With a strong focus on deployment of employees in the various European countries, the expansion of Kooi Camera Surveillance still accelerates. The specialist in mobile camera surveillance and heat detection realized its highest growth numbers ever and has the ambition to at least double in size over the next three years to come. Peter Schollmann, CEO of Kooi: “Local teams, all based close to our customers, speaking the language of their respective country are key. The current growth numbers demonstrate this is the right strategy; appreciated by our customers and employees.”

Exactly one year ago, Schollmann took over as CEO of Kooi. He thus replaced founder Pieter Kooi, who stepped down but remains involved in the company as a major shareholder. The CEO sees Kooi growing rapidly both nationally and internationally. Over 200 professionals now work in the Netherlands and at offices in Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium and Spain. “In average the Kooi family grows with eight to ten new family members monthly across Europe. We are still able to find these colleagues based on the great team spirit within the company; the Kooi DNA about which we feel proud and GRUTSK (Frisian for proud),” says Schollmann.

Strategy

Since 2010, Kooi’s Units For Observation (UFO) have been providing security services at construction sites and wind- and solar farms. Growing in a healthy and balanced way requires a sophisticated strategy. For Kooi, this consists of searching for European countries where the market for mobile camera surveillance is still uncharted territory. From here, small and local teams start to introduce the market to Kooi’s UFO’s. Schollmann: “This is also the best way to open new marketplaces for our units certainly in a time where labour is short and becoming more and more expensive. The expansion enables us to provide more local flavor in the respective markets. Sales teams are closer to their markets and customers and our monitoring rooms in France, Germany and The Netherlands are working more and more in a local, though standard, way.” Kooi’s local presence is supported by strong online initiatives and partner programs to ensure that a serious footprint will be achieved within a reasonable timeframe. “Growing step by step is absolute the way to go in these new territories.”