Dejond Fastening waves goodbye to Paul Swaans

Retirement

After more than 35 years of experience in the fastener business – almost 9 years of which at Dejond Fastening – sales engineer Paul Swaans is going into well-deserved retirement. He will say goodbye to his customers and colleagues at the end of May. Yet his career had looked almost entirely different. "I was initially not invited for a job interview", he says.

Paul Swaans began his career at a company that also specialized in fasteners. There he was employed for more than 25 years. "I really worked myself up there from order picker to shop manager”, Paul says. "But after some changes in the company, I decided to look for another job."

An unexpected phone call
Paul searched several job sites, and eventually ended up at Dejond Fastening. Reapplying for a job after 25 years was not so obvious. "I applied for a position as a sales engineer at Dejond Fastening, but my CV was not up to scratch", he says. "I had gained little sales experience in my previous job and my degree as a plumber didn't really fit the position either. For that reason, the selection office did not select me initially. Until I suddenly received a phone call that I was eligible for the job after all." 

That's how he became a sales engineer. A job he did with us for many years with expertise and dedication. From value-based advice to the right technical solution, Paul's efficient approach caught the eye of many customers. And they were not the least of these. Paul has solved an awful lot of fastening issues in co-creation with major companies and suppliers in various industries. Think railroad industry, aerospace, truck and trailer construction, sheet metal fabrication, agricultural vehicles, metal fabrication and more. Proven productivity, Paul breathes that.

Getting the next generation ready
Sharing knowledge, that too was Paul's strong suit. He organized workshops at (high) schools, and he taught the new generation of engineers and interior designers everything about Dejond Fastening systems. "When I came into a company on the shop floor, I often noticed that people were not familiar with the technique of fastening", Paul explains. "That inspired me to start giving these workshops to students. But I've done this equally well with clients. Then you go directly to your target audience. With students it was more about sending them to the workplace more prepared."

"For those workshops, I had special plates lasered on which students could experiment", Paul continues. "Think about attaching a blind rivet nut or a welding bolt. That way, students were introduced early on to Dejond Fastening products, such as the Tubtara blind rivet nuts from our own production."

Whether Paul is not going to fall into a black hole now that he is retiring? "I don't think so", he says. "I have a garden at home that I can have fun with, and I'm also considering a flexi job or volunteering. But that's for later. First I'm going to say goodbye to everyone in the company, and then I'm leaving for Norway with my wife. For how long? We don't know yet. That's the advantage when you're retired."

Thanks for the fine collaboration, Paul. Enjoy to the fullest.