Jean-Charles Wibo is owner of the Vlassenroot Group, market leader in XXL steel processing with the Antwerp Palace of Justice and Charles de Gaulle International Airport as two recent realizations they have been involved in. In addition, Wibo is also involved in Dekeukelaere Laundry Company, which is active in the rental and maintenance of linen for the hotel sector. Wibo is a client of Odot with both companies; we spoke with him about his companies and energy.
From manager to entrepreneur
"I started my career in banking. Later I took over a first company and that's how I came into contact with Vlassenroot . I took over that just before failure and over the years expanded it into a European company with three branches: in Belgium, in Germany and in Poland," Jean-Charles begins his story.
In 2008, they were hit hard by the financial crisis. Wibo: "In three weeks, we lost 70% of our turnover because our clients put their projects on hold. Then I started to see how I could diversify and grew from manager to entrepreneur. And I still feel good about that."
Energy challenges
Both Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere are companies with high energy consumption. "With Vlassenroot , we make large metal structures, and in our three laundry sites, energy consumption is also high. In the laundry, rising energy prices even have a direct impact on our customers. If energy costs go up for us, we have to pass them on to our customers. So the challenge is always to buy gas and electricity at the lowest possible rate and hedge as well as possible," Wibo continues. Something they can't do alone.
Transparency as the greatest asset
"Odot has been like a gift from heaven," Wibo says without exaggeration. "They first analyzed all our energy contracts and then started looking at what we could save on. Odot handled that very methodically and took us through every step of the process, so we were always aware of what was ahead."
"Everything is done in a super transparent way. Many buying companies take a commission on profits. What I like about Odot is that they work with a flat fee and don't take any commission or percentage themselves on the profits they obtain. And, it should be said, the flat fee they charge is very reasonable for what they do and the goals they aim for with us," Wibo adds.
3 major advantages
According to Wibo, the partnership with Odot can be translated into three benefits. "First, understanding the industry. Since we have been working with Odot, I have learned how the industry works. What is the pure energy cost and what is all the rest on my bill? What about distribution and entitlements? I got those answers," says Wibo.
"The second advantage is that we have been able to reduce certain costs with Odot," he continues. For example, as Odot, we have reduced margins for Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere. A savings with which they recouped 2.5 times our cost. In addition, with Odot we were able to lock in the gas price at the bottom for 2020 for Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere.
Vlassenroot also has solar installations that inject energy into the grid. For these, we were able to increase the price by the variable price in 2018, to click the price fixed for 2019 at the peak moment in October. So with Odot, we not only ensure a decrease in costs, but we help them put their own energy back into the market in the best possible way.
As a third advantage, Wibo cites "confidence. "I don't have to think about whether there are snags. They are honest, transparent, they are not commission hunters. I feel very comfortable with this cooperation, where there is also regular contact before decisions are made.
Together to the hotel industry
Jean-Charles Wibo is so pleased with the partnership and the benefits that he is working with Thomas Van Eeckhout, the CEO of Dekeukelaere Laundry, and Chris Elbers, CEO of Odot to see if the three of them can do something on a large scale in the hotel and laundry industry.
More on that soon in our next interview with Thomas Van Eeckhout, CEO of Dekeukelaere!
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Jean-Charles Wibo is owner of the Vlassenroot Group, market leader in XXL steel processing with the Antwerp Palace of Justice and Charles de Gaulle International Airport as two recent realizations they have been involved in. In addition, Wibo is also involved in Dekeukelaere Laundry Company, which is active in the rental and maintenance of linen for the hotel sector. Wibo is a client of Odot with both companies; we spoke with him about his companies and energy.
From manager to entrepreneur
"I started my career in banking. Later I took over a first company and that's how I came into contact with Vlassenroot . I took over that just before failure and over the years expanded it into a European company with three branches: in Belgium, in Germany and in Poland," Jean-Charles begins his story.
In 2008, they were hit hard by the financial crisis. Wibo: "In three weeks, we lost 70% of our turnover because our clients put their projects on hold. Then I started to see how I could diversify and grew from manager to entrepreneur. And I still feel good about that."
Energy challenges
Both Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere are companies with high energy consumption. "With Vlassenroot , we make large metal structures, and in our three laundry sites, energy consumption is also high. In the laundry, rising energy prices even have a direct impact on our customers. If energy costs go up for us, we have to pass them on to our customers. So the challenge is always to buy gas and electricity at the lowest possible rate and hedge as well as possible," Wibo continues. Something they can't do alone.
Transparency as the greatest asset
"Odot has been like a gift from heaven," Wibo says without exaggeration. "They first analyzed all our energy contracts and then started looking at what we could save on. Odot handled that very methodically and took us through every step of the process, so we were always aware of what was ahead."
"Everything is done in a super transparent way. Many buying companies take a commission on profits. What I like about Odot is that they work with a flat fee and don't take any commission or percentage themselves on the profits they obtain. And, it should be said, the flat fee they charge is very reasonable for what they do and the goals they aim for with us," Wibo adds.
3 major advantages
According to Wibo, the partnership with Odot can be translated into three benefits. "First, understanding the industry. Since we have been working with Odot, I have learned how the industry works. What is the pure energy cost and what is all the rest on my bill? What about distribution and entitlements? I got those answers," says Wibo.
"The second advantage is that we have been able to reduce certain costs with Odot," he continues. For example, as Odot, we have reduced margins for Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere. A savings with which they recouped 2.5 times our cost. In addition, with Odot we were able to lock in the gas price at the bottom for 2020 for Vlassenroot and Dekeukelaere.
Vlassenroot also has solar installations that inject energy into the grid. For these, we were able to increase the price by the variable price in 2018, to click the price fixed for 2019 at the peak moment in October. So with Odot, we not only ensure a decrease in costs, but we help them put their own energy back into the market in the best possible way.
As a third advantage, Wibo cites "confidence. "I don't have to think about whether there are snags. They are honest, transparent, they are not commission hunters. I feel very comfortable with this cooperation, where there is also regular contact before decisions are made.
Together to the hotel industry
Jean-Charles Wibo is so pleased with the partnership and the benefits that he is working with Thomas Van Eeckhout, the CEO of Dekeukelaere Laundry, and Chris Elbers, CEO of Odot to see if the three of them can do something on a large scale in the hotel and laundry industry.
More on that soon in our next interview with Thomas Van Eeckhout, CEO of Dekeukelaere!