RIGO Verffabriek

RIGO Verffabriek literally gives the world colour. This family-run concern supplies paint to professional wholesalers. We have been working successfully and pleasantly for quite some time with this company from IJmuiden. Thankfully, RIGO is just as positive about our working relationship as we are. Purchaser/stock manager Nicole van Maassen talks about a colourful and brilliant collaboration.

Let’s start with some facts and figures. RIGO is a family-run concern, founded in 1938. It has 50 employees working as sales representatives, laboratory technicians, or in production, work preparation and support services like HR, marketing and sales. RIGO has its own factory on site where the paint, floor treatment oils and varnish are produced. Nicole’s job involves ensuring that her colleagues in the production department always find what they need to do their work well.

Smaller orders

RIGO and Houweling have collaborated for many years. Nicole clarified, “Houweling was already a long-term supplier when I started here in 2022. I do know how it came about: my predecessor was looking for a partner that could supply 4-liter cans. They are more difficult to find than the 5-liter ones. Houweling was able to do that and since then they have also started supplying other materials. And do you want to know the really great thing about them? Even if we place a relatively small order with Houweling of one or two pallets, they are still happy to fill it. It is not necessary to have a minimum order of half a lorry load. We do not have much storage space, so that is a major benefit.”

Reasonable prices

RIGO also likes ordering demineralised water from Houweling, explained Nicole. “It is really great that Houweling supplies demiwater in IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers), which they collect again after use. Like a deposit recycle system. You pay only for the use of the container, which works out at quite a cost savings. I consider Houweling’s prices to be reasonable in any case. We have arranged good pricing agreements. The price-quality ratio is really high.”

Room for a joke

That last aspect also applies to the contact, according to Nicole. “I always get a prompt response to my questions. And on the rare occasion that Houweling has trouble filling an order, they call me and suggest an alternative. We work on a basis of equality, and there is room for a joke at times. It feels a bit like the staff at Houweling are colleagues.”

RIGO has been a member of the French Blanchon Groupe since 2022. Although RIGO retained its own image, this does mean that some matters and processes have been streamlined. But one thing will never change in Nicole’s opinion. “We shall keep purchasing from Houweling. As far as I’m concerned, this will never be a point of discussion.”