After more than thirty years, Ad Kokshoorn is retiring from T.C. v.d. Dool. He has been winding down for four years now – a process that has brought him a lot of peace and space. "It has been a very pleasant, natural transition. And this also feels like the right moment."
In recent years, he no longer had to be in charge every day. "That gives you space in your head. You are less driven by the hustle and bustle of the day." And he knew that hustle all too well. "In the past, I was at the office at a quarter to six. Directing everything, making sure people could leave on time. And if something went wrong, you had to switch." The transfer of his shares to Marco van Ardenne provided stability. "That gives peace."
© TC van den DoolVincent van den Dool, Ad Kokshoorn and Marco van Ardenne
No black hole for Ad
Falling into a black hole during his retirement? Certainly not. Ad is as active as ever. "I am an avid cyclist. Once a year, we go on a cycling holiday with a group." He is also taking a painting course – first acrylic, now oil paint. And then there's Canada, where his son lives with three grandchildren. "We go twice a year, four weeks each time. And the caravan is also raring to go. We haven't used it nearly enough, so we're going to make up for that."
© TC van den Dool
© TC van den Dool
Looking back on a great time
It's not just the big projects that will stay with Ad. The daily interactions at work also made an impression. "The men with us, they are rough on the outside, soft on the inside types. The humor during the Friday afternoon drinks – I enjoyed that."
He recounts how he was hired at the time with a one-year probationary period, with the possibility of shares. "I wasn't even there for six weeks when I took on the sales myself, did calculations, arranged everything myself. In hindsight, that was a good decision."
© TC van den Dool
Shaped? Or Scrooge?
Ad has also experienced tough times. Like when a new building was constructed in Coldenhove and less than a year later people had to be laid off. "Then suddenly you're in court. That hits hard. But it also shapes you." He became cautious with investments. "We never did crazy things. And yes, at Christmas there was a picture of Scrooge hanging in the canteen. But well, I could laugh about it too, and it was what it was."
The dependence on the horticultural sector was significant. "In the beginning, we were completely dependent on raising greenhouses. That was actually the only thing we were really good at," Ad says. "And that all had to be done in the fall because there was little to do in winter and summer." Until the horticulture went through a difficult period. "Then it was our turn. But you naturally come across other things – and we started to take those on. We were able to work at Lans. There we raised the greenhouse from 4 to 7 meters. That was really a beautiful project."
The trend of increasingly higher greenhouses was followed, but the field of work also broadened. "We started raising industrial halls, with associated techniques. I could really express myself in that." Ad studied HTS Civil Engineering, with a foundation in structural engineering. "We even developed special jacks – hydraulic, each jack could press 40 tons. I found that wonderful to do."
He still vividly remembers how unimaginable it seemed at first to raise greenhouses. "When you see it for the first time, you think: everything is crooked, everything bends. How can this go well?" He thought so too, back then. "But if you look closely, you see the logic. And after five years, you know no different. After ten years, it becomes normal. And fortunately: if you are always well insured, nothing ever happens."
© TC van den DoolLowering a garden center in London
Collaboration
Ad looks back on his collaboration with Vincent with great pleasure and respect. "In 34 years, we never had a harsh word. We could say anything to each other, so we knew exactly what we had in each other." Despite their differences in character, they complemented each other well. "I am naturally calm," Ad says with a laugh, "and Vincent is just a bit different." Yet it worked. "We trusted each other, even when it was busy or difficult."
A great example of their collaboration was experienced in Switzerland. "A greenhouse builder there had several projects. In the morning, we flew there, visited various locations, and on the way back quickly grabbed a bite to eat in a chic restaurant. I kept looking at the clock – we had to catch that flight and quickly ate the food. Vincent gently kicked him under the table: 'Take it easy with the food, man.' That typifies him well."
There was also an immediate click with Marco van Ardenne. "When I turned sixty, I wanted clarity: continue, sell, stop?" The search for a successor was not easy. "But we already knew Marco through his design office. At that time, he was already doing half of his time work for us." The step to collaboration was quickly taken. "He comes from horticulture, knows new construction well. He took the lead in that. And it works – with Vincent, with the staff. He's been there for about 4.5 years now, and it's going well."
© TC van den DoolRaising a greenhouse at Weerheim
"We managed to achieve that beautifully"
Some projects always stay with you. For Ad, that is undoubtedly the work at Casey Houweling in California. "That was our first large greenhouse that we raised in America," he says. "Together with the foreman from Kubo, I went there beforehand. Discussed everything, prepared everything." Eventually, ten containers with steel and five or six with jacks went that way. "We were there with forty Mexicans and six of our own people. Raising eight hectares of greenhouse. Directing everyone, explaining everything – you never forget that. And if it succeeds, yes… then you are quite proud."
It's not just the big projects that provide satisfaction. Thinking along with customers also gave him a lot of pleasure. "Some wanted to raise 75 centimeters because it matched exactly with the screen or the greenhouse layout. Then we would say: if you're busy anyway, make it 1.5 meters – it costs hardly more and is much more practical." That input was often appreciated. "When customers then said afterwards: 'good thing you said that', it really gave satisfaction."
© TC van den DoolProject in Yugoslavia. On the left is a middleman from Brinkman and on the right the grower.
"When are you going on vacation again?"
Sometimes the best assignments arise at unexpected moments. "I was on vacation in France, with the folding trailer and the kids," Ad says. "Just before departure, I got a call from someone at Brinkman: there was a horticultural company in southern France that wanted to raise a greenhouse." So during his vacation, he stopped by Leo van der Valk. "Recorded everything, and he said: 'I have a colleague here 25 kilometers away who is also interested.' So I went there too." What followed: making offers in the folding trailer, calculating, putting everything on paper, faxing it to the Netherlands, and sending it back to France. "And before the vacation was over, we had two assignments. Then a laughing Vincent said: 'When are you going on vacation again? You sell more there than in the office.'"
Even later, France remained an important market. "Through Bep van Hagen – a retired heating installer who knew all of France and spoke good French – I was able to do a lot of work in southern France and Brittany." Their collaboration went smoothly. "He would be standing in the middle of the greenhouse talking to the customer, I would be following with my tape measure and notepad. Recording everything, chatting a bit, and moving on to the next. We raised quite a few greenhouses there."
© TC van den Dool
"Do what you promise"
His business motto is simple: do what you say. "We have actually never had problems with payments. If you keep your promises, you get trust back." And if a quote didn't feel right? "Then I wouldn't make it."
For more information:
T.C. v.d. Dool B.V. / Dool International B.V. 
Ad Kokshoorn
Mobile: 06 5379 0491
a.kokshoorn@tcvddool.nl
http://www.tcvddool.nl/
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