Sales Engineer Ralph Hofman: A Valuable Asset for Antonius Vessel Head

Antonius Vessel Head welcomed Ralph Hofman as their newest colleague a month ago. With his extensive experience in equipment manufacturing, as well as the chemical and petrochemical sectors, along with his strong network, Ralph quickly made his mark on the company. As a sales engineer, he is responsible for the Benelux and Eastern Europe, and several of Antonius’ clients have already had the opportunity to meet Ralph.

 

About Ralph Hofman

With 45 years under his belt, Ralph Hofman brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. Before joining Antonius, he lived near Nijmegen and worked at Oostendorp Apparatenbouw. During that time, he came into contact with Antonius as a customer for their heads and had frequent interactions with Marco Hamersma, a sales engineer who is now his direct colleague at Antonius. It was through this close contact that his interest in the company was sparked, forming the basis that eventually led to his transition.

Reduced Commute Time

An additional advantage of Ralph’s move to Antonius was the long commute he had to endure daily. Now, he lives just 10 minutes away from the company, giving him valuable extra time. With the upcoming move, which requires a lot of work on his new house, Ralph plans to spend this extra time on both renovations and his passion for sports. He has been actively involved in CrossFit for 10 years, a challenging combination of cardio, gymnastics, and weightlifting.

 

Steep Learning Curve

In his first month at Antonius, Ralph has experienced a steep learning curve. Although he thought he already knew a lot about heads, he was confronted with a whole new world of specific customer inquiries, production variables, and quality requirements. However, he realizes that he has only scratched the surface of acquiring knowledge and is determined to further develop himself in his role.

 

Manufacturing for Progress

Ralph’s role as a sales engineer frequently takes him to customers in both Belgium and the Netherlands. He enjoys discovering what these customers need in terms of parts and assembled products, and more importantly, engaging in conversations with them about the value Antonius can add, driven by the desire to build strong partnerships.

“Manufacturing for progress” is Antonius’ slogan, and it strongly resonates with Ralph. He believes that progress is made possible through closer collaboration and integration throughout the entire value chain. Antonius finds itself exactly at the intersection of feasibility and engineering, where the demand for partnerships, particularly in emerging markets such as the hydrogen sector, is growing. Ralph experienced this personally during his participation in the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam, where he represented Antonius for two days.

 

Adapting quickly in a dynamic sector

With his technical knowledge, passionate approach, and strong interpersonal skills, Ralph feels right at home in his new role as a sales engineer. He looks forward to the future at Antonius, where he has the opportunity to adapt quickly in a dynamic sector, build valuable customer relationships, and contribute to the development of high-quality products and services.

With Ralph Hofman as a valuable addition to the team, Antonius is well-positioned for further growth with both existing and new customers.

We wish Ralph a wonderful time at Antonius!