Thijs van Woensel looks back on 2023

'At Deponti Group, we remain true to our origins'

To say that a year flies by is an understatement, especially when speaking with Thijs van Woensel, commercial director of Deponti Group. With a strong focus on growth and improvement, the company's ambition is to create the ultimate outdoor experience with its three strong brands Deponti, Palmiye and Viewline. Thijs van Woensel looks back on the past year, which saw a plethora of developments. "For us, the R+T in 2024 marks the next important step in the development we have embarked on as Deponti Group."

Deponti Group is going to shine at the R+T

In February 2024, the R+T will take place in Stuttgart, and preparations at Deponti Group are in full swing. Van Woensel shares his thoughts. "What makes preparing for such a trade fair so fascinating is that all the developments of the past year come together. Together we figure out what we want to put in the spotlight." 

Van Woensel also emphasizes the international nature of the fair. "I see it as an important meeting place within our industry, and that means we want to present ourselves strongly." Can he give a hint? "We still want to keep the details a secret, but I can reveal that we will be launching very nice new products during the fair. We can hardly wait to share them with the world, because we are expecting a lot!" 

International expansion

From the Dutch headquarters in Oss, Van Woensel looks back on the past year. "Our growth rests on two important pillars. On the one hand, we are constantly optimizing, renewing and enriching our assortment. On the other hand, I am proud of our international expansion." In this context, he outlines developments in England. "In just one year, our team there has more than doubled, from account managers to colleagues focused on marketing and finance. It underlines our international ambitions. Moreover, we see growth in countries such as Sweden, France, Poland and the Nordic countries where our account managers are active. In Germany, we are currently working on expanding a team to work there. The plans are to open our own hub there in 2024, just like in England." 

Personal contact

Van Woensel explains how this international growth is affecting the Netherlands. "For us, the trick is to stay true to our origins, that which made Deponti great. Personal contact is of paramount importance to us and will always remain so. We believe in attention to detail, because this leads to the best collaborations. Every customer has a dedicated account manager and a dedicated contact person from Customer Service. In addition, we always pay great attention to quality and flexibility. Ultimately, we want to contribute to the ultimate outdoor living experience for our end customers, every day. These core values serve as our compass to maintain our course in the growth period Deponti Group is going through." 

Windshields and Louvers

As part of the developments within Deponti Group, the company launched an optimized windshield last year, a product of Viewline, the newest part of the Group. "With Viewline, we continue to build on innovations in the field of glass systems," Van Woensel explains. "The windbreak is a fine example of this. It protects both private individuals and guests of catering establishments from the wind. We have perfected this product to the full over the past year." 

In addition, the Louvres complement Deponti's range, Van Woensel continues. "It is a beautiful system of horizontal slats, where elegance and privacy form the basis of the design. With the fixed Louvres, we create a partition without complete closure, offering a sense of freedom and openness. The adjustable Louvres allow the end user to open, close or tilt the slats as desired." 

Van Woensel emphasizes that the existing assortment is constantly being improved. "This manifests itself, among other things, in extensions to the range, such as available colors and dimensions. Everything to offer end customers even more choices." 

Closing Thoughts

It is an impressive list of accomplishments that Van Woensel lists. How does he see this himself? "A year flies by and it takes effort to really dwell on all these developments. In that respect, this moment is timely. It confirms my conviction that we must continue to work diligently every day to serve our partners - and through them, the end consumers - in the best possible way," said the commercial director. "At the same time, we remain loyal to Deponti Group as a brand, and we are proud of that!"