Highly Efficient: Fresh Air for a Healthy Living Climate
Interview with Anton Hans, Chief Executive Officer of Brink Climate Systems BV
A good and above all healthy room climate contributes significantly to people's well-being. It is important to rely on both reliable and forward-looking technologies. We spoke with Anton Hans, CEO of Europe's number 1 for residential ventilation: Brink Climate Systems based in Staphorst, Netherlands.
Economic Forum: Mr. Hans, in your opinion, what are the most important reasons that Brink Climate Systems is the European market leader in its segment?
Anton Hans: First, I would like to mention our innovative strength and our good value for money. We try to put ourselves in our customers' shoes, with whom we also maintain good personal relationships. Through collaboration with our sister companies within the Ariston Group, we can also offer complete solutions.
Economic Forum: You mentioned complete solutions. What can you offer your customers?
Anton Hans: Our core competency is ventilation with heat recovery for use in residential construction. Our portfolio includes components and systems for controlled residential ventilation as well as controls and warm air heaters, duct systems, and the complete accessory range.
Economic Forum: How should I, as a layperson, imagine residential ventilation?
Anton Hans: Cold and clean air from outside is heated by a heat exchanger. Our systems achieve an efficiency of up to 97%. Depending on the size of the building, our systems exchange between 70 and 600 m3 of air per hour.
Economic Forum: And through which sales channels do you sell your products?
Anton Hans: This is done in different ways. It can occur via OEM partners both within and outside our corporate group. We supply wholesalers and sell abroad through distributors. But it is also possible that we supply installers directly. Which path we choose always depends on the respective country and market.
Economic Forum: Speaking of countries: What are your market areas?
Anton Hans: By far our largest market is Northwest Europe. Here we make about 80% of our sales, which is currently between 80 and 85 million EUR. Germany is very important, where we even have our own sales office in Ahaus.
Economic Forum: What role does digitalization play for you?
Anton Hans: For that, we have our own department. Our systems are thoroughly digital. It starts with the controls, which can also be operated remotely, goes over data exchange via app to the configuration with smartphones or tablets as well as networking different components and the use of CO2 sensors.
Economic Forum: Now, a question about the future. What are your goals for the coming years?
Anton Hans: We aim for further growth – also in the German market, where there are more rental apartments than in other countries, but this requires a different market approach. Moreover, we want to remain market leaders.