels bar, which was extracted

CAREERDETAILS

w Current role: MD of Amels B.V w Work experience: Luijendijk’s first role in the marine industry was with De Valk as a yachtbroker from 1993 to 1999. From 1999 to 2004 Luijendijk worked as a sales manager for Damen Shipyards Latin America before becoming commercial director of Amels B.V in 2004. In 2007 he was made managing director. He is married to Marina and has two children, Lotje (10) and Ebe (8).

Rob Luijendijk

TO THE POINT

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The interview

Why were you originally drawn to the marine industry and what was your first job?I have a background in economics and I worked for one of the Dutch banks for a year and a half. But let’s say that was not my preferred environment to work in — a lot of bureaucracy, a lot of bosses. So I decided to make a move and started off at De Valk Yacht brokers. There I started off selling smaller yachts before working for four years on sales with Damen Latin America. I love boats. I thought I need to do something that is not just about making money but about something I have a passion for. I really liked it so I could work for long days easily because I just enjoyed doing the job.

Do you enjoy being on the water yourself?I do like sailing, although when

you work in boats you sail less for sure. I still have a small Hobie Cat and that’s the only way I find a way to sail myself and with the kids.

How do you think the market is faring and how are you placed among your competitors?The market is still growing — the world is still growing and the group of wealthy people is still growing so I think you can only speak out of your own perspective and of your concept. Consider how can you continue in your own success in the right way? There you really have to look at the market. We’ve done three refits this winter period and we’re seeing work coming from re-sales. Two of the boats were re-sales which we sold to new clients, so again we’re very happy that the clients have come back to the original shipyard to do the

works, which contributes to the value of the yacht when it will be sold in future. And also for us its good to show how we handle our refits, maybe to sell a new vessel in future.

Do you have any capacity in the yard at the moment?We have quite a few projects on the way but we are still capable. We could still deliver in 2017. We have a few 55s, 180, 199, all under construction — the whole range of Limited Editions. Several are multiple projects. In total we have nine projects up to end of 2016.

What brings you satisfaction in your job?What I like the most is when you meet the client it’s very nice to experience how they enjoy their vessel. I enjoy my Hobie Cat 14 when I’m with my son and

from an Amels yacht, reclaimed for staff purposes, and which provides a social hub of connectivity.

“Every month we stop a little bit earlier and we gather in the bar to talk about everything that’s going on; the new contracts, the deliveries, which boat shows we’ve done and how we’re progressing on the current builds. We try to update people with all the interesting news.”

And the Amels staff are keen to embrace captains, owner’s reps, engineers and crew into their family, as Luijendijk elaborates, “We have a lot of owners reps in the shipyard, technical reps and captains, chief engineers and crew and there again we also try to have them involved in the process.” The bar acts as a social adhesive for the different shipyard entities including the sub-contractors with whom Amels builds longstanding relationships built on trust.

This fits in with a great philosophy of strong and continuous communication that acts as the lifeblood of Amels, “We believe, as staff, you should be aware of all the developments from the commercial side of the market” Luijendijk explains. “Of course there’s the internet and the magazines, but it’s good to involve people in what’s happening. It’s a glamorous business and though we are simple shipbuilders we liaise with

the glamorous world of superyacht shipbuilding and of this connection it is good to inform your employees.”

Luijendijk’s conversation weaves in and out of

themes of connectivity and keeping processes quick and compact, no matter how large the company may become — whether it be connecting the staff to the glamorous nature of the end market or the sales team returning to the office to communicate the current trends of different markets. These ideas appear to come from the man who can certainly be considered the godfather of Amels, Kommer Damen. His philosophies act as a strong guidance in the daily activities at Amels.

Jewel of the groupAmels, as a branch of the multi-national shipbuilding goliath, Damen, is thought of by company head, Kommer Damen, as “The jewel in the crown of the whole group.” Luijendijk elaborates on the Damen approach towards sales, “Mr Damen believes in the concept that when you travel for sales you should regularly return to the head office because then there is a good interaction between the development of the

Amels builds longstanding

relationships with its

subcontractors

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Rob Luijendijk

product and the sales. He doesn’t believe that a salesman should only communicate by phone or email. He believes you should come back and look the people in the eye and explain to them where the market is going. You still keep contact with your production and your development departments and you stay as one company. You keep yourself small in a way.”

He continues with more insight into this approach to business, “Although the Damen Group is a big company — $1.7 billion turnover, 9,000 people, 35 shipyards — and even though we are a multi-national company, we still want to stay small and that’s what attracted me as a person to work here. I like to work in an environment where you have direct contact with the people, whether it’s in the office or on the shop floor. I don’t like the difference between the two. There’s always a gap between the office and the production side in every company but here again, what I learnt from Damen, is that you should be aware of where the boats have come from and don’t start to become arrogant and don’t get this disconnection between the production development and the sales.”

Luijendijk describes how the physical one-storey lay out of the office contributes to connectivity, “When you walk around you’re very close to the sheds. We have a one floor office so you will pass your colleagues everyday through this one corridor. It sounds very simple but it protects you from becoming too big and seeing people only every two or three weeks instead of being around. We have 200 fixed employees and we have another 300 walking around. You should always

look at whether you are capable of being flexible, of being able to listen to each other, being able to feel what’s happening in the company. We’ve been growing a lot in the last ten years — we’ve gone from 40 to 200 people. In turnover we went from 60 to 70 million euros to almost 250 million now for the coming year, which is a considerable growth.”

This smooth flow of communication, even from the top-level staff on the boards, allows Amels to be flexible and nimble in its decision making processes. “Mr Damen is very easy to reach.” Luijendijk explains, “Decisions can be made quickly. All the companies of Damen are very autonomous in their decision making. Of course every three months we report to the board, but we have a great liberty in developing things.”

Kommer Damen’s approach to standardising the building of commercial vessels was the starting point for

the Amels Limited Edition range of yachts. Luijendijk was fundamental in the birth of the winning formula, which came about swiftly, “In 2005, Mr Damen said I had an idea to build a series of high quality semi-custom yachts and together we wrote the business plan and then very quickly he told us to go ahead with it.”

Long-term visionLuijendijk is keen to impress upon me not only the vital Amels’ values of yachts of superior quality and value, but also the company’s established nature and future longevity, “I think what is different to what you often see in the market is that Mr Damen has a long-term vision and he doesn’t step out if times get tough because he likes shipbuilding. It’s not like there are equity funds or investors jumping in and jumping out, so this long-term philosophy and this plan for building on standardised platforms he had in place for some time already. It was implemented in 2005 and then developed well. We were very happy with the way we were able to develop in the last 10 years, with the way we were able to execute this business plan, having five series from 650 gross tonnes up to 3,000 gross tonnes, and we’ve had the opportunity to build hulls on stock with the quality we like. We never really ran too fast. We grew, in turnover and in people, but we always did it at the pace we thought was best. All the Limited Editions left on time and without any claims whatsoever and also with the best paint jobs. And we have a lot of repeat clients.”

With the resale market flooded, Luijendijk is focused on providing a yacht that will keep as much of its value as possible. “First of all it starts off with quality and reliability — that’s what we focus on, and as Amels we want the best quality and within a reliable platform. So new or existing clients coming into the market who have already owned a boat — there are the two things where we focus and that we try to express in our

daughter and we share the same smile you see on the face of the clients on their finished Amels yacht. I really appreciate it. I like to see the person happy — whether it’s a small or a large boat — life is short, the more you laugh and the more you feel good, well it’s a great thing and that’s what we are aiming for. The enjoyment of being on the water with family and friends — that’s fundamental.

Client satisfaction

is a major motivator

for Luijendijk

Decisions can be made quickly. All the companies of Damen are very autonomous in their decision making

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The interview Rob Luijendijk

products, first of all, in the way we work, and the people, and also in the promotional materials and the branding — it has to connect well to these two factors. We will continually do our upmost to keep up those standards and become even better.”

Alongside the emphasis on the quality, reliability and the quick turnaround of Amels yachts, the company is geared towards a positive experience for the client and much of Luijendijk’s day-to-day activities revolve around the client’s needs. “Everybody understands that when the client steps in I drop my pen. Together with [sales manager] Johan Kaasjager, we’re the first point of contact with the clients. People tend to want to see the sales person but also the MD. So I travel a lot — we have clients in every continent.

“Clients are limited on time so they give very short notice so normally you fly the same day. That sometimes makes the work at the office a little bit unstructured. But everybody has the same client focus. It’s understood by the staff, which helps a lot, and it’s not only me that jumps in a plane but its also the preparation that needs to be done in one day so short lines of communication are vital. We have to be prepared to present the right GAs, to make the right presentation. Everybody is aware of that and there is not a lot of complaining. The marketing materials are well prepared. That initial meeting with the client takes just a few hours so it’s not that you are away for weeks.”

He continues, “The client focus is a large piece of the pie for everyone. We try to keep the company very flexible and fast in response. The clients seek trust and to build up a personal relationship. What is very important is that you have a clear line of communication

– don’t promise things you cannot fulfill. You have to manage expectations. They appreciate that a lot. They are businessmen and women themselves, they have their own business ethics as well and they very much appreciate that you are well prepared and it’s a professional organisation that you’re operating.”

Client driveReflecting on the dynamic personality of his clients Luijendijk adds, “We’re not selling a product — we’re trying to understand the experience. It’s important that the clients feel that you understand their experience so we can develop the best product. We all know that if you leave the land and get on the water in a way you change as a person and I think that’s also one of the things that attracts these people. They are working so hard so when they have a moment of their own on the water it gives them another tranquility, another vibe. They have this restless thing in their veins — they are so wealthy they could even stop working but they have this drive — to work hard, to do different things and they have this adrenaline.”

The personalities of his super rich clients aside, Luijendijk talks about the deep resonance he and his staff have when a yacht leaves the yard, “Shipbuilding has a soul and a lot of people who work here have a spirit that connects well to sailing or to the water and it makes you do your job differently. There is a soul in the company and everybody is dedicated to the product. When the yacht leaves, a project that may have taken two or three years, it gives an emotion.”

Having demonstrated a complete commitment to the Amels cause and talked at length about the company’s build processes, Luijendijk relaxes visibly when I switch my dicataphone off and, full of laughter, regales me of a story from a recent crew outing onboard a canal boat in Amsterdam. Evidently sharing the same work hard, play hard ethic as many of his compatriots, I leave the Amels yard knowing that while it is steered under Luijendijk’s watch there will be a thriving and connected community within.

The clients seek trust and to build up a personal relationship. What is very important is that you have a clear line of communication

Clockwise from top left:

Luijendijk with Bouwe

Bekking - the Team Brunel

skipper in the Volvo

Ocean Race, the Amels

yard, Amels 199, Amels

272, with the family