Robbert Groothuis, Business Development Advisor

My workday is difficult to describe, because it is never possible to plan it exactly. We work on the basis of a project portfolio and each day you need something different to advance these projects.

What are your responsibilities as a business development advisor at Exlan?

At Agrifirm Exlan I work in the Business Development sales office as an advisor. Our department helps farmers who have renovation or building plans. Ranging from identifying development opportunities to handing over the built object. We often work in project teams in our department. A project team consists of a project manager, an architectural drafter, a spatial planning consultant and a business development advisor.

  • Why work at Agrifirm?

    I support the permit application process. For example, if a farmer would like to build a stable, I check to see which permits are required. This way we can develop a suitable design that meets the customer's requirements and also complies with existing laws and regulations.

What do you enjoy about your work?

What I really like is that with our work I am able to simplify the complex laws and regulations for our customers. The way I see it, a farmer needs to be familiar with many farm-related aspects and in those areas where he requires expertise we give him a helping hand to support him. For example, if we are able to help a farmer with his permit, so that he can farm legally in the Netherlands or his building project is allowed to proceed, then this is cause for celebration for us as well!

Exlan works for all sectors: plant, cattle, intensive farming and poultry. As for myself, I work for the Northern Netherlands region, in particular for the dairy and cattle sector. My homebase is Meppel, but we also closely work with our colleagues in Oss. What really energises me is when we have helped a farmer to progress. Often this is when a permit arrives. Frequently this takes six months to a year. Having the permit in hand is a milestone for our customer, but also for us.

What kind of colleagues are you looking for?

At Exlan we are looking for real go-getters that work well in project teams. You need to be able to break down a project into smaller work packages and you must therefore be able to plan well. Of course, it is nice if someone already has experience, but the most important thing is that the people who join us are ready to roll up their sleeves and enthusiastically get down to work.
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