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Client case:

KUBO & WorldEmp

"The approach of WorldEmp is centered around doing it together. This has been embraced by us. We don't just want to outsource work to a low-wage country; these have truly become colleagues of this team."

- Eric Vrijenhoek - Manager Engineering & Construction, KUBO

Start

Collaboration Initiated in 2019

Team size

6 in India

Roles in India

Engineers

KUBO and WorldEmp established a team within a few months

The solution to the high demand for engineers

For over 75 years, KUBO, based in Monster, the Netherlands, has been providing comprehensive solutions for horticulturists worldwide. At KUBO, they design sustainable, (semi-closed) greenhouses that significantly contribute to safe food cultivation. The company has experienced rapid growth over the years, continuously developing new products from generation to generation. "We specialize in comprehensive solutions, but in a sustainable and innovative way," explains Eric Vrijenhoek, Manager of Engineering and Construction at KUBO, who has been with the company for almost 15 years. Their innovative approach was recognized by the Hillenraad100 last year, which annually identifies the 100 most influential companies in the Dutch horticulture sector, with KUBO topping the list.

KUBO primarily operates from the Netherlands and has an extensive partner network in other countries for greenhouse delivery. The majority of their 135 colleagues work from the headquarters in Monster, but recently, a team has been established in India.

Addressing the shortage of technical personnel

One of the biggest challenges for the company is finding good engineers. "Within KUBO, we design and realize the entire greenhouse, from the initial drawings to production and delivery. And we've been experiencing explosive growth for years. To meet that growth, we're actively searching for good engineers." The Netherlands has been facing a significant shortage of technical personnel, including engineers, for some time now, and the broad nature of the field only complicates the search. "At KUBO, we deal with different specializations. For example, we're looking for construction engineers, project engineers, irrigation engineers, and electrical engineers. Additionally, we work with a few specialists, such as those focusing on the soil, and finally, there are the technical specialists who handle greenhouse strength calculations." So, it's a search for specializations, which has become increasingly challenging in the Netherlands. When KUBO's management saw a presentation by WorldEmp last year, their interest was piqued.

A growing team in India

"We got to know WorldEmp after a presentation to a group of horticultural companies. They talked about their services and the talent in India. So, we decided to meet in person, as we're constantly looking for talent." The two companies engaged in discussions and decided to jointly search for suitable personnel. "The initial plan was to have at least two new colleagues from India by the end of 2019, but things progressed quickly, and now we have four. And we still aim to keep growing."

Quality delivery, even remotely

Collaborating with a colleague remotely has worked out well. "It takes some getting used to. The new colleague isn't sitting next to you at a desk, so you have to prepare the handover well and think about how you'll inform the new colleague about a project. It wasn't always smooth sailing in the beginning." Eventually, Eric's team did a few things to improve this. For example, they scheduled a daily meeting to briefly discuss project progress. "If we're not on the same page, we quickly notice and can make adjustments." Additionally, the Dutch and Indian teams have now met twice. "At the start of our collaboration, the Indian team visited our company to get to know our team and operations. And to further strengthen our long-term collaboration, we recently spent two weeks in India. This was very valuable. If you talk about improving collaboration, strengthening bonds, getting to know each other better, and truly becoming a team, then this is the best way." Eric mentions that traveling to India is quite a step, but WorldEmp assisted with this. "We're investing in this team because we want to work together long-term. WorldEmp arranged a fully equipped office for us, where we could collaborate for two weeks. We shared a lot of knowledge, and we see the results in our products."

"The approach of WorldEmp is centered around doing it together. This has been embraced by us. We don't just want to outsource work to a low-wage country; these have truly become colleagues of this team. The quality has improved, and the team has become tighter. Because the teams know each other better, they work even better together."

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