Arie Smaal is Transport & Logistics Specialist at our Fleet & Operations department at Riwal HQ in Dordrecht. But Arie does not actually work from our HQ. He works from our machine yard at Riwal Benelux, where his office is placed quite literally right in the yard! From there, Arie is hands-on with all machines being shipped and delivered to and from the yard. International as well as domestic. Read below to find out more about what it is like being Arie.
How long have you been working at Riwal?
This year is my 29th year at Riwal. I started out as a truck driver at Riwal and now I am a Logistics Specialist in the group.
What do you feel is the best part about your job?
I like the fact that it is challenging. We have different logistic challenges every day, like safe on- and offloading and finding safe ways to arrange all kinds of transports at a resonable price.
What does a day in your work look like?
When I arrive at my portacabin in the morning there are already trucks waiting to pick up or deliver machines. Usually, I will also find multiple emails in my inbox with requests to arrange transport to various destinations, take pictures of machines or check technical statuses of machines. So every day is different.
Which machine do you move the most?
Well, the machines, I move the most, are the machines our customers ask for, which really varies all the time. But mostly we move a lot of smaller machines like scissor lifts. These machines are popular and in-demand and we have a lot of them in our fleet.
Which machine is the most rare in the yard?
The most rare machine in our yard, right now, is definitely the JLG-1850SJP and the HollandLift 330E14. These are very special and extra heavy machines that need guidance and discipline when loading and unloading them.
How many machines do you move through the yard every year?
On an average, I move around 2500 and 3000 machines every year.
What is the most satisfying thing about your work?
When everything goes according to plan and the machines arrive at the customers on the scheduled time. However, it is the challenges, I face, with the technical department, transport companies and sales and rental colleagues, make the job exciting and never boring!
