OnderhoudNL, the trade association for painting companies, glaziers and specialists in property maintenance, has been a partner of TrackJack Europe since the end of 2022. From freelancers and SMEs to companies with more than 100 employees, they are responsible for maintaining and making the Netherlands more sustainable. We spoke with Mark Hulsen, sector manager of the Painters sector at OnderhoudNL.
You don't need to explain anything to Mark about painting. He represents 2000 members of OnderhoudNL, but also has considerable painting experience himself.
After completing what is now known as the Painters' Training Program, a career as a painter with the Ministry of Defence, and consulting for training companies at SBB, he joined OnderhoudNL. "That makes talking to our members a lot easier."
The professional must be proud of his work again
"The most important thing," says Mark, "is that the painter takes pride in their work and becomes a valuable partner for the client. Anyone can put paint on a piece of wood, but you have to discuss with the client what's needed, be able to offer advice, and add value. We help them with that. The painter or glazier delivers the craftsmanship, and we support them with the things they can't handle on their own, don't have the time or expertise for, or lack the network for."
This could include lobbying the government, investing in innovations to work smarter, helping train skilled workers, or simply saving money by offering collective member benefits for insurance, software, or a mileage log system. An entrepreneur is still an entrepreneur, right?
“But the association also helps entrepreneurs with very practical matters. Think, for example, of an inspection checklist that can be reviewed with the private client during the intake and after the job. This projects an image of quality within the painting company, which inspires confidence. Or assistance with everything related to your personnel. Most companies are too small for their own HR department. We have countless tools specifically for this group to help them with this. And if a conflict ever arises with an employee or client, we have our own legal advisors ready to assist them.”
“We also ensure that the other prerequisites are in order. We assist with standard contracts, but also with handy tools such as digital mileage tracking . For our members, it often goes much further than simply avoiding company car tax. Being able to see who is nearby is often far more important. This makes the work faster and more efficient, and you can easily save a lot of money. Not to mention the insight into CO2 emissions,” says Mark.
Together is the key word in an association
For nearly 150 years, OnderhoudNL has represented the interests of the painting and maintenance sector in the Netherlands. "It's important that we always do this together with the entrepreneurs and the people within the company. Traditionally, we go out into the country to ask entrepreneurs what challenges they face and what they expect from us. Based on that, we develop policy. These days, we do this much more digitally, although we still value personal contact. Maintenance is all about people."
Future of maintenance
The painting industry has fared reasonably well in recent years. During the coronavirus crisis, work could continue thanks to the protocol drawn up by OnderhoudNL in collaboration with the government. Clients place greater value on traditional craftsmanship and the associated quality. Many of our members demonstrate this through OnderhoudNL Garantie . This is the OnderhoudNL quality mark specifically established for painters, wallpaperers, glaziers, and maintenance companies. “With this, you demonstrate that you stand for high quality and have your processes in order. This immediately puts you in the spotlight for homeowners' associations, property owners, and private clients.”
Mark expects the industry to continue growing in the coming years. There's a huge demand for skilled professionals, and we're trying to get them excited about the trade through various campaigns. At the same time, the number of self-employed painting professionals is growing. "It's a great group of ambitious, skilled professionals who are taking the plunge into entrepreneurship. They're working on fantastic projects. And if they need help with legal advice, collective purchasing benefits, or strategy, we're happy to help."
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