’Not a standard girl's girl': Melanie is the linchpin of growing Mantrec

Amidst the welders, the rumbling forklifts, and the administrative chaos, she truly feels at home. Melanie (35) is officially the Office and Operations Manager at Mantrec, but that title hardly covers it. ”When I say, ”I want to sort it out myself,’ I’m given the freedom and responsibility here.”

A U-turn: From hospitality to technology

Melanie's path to Mantrec was anything but a straight line. After hospitality training and an adventure abroad, she ended up in her father's family business: a wholesale company for ship and construction materials. But her heart wasn't in it. Melanie wanted to work with her hands. She took a course to become an ‘all-round handywoman’ and started working for herself. Yet, something gnawed at her. She wasn't comfortable in her own skin. “I always call it a glass ceiling,” she says honestly. “I didn't know exactly what I wanted, and I couldn't figure it out.” Through her father, she came into contact with Giel, the driving force behind Mantrec. And what started as a few hours of exploring per week grew into an indispensable core function over two years. “I'm not the typical girly-girl,” she laughs. The raw variety is precisely what gives her the energy she lacked elsewhere. “One moment I'm driving to Rotterdam to deliver a trailer, the next I'm in the workshop on the forklift, unloading a truck. It's back and forth all day long here.”

She is particularly proud of the entire administrative side she has built up from scratch. To this end, she set up a telephone exchange, structured the Office environment, and entered purchase orders. But her heart also lies with the lads in the workshop. Although she can't weld herself, she is the one who keeps things on the right track. “I am the link between the customer and the shop floor. I discussed it with the lads and luckily they were all in favour of me managing things”. The strength of Mantrec: Agility and quality. Mantrec is a company of about 20 to 25 people, spread across engineering, office, and the workshop. The atmosphere there is ‘great’, partly due to the short lines of communication and the personal approach. It is precisely that personal contact that causes customers to choose Mantrec, Melanie observes. “In terms of production, we are very strong in agility. If someone calls on Wednesday, we can often deliver a welding job that same week. That is really one of our strengths.” Furthermore, Mantrec is all about craftsmanship without unnecessary frills. Customers are not just numbers; they are welcome to pop in to view their project. “Sometimes we tack-weld a frame first and ask the customer: ‘Mate, is this correct or do you want it differently?’ before we fully weld it,” she explains. That involvement ensures the quality for which Mantrec is known.

A future full of growth Melanie has found her niche at Mantrec and is far from finished. What touches her the most? The genuine appreciation she receives. She recalls a moment when she was quite short with her employer Giel because she was under a lot of pressure. “He called me that afternoon. I thought: now I'm going to get a telling-off for being so snippy,” she says. “But he just said he wanted to call to say I was doing a great job and that I was performing really well. I wasn't used to that at all from previous employers.” At Mantrec, you are seen for who you are. And Melanie? She is determined to achieve a great deal more together with the team in the coming years. “I simply feel I belong here.”

Michael

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