30.09.2013

Wim (Bill) Jansink retires

Access industry sales veteran Bill Jansink, currently with Snorkel, is retiring this week after 45 years in the industry
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Wim (Bill) Jansink

Jansink began his career in 1968 selling ladders and scaffolding for Altrex in the Netherlands, after leaving the company in 1972 he tried his hand at importing, and then selling burglar alarms, returning to Altrex in 1980 as product manager powered access.

The company was launching its new aerial lift sales and rental operations at the time and had been appointed as distributor for Fabtek sigma type lifts – later acquired by Genie – and Eurolift Ireland, which manufactured trailer mounted lifts.

In 1986 he joined Eurolift as European sales manager, kicking of his export sales career. In 1988 Eurolift’s owner AB Kranlyft sold the business to Simon Engineering, and Jansink was offered a position with Kranlyft, which also had the master distribution rights for most of Europe for Economy Engineering’s scissor lifts and Snorkel booms and scissors.

From 1991 to 1998 he was based at Kranlyft’s German operation near Dusseldorf as the department manager, covering Europe, but mainly concentrating on the German market. By this time Snorkel had acquired Economy and when the European distribution contract came up for renewal in 1998 it decided not to extend it. Rather than take on another access product line Kranlyft decided to leave the access market and focus on the distribution of its crane products, including Kato Cranes and Maeda Mini cranes across Europe.

In 2002 Jansink moved back into access as sales manager for Haulotte Benelux, but was recruited in mid-2004 by Snorkel, which had been resurrected under new ownership, following almost total closure by owner Omniquip.

He began to rebuild the company’s European presence with the assistance of Heli – Belgium and had some surprising success. Tanfield acquired Snorkel in 2007 and Jansink joined the team, as district manager covering Central and Eastern Europe for UpRight and Snorkel products. He has remained with the business until now.

Talking of his retirement he said: “When I had my 65th birthday, it became time to slow down and start my retirement, so that I can spend some more time to my family. I would like to thank all my customers over the years for their support and the good times we had together. Wish them all the best and especial for my colleagues: hopefully a bright future in the new situation. I certainly will not completely disappear.”