Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
My name is Ruben Geenen and I’m 45 years old, live with my wife and 9-year-old son. In my spare time I enjoy cooking, especially homemade pizza made in my Italian pizza oven. I also enjoy sports and especially biking is a hobby of mine when there is time for that. We as a family also enjoy travelling a lot. The destinations I enjoyed the most was Thailand and Australia. I enjoy how you can travel and be spontaneous and see where the journey takes you. I have visited around 50 countries in total, but not yet Sweden. I hope the plan for next year will be to visit Axelent HQ in Hillerstorp.
What was your first impression of the company Axelent?
My impression of Axelent was that there is always a good feeling when meeting Axelent. The people are happy and professional, they really know what they are doing and that has given Axelent a good name in Belgium. That impressed me before I started working here, and I also saw this as a chance for a new challenge for me.
How does a typical workday look for you?
I wake up at 5.30 in the morning and have some coffee. We have a little poodle puppy which I must take out for a walk in the morning. At around 07 am I step in my car and get to my first customer.
When working by travelling around to customers, as I do, you must start the day early since the traffic in Belgium is very busy. It is common to have breakfast in the car, and if I’m lucky, I’ll be back home at around 6 pm in the evening after a working day. Then it is time for some family time and dinner. Around 8 pm I start answering emails and prepare for the next day.
Working as a sales representative, every day is different. You don’t know how the day will look when you wake up in the morning and that is what I like about the job. I’m responsible for the entire Benelux area, so I cover a big area. Some might not like the travelling part of the job, but it suits me since I don’t like to sit by a desk the whole day.
Your focus is our impact protection range X-Protect - what are your initial impressions of it?
It makes me very happy to see what Axelent has created. The modularity is something we do not see with the competitors, so that is a very strong selling point.
I also like the easy installation of the product, which enables flexibility for the customers to install it themselves if they prefer that. I’m also impressed by the strength of the product at the test facility. To have the products in stock is also something very positive to offer the customers.
How has the products been received by the customers?
The range has been welcomed in a very good way in these first months. We have already had some big projects which is very positive to see. For example, we had a project with 300 meters of pedestrian barriers.
It has been so nice to see the huge interest in the product even though this is a whole new product segment for Axelent.
What are your visions for X-Protect onwards?
There are many players in this area on the market, but with our wide range of products we can offer everything from the same supplier, and therefore also make it easier for the customer.
Safety is the core of Axelent, what comes to mind when you think about safety?
Safety precautions are always present in our daily lives. For example, when I need to do some drilling at home, I instantly bring some ear protections for my son.
When it comes to our roles at work, we must be role models – so when I come to a customer, I wear the correct security equipment and clothing. I can see that the security level can vary, so then it is important to set an example. After all, it is about common sense and see safety as the most important tool for people, both in a working environment and at home.
