Editor's Update 25 November: Von Gahlen won the 2020 King Willem Award, presented by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands! Well done!
Brothers Jaap and Alex Duiker own and manage Von Gahlen, a family business with 47 years of experience manufacturing medical laboratories that produce medical isotopes. We were introduced to them at a Sage Accelerator in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Jaap says, “A few years ago, we met the Sage Partners through The Economic Board. After we delivered a pitch, we started our process together. We exchanged views with a number of partners about how we could take the next step as an organisation. Part of the process was an away day with the entire team, a day I still look back on frequently. We focused on teambuilding and agreed on required actions. There was a strong focus on the culture change that was needed, and on how everyone could play their part. We learned how to celebrate our successes for instance. That day was when we set our new course, a course we all sailed together.”
Duiker really values external advice. “Sometimes you need another person who looks at everything differently. The Sage Partners bring a wealth of experience and are actively involved in what they do. Their impact was significant. When we’re discussing the business plans, we often fall back on what we spoke about with them.” Von Gahlen made a move in a positive direction - we are proud to share that they [are in the running for] were awarded the prestigious Koning Willem I award on 25 November.
