Working at Aelbers
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Working at Aelbers
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Our history
More than 25 years of Aelbers
From local employment agency to pioneer in civil concrete construction
Our story begins on 9 January 1997. This is the date our founder and name giver Hans Aelbers registered his company with the Chamber of Commerce. Its name? AA Point. On that day, Hans and his brother together laid the foundation of what we now know to be Aelbers.
A new beginning
In the 1990s, Hans worked as an interim manager for several clients. One of them asked him to fire employees. We don't know how many exactly. Anyway, what we do know is that this sudden lay-off gnawed at Hans. Why wasn't the organisation helping them to find new jobs? Instead of dismissing the thought, he decided to act: he started his own employment agency in Ede to give those very people a future again.
In the early years, AA Point focused on local customers and on different profiles: small manufacturers and window frame makers. It was a period of trial and error, searching for a specialism. After his brother died, Hans continued alone. He had the desire to grow, but how exactly was not yet clear.
Hans Aelbers with Michaël Kempka
on the background
on the background
A new beginning
In the 1990s, Hans worked as an interim manager for several clients. One of them asked him to fire employees. We don't know how many exactly. Anyway, what we do know is that this sudden lay-off gnawed at Hans. Why wasn't the organisation helping them to find new jobs? Instead of dismissing the thought, he decided to act: he started his own employment agency in Ede to give those very people a future again.
In the early years, AA Point focused on local customers and on different profiles: small manufacturers and window frame makers. It was a period of trial and error, searching for a specialism. After his brother died, Hans continued alone. He had the desire to grow, but how exactly was not yet clear.
Hans Aelbers with Michaël Kempka
on the background
on the background
Our logo through the years:
"After the job fair, Hans addressed me and asked me if I wanted to join Aelbers. I wasn't immediately enthused. But I did accept his business card."
- Michaël Kempka
The Dresden job fair
"Kommen Sie zur Arbeit in die Niederlande!"
When Hans met Michaël Kempka at a job fair in Germany, he found the turn he was looking for. Michaël, known for his personal approach and commercial skills, was working at a competitor and looking in Dresden for candidates willing to work in the Netherlands. He knew how to motivate migrant workers and saw the potential of cross-border cooperation. Hans therefore tried to bring Michael into Aelbers, the new name of AA Point. At first without success.
Around the same time, Hans found John Winters, the man to put the business and financial foundations in order. While John and Hans were building Aelbers' future, Michaël's situation changed. The company he worked for merged, suddenly doubled in size and many colleagues left. That was Michaël's moment to reach out to Hans.
Matching visions
But both men were not to be taken for granted. They wanted to be certain they were a good match and that their vision for Aelbers were similar. How to solve that? Exactly! By writing a vision. Michaël wrote a vision for Aelbers' future and Hans wrote a vision for Michaël's future.
And thus, these three totally different characters became a strong trio. The strength was in the balance: Hans as the founder, Michaël as the commercial pioneer and John as the quiet regulator in the background.
"Hans had written a plan. I had written a plan. And Hans asked me what I wanted.
My answer was very simple: 'I want to sit on that chair' and I pointed to Hans's place."
- Michaël Kempka
Pioneering and specialising
"I want to become the biggest in civil concrete construction"
They understood that construction - specifically civil concrete construction - offered stable projects. Not the quick, isolated jobs, but large infrastructure projects that offered years of work. To distinguish itself, Aelbers specialised exclusively in civil concrete construction. Not only did it invest in skilled workers, but also in all the preconditions that made the work enjoyable and safe. Decent accommodation, translated safety instructions, reliable tools: it was all taken care of. And that is how confidence grew: clients knew that Aelbers did more than just 'supply hands'.
Meanwhile, John ensured that Aelbers was the first temporary employment agency to obtain the VCU certification, become a member of the NBBU collective agreement and that the back office ran like clockwork. Not with grand gestures, but rather by getting the details in processes, administration and certifications in perfect order.
In a world where time is money and project pressure is high, Aelbers was different. With genuine attention and personal contact, it built lasting relationships. Project managers who were sceptical about migrant workers at first, soon realised that Aelbers delivered on its promises.
No fancy talk, but getting up early, travelling far and solving problems quickly. And always with personal contact. This approach paid off. Aelbers soon found itself under the hotkeys of many a site manager.
When Hans Aelbers reached retirement age, he handed over his life's work. Michael Kempka and John Winters took charge. Under their leadership, Aelbers grew to be an established name in Dutch construction. Not because we are the biggest or the cheapest partner, but because we stand by our professionals and clients.
Acquisition by Flexfamily
In 2018, Aelbers was acquired by Flexfamily. But its core values - personal contact, quality and reliability - remained intact and Aelbers retained its individuality. Even when Peter van Zaanen took over from Michael and John in 2020, Aelbers continued to believe in the long-term strategy, in nurturing workmanship and taking employees seriously.
Employees come from far away but more often than not they still stay for many years. We know the market, know what is going on and stick to our principles, even when the world around us is changing.
Aelbers' story is no fairy tale, but a down-to-earth and human entrepreneurial story. It shows how we built something valuable with a combination of common sense, daring and consideration for people. Something that reaches beyond the figures and that makes clients, employees and partners feel safe and at home on the construction site and outside of it.
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