When Liquin became an independent company over a year ago, a new role was created in the organisation: Director of Human Resources. It was a logical step for a company that soon grew into a leading player in chemical storage. Since March 2024, Mark Slootmaker has been responsible for setting up and expanding this HR role. His first year anniversary is the perfect moment to look back and ahead: What’s been achieved, what challenges have been overcome and what does the future of HR at Liquin look like?
Laying a foundation during a period of change
When Mark started at Liquin, the organisation was in the middle of a huge transition. Decoupling from Vopak not only led to technical and operational challenges, but also the need to rebuild HR from scratch. “From systems and processes to policies and culture: We had to recreate everything. In the first year, the focus was on independence, structure and building a solid HR foundation.”
That foundation now consists of an HR team with clear roles, modern systems and a people-focused approach. The core of Mark’s vision? HR must be in tune with the organisation, understand what drives people and actively contribute to leadership and development.
“We aren’t a remote department, but a strategic sparring partner for both employees and management.”
HR as a catalyst for culture and growth
At Liquin, HR is about more than just processes and compliance. It’s mainly about supporting a strong, progressive organisation. That means building a culture of technical excellence and entrepreneurship, where there’s room for ownership, initiative and personal growth. “We encourage employees to contribute ideas, adapt and grow. That starts with listening, being present in the workplace, working well in teams and really understanding what’s going on in the organisation.”
Mark’s HR team works on the basis of four clear pillars which contribute to Liquin’s ambitions. In this way, they are building a company that’s ready for the future: flexible, scalable and efficiently organised. At the same time, the focus is on developing people with a view to skills, leadership and personal growth. A strong and open culture is also essential: a safe work environment where colleagues feel involved and valued. Finally, attention is paid to fair and motivating pay, where transparency and balance are key. Mark explains: “We want HR to add real value, for our people and the organisation. That’s what I enjoy working to achieve every day.”
HR in the port: the right people in the right place
With over 6,000 open vacancies in the Port of Rotterdam, good employership isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. For Liquin, that means investing in people and thinking in terms of opportunities, says Mark. “We don’t just look at experience, but also at potential. As a result, in the last year, we’ve welcomed 27 new colleagues and 32 employees have progressed within the organisation. From people with skills in other fields to young talents and experienced professionals: We want to be attractive to a broad target group.”
The Liquin Academy is an important driver of employee development. “It includes mandatory safety trainings together with talent development and management training. In addition, we are starting to partner with training institutions to accelerate the influx of young talent and to research how we can offer roles to people with an “intellectual” disability, like keeping the terminal tidy for example.” In this way, we are gradually building a learning organisation that’s future-ready and socially responsible.”
You also see this commitment in the workplace. “With initiatives like the Ownership Award, where colleagues nominate each other for exceptional performance, we reinforce the feeling of being valued. We also celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, and organise themed lunches and celebrations with a cake of our own creation. And we support colleagues’ initiatives, like sponsoring sports events. Even our annual barbecue is the result of an idea generated by our Christmas ‘Wishes for Liquin’ activity. In this way, we ensure that everyone feels seen and happy to be part of Liquin.”
Employer of choice
At Liquin, it’s about more than just being a good employer.
“We want to be an organisation people consciously choose and where they stay. A place where you’re seen, can grow and are part of new generation of terminal workers with a scale-up mindset.”
That’s not just an ambition, but the core of Liquin’s HR strategy.
Welcome to your world of endless opportunities!
Curious about working at Liquin? Check out our latest vacancies at www.liquin.com/nl/vacatures