One of the entrepreneurs exploring opportunities to participate in a Living Lab is Wim van der Vorst of trailer tent company Holtkamper. He had been intrigued by circular entrepreneurship for years. But he kept putting it off. This changed when he came into contact with the NOM.
'I do not think that with the growing raw material shortages it is difficult to conquer the market with a circular idea,' said Van der Vorst. 'Where the difficulty does lie is in finding the right mode as a company. As an entrepreneur you are quickly swallowed up by the daily activities, while looking ahead is so important'.
There are many ways to become more sustainable. It is quite difficult to find your way in this, Van der Vorst experienced. The will was there, but we simply did not have the capacity for it.
Making the right trade-offs
With NOM's help, the entrepreneur is now succeeding in making these considerations. 'We are getting more and more direction in our plans. For example, our production process is quite fragmented. NOM has many local contacts, allowing us to work with suppliers from the area. That is much more sustainable.'
Van der Vorst: "We are now taking a close look at our entire production process. We may well develop some kind of rental principle and start working in a more modular way. I hope to know by the end of the year which direction we are taking and to make steps.'
