In conversation with the King about the future of family businesses
On Friday 20 March, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander officially opened the new production hall of high-tech composite manufacturer Prince Fibre in Kampen. On this occasion, Judith van Helvert-Beugels, Professor of Family Businesses, was also present. She engaged the King in conversation about the future of family businesses, with particular attention to business succession and the role of the next generation.
Innovation within a family business
Prince Fibre is a family-owned company that, since 1997, has specialised in the development and production of high-quality fibre-reinforced profiles made from carbon, glass fibre or natural fibres. These profiles are lightweight, strong and durable, and are used in a wide range of applications, from technical products to façades and specialised constructions. Prince Fibre was previously based in Dronten. Like Groothuis Bouwgroep and Stichting Meros, Prince Fibre is owned by the Groothuis family.
During the visit, the King was given a tour of the new production hall. He received an explanation of how Prince Fibre’s innovations contribute to lighter, stronger and more sustainable end products. He also viewed concrete examples of their applications.
Preparing the next generation
The visit concluded with a discussion involving founder Rinus Prins, members of the next generations within the family business, and two experts closely associated with the company: Miranda Kruithof of Kruithof & Partners and Judith van Helvert-Beugels. These discussions centred on the importance of careful succession planning. How do you prepare the next generation for ownership? And how do you ensure that the talents of family members are fully realised within the business?
Next Gen programme
Commissioned by the Groothuis family, Kruithof & Partners, the Windesheim professorship of Family Businesses, and Keyminds joined forces to develop, in collaboration with the third generation, a Next Gen programme for the fourth generation of the family. In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to strengthening connections between generations, enabling the fourth generation to become acquainted with the family business in a natural way. The programme arose from the Next Gen members’ desire to gain a deeper understanding of the family business, and specifically of the companies and foundation owned by the Groothuis family. This practice-oriented collaboration illustrates how Windesheim acts as a partner in learning, development and innovation.
Connecting research, education and practice
The professorship of Family Businesses connects research, education and professional practice around current issues such as business succession and generational dynamics. The meeting with the King underscores the societal importance of these themes, both for the region and for the Netherlands as a whole.
Learn more about the work of the professorship of Family Business