Sometimes you come across entrepreneurs who live in a boy's book. Joost Reintjes is a case in point. Having completed an MBO and HBO course in mechatronics, he is now, at 27, managing his own company: Reintjes Systems. Together with his business partner, Jan Thomassen, Joost is involved in developing and building machine lines.
Joost Reintjes at the machine
School project that got out of hand
But first, let us dive into the early history of Reintjes Systems. Joost says: "I started the company in 2015. But I was still in school until 2020, so the company really started full-time in the middle of that year. I was allowed to do my final assignment in my own company. Together with my engineer, I came up with a project to unfold crates. So, as it happened, before I got my final credits, I had already sold two machines."
Since those two machines, things have "gone like clockwork," Joost says. "Our core business is automatic crate unfolding, but we have already developed a lot around that. One module we intend to market a lot in the coming years is our inlay module for the fruit sector and for beef tomatoes." That module can put protective sheets in the crates.
Unfolding module: crates and pallets
An unfolding module for the vegetable market must be able to handle a high diversity of crates, Joost explains: more than 30 crates. "And everyone must be able to operate the module with ease. That's why everything is computer-controlled at our company, where any operator can set things in motion at the push of a button. And all types of crates can be processed by our machine, even down to the small IFCO crates."
Reintjes' unfolding module can handle not only all types of crates but also all types of pallets: "From pool pallets to LPR and euro pallets." And that stacked two and a half meters high - ergonomically sound, in other words, because emptying a pallet like this manually is nearly impossible."
Parts crisis
Originally, Joost is a real techie, but he seems to enjoy the other aspects of entrepreneurship - seeing opportunities, selling, networking - even more, he says. In the process, he sometimes ran into challenges, such as the parts crisis. "Some parts were simply not available, with others, we saw price increases. Especially during our start-up phase of the company, it was a task to keep this under control."
On the other hand, the company was still small enough to remain flexible. "We could quickly switch to parts that were available. With some parts, this is easier than others, especially if there is a lot of engineering behind it. So you have to continuously make the trade-off for switching well."
Various modules from Reintjes Systems
Ready for international growth
Meanwhile, Reintjes Systems' team has expanded, and they are ready for further growth, including internationally. "Initially, the focus here is on Europe. We are even getting requests from Australia and New Zealand, but for that, we really need to start working with dealers and agents. We are also building an agent network within Europe."
Automation is the future
When asked about developments in the market, Joost sees that labor shortages, in particular, are an issue that will only increase the demand for automation solutions. "As a machine builder, you then have to ensure that your prices are competitive, that you can compete. The payback period is very important for customers in this respect. You shouldn't offer Mercedes if they don't need it; you have to offer what will benefit the customer the most."
So automation is the future, but how far can you go? "We mainly focus on the processes in the packaging hall. I expect that, eventually, the processing hall will also be able to run completely autonomously. The processes in the greenhouse are different; human hands will still be involved there for a number of years. That will still happen, but for now, the biggest gain for growers is in the processing area."
For more information:
Joost Reintjes 
Reintjes Systems
Veulenseweg 4C, 5809 EL
Leunen, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31 6 43 08 35 25
www.reintjessystems.nl
[email protected]
