Leo Voorthuyzen transports premium parquet and laminate

Many truckers are involved in so many different goods that they often have no idea what they currently have on board. That’s not the case for Leo Voorthuyzen. He drives for MeisterWerke from the Sauerland, Germany, who produce premium parquets, laminates, panels and skirting, delivered with their own fleet. “They’re quality products that I can completely vouch for.”

“You’re the right guy for the job!”

You can buy any of that in a well-stocked specialist retailer. “We don’t deliver to anonymous bulk storage facilities. We have personal contacts at our long-term customers,” says the Dutchman. Many of his customers are in Belgium. “I can speak a bit of French and Flemish, too. That’s why they decided I’m the right guy for the job!”

Leo goes over the border at Aachen, then through the whole country up to the North Sea, and back again near the French border. “They’re lovely journeys – almost like paid holiday,” says the 64-year-old, laughing. “And even if they’re dwindling in number, you can still find nice little pubs in Belgium.”

 – Leo Voorthuyzen

From hotel clerk to trucker.

Leo used to be involved in the hospitality industry in the Netherlands himself, as a graduate of a hotel management college. Then he ended up in the logistics industry, where he worked as a chauffeur, among other things. He met his wife in the 1980s – a German, who he followed over the border. “I thought being a driver there would be a good start, and then I just stayed,” he says, laughing again. “I instantly liked that I was a free agent behind the wheel of my truck and could plan my journeys pretty much as I wished.”

The schedules may be tighter and the stress greater on the roads today. But the father of three grown-up children won’t let that ruin his fun.

Appreciated by the customers.

And that’s because one big problem hardly affects him: the lack of overnight accommodation for truckers. “I can park on the grounds of quite a number of customers and use their sanitary facilities.” A privilege that he has earned. “Doing our own logistics is our strength,” explains Leo. The customers get their deliveries reliably once or twice a week. “Nobody has to wait long, which results in a high level of appreciation for us drivers.”

In the evenings, there’s a real “living-room feeling” in his Actros 2545, as Leo puts it. Thanks to the SoloStar Concept, the cab has a comfortable armchair-type seat against the back wall instead of a passenger seat. “I’ve also installed a multimedia system so that I can watch Netflix, for example.” Leo has driven for MeisterWerke since 2002 and plans to remain faithful to his employer.

And if his proverbial fairy godmother were to offer him the chance to do something different before he retires? He laughs again. “Then I’d tell her to make me win the lottery!”

Photos: Michael Neuhaus