Two weeks to go and then it will be clear who will become ambassador of the logistics sector for a year. The Logistic Manager of the Year finalists have already been scrutinised extensively by the jury in recent months and will get one more chance to convince the five-member jury on finals day. "We actually always go into the final with a preference, but we have sometimes switched because someone blew us over with an excellent pitch," jury chairman René de Koster said in an interview with LogistiekProfs.
This year's theme - like last edition - is Game Changers. Why was the same theme chosen?
'The Logistics Manager of the Year Foundation, together with the VLM, looks for an overarching theme every year. This year, the theme Game Changers proved applicable again and in fact, that theme could return every year. All the finalists have changed something for the company they work for. Two of the LMvhJ candidates have even brought profit to a company. If you can pull that off, you are a game changer. But as a game changer, you don't always have to sweep through a company. You can also be a game changer at a profitable company, by taking small steps and staying ahead of the competition.'
On 30 March, Marc van het Bolscher, Arie van der Tempel and Mark Bär stand a chance of winning the title of Logistics Manager of the Year. In the Young Logistics Talent category, Fleur Straathof, Luc de Jong and Jan Minnee are competing for the award. What do these finalists have in common?
'The finalists are slightly younger than in other years. In previous editions, candidates had sometimes already reached the top of the ladder. These are all people who can still take another step. That's great, because that's what this award is for. These finalists have really achieved something, but could use the prize to take another step in their personal careers.'
Over the past months, you made 360-degree analyses of the candidates and visited the company where they work twice. What else emerges from such a second visit?
'Each finalist received a number of questions as a result of the first visit. We want to get answers to those in such a second visit. Or we ask for evidence. Is it just your story or does everyone else think so? We compare the 360-degree analysis made with the company visits and come up with a nice overall picture. The nice thing is that the company visit always differs from the story on paper and during the presentation. The atmosphere always adds something. It often turns out that we underestimate what people have achieved. The results in real life are actually always better than on paper.'
Arie van der Tempel was initially not among the finalists, but was allowed to re-enter the race because Arthur Böhmer (Xenos) dropped out. Does he stand as much chance as his fellow finalists?
'He definitely has as much chance. We had five very good people and had to choose three. The differences were small and when you see what he really performed, he definitely belongs in the final. The moment you go and see them in the kitchen, you see more things than on paper. Arie is still working on the method of stacking while picking, but has done much more at EBI. This company only made a loss for years, but is now profitable. Arie has laid the foundation for that.'
You know the candidates well by now. To what extent does the final day still determine your final verdict?
'We already make a ranking prior to the final day. The actual performance is then already known. But to be an ambassador of Dutch logistics, you have to be convincing. Can you properly communicate the results you have achieved? Can you convince audience and jury? That may just cause another candidate to win after all. This sometimes leads to heated discussions among the jury. After all, we have to be unanimous and that is not always the case. So after the pitches, we have to have discussions to convince each other.'
Editorial LogistiekProfs
Image: The jury during the 2015 election. This year's jury is formed by René de Koster (jury chairman), Cosmas Hoefnagels (CLX Logistics Europe), Myrte Marechal (NS) and former winners LMvhJ Raymond Cools and Duco Buijze.
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