Big Dutchman generates around 30 % of its turnover in Europe. CEO Steffen Bersch recently visited several countries in the region for the first time, accompanied by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Bernd Meerpohl. One of the equipment supplier’s most important locations is Poland. Ulf Meyer, Head of Region, says: “We saw significant development in Poland in the past twenty years. And we want to continue growing.”
“Kudos to our committed team on site.”
Travelling together: Big Dutchman CEO Steffen Bersch and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Bernd Meerpohl, visit the subsidiary in Poland
The visitors discussed options to advance the business with BD Polska’s managing director Michał Krajewski. Ulf Meyer says: “In the Poultry business unit, BD Polska is the subsidiary with the highest sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA).”
Poland produces 21 % of all broilers in the EU. The country is thus clearly ahead of Spain (13 %), Germany (12 %) and France (11 %).
The Egg and Pig business units are also doing well. Just recently, Big Dutchman equipped one of Poland’s most modern pig farms, which houses 7,000 sows and produces 210,000 piglets for local farmers every year. It’s the largest sow facility the pig equipment supplier has constructed in Europe in the past ten years. Background: Poland is the EU’s fourth largest pork producer, after Spain, Germany and France.
BD Polska and Agricon, the subsidiary for turn-key building solutions, have a total of 55 employees. “We were able to meet many of them personally during our visit,” says CEO Steffen Bersch. “I always enjoy these meetings. Kudos to our committed team on site.”
The office celebrated its 25th anniversary last year – although Big Dutchman’s activities in Poland started as early as in 1991, when the first salespersons were travelling the country with much motivation and pioneering spirit. In the beginning, some of them would even use their personal garage as a storage room.