From diesel to all-electric
An interview with Robin Been, Sales Engineer at Intercel.
What exactly does a sales engineer do at intercel?
I am primarily the guy who looks for answers to technical questions from customers and potential clients.
Our clients’ goal is to electrify quickly and most importantly smartly, and using my knowledge I can be the catalyst between our clients and my technical colleagues.
I try to ask the right questions and often get the question behind the question answered correctly.
This allows engineering to develop the requirements into the right technical solution.
Do you have an example of such a trajectory?
The Belgian Gebroeders Geens has been making a very successful machine, the Knikmops, for decades.
They wanted to make the move from diesel to an all-electric vehicle, without compromising on performance or ease of use.
And that worked out extremely well, the machine now has more than enough capacity to be used all day and is just as easy to use on a daily basis as before.
That sounds simple but we were able to add a lot of value through our advice and technical knowledge.
Here we have taken into account for example: the available space in the machine, the different ambient temperatures where the machine works, the tuning me the electric motor, the desired power and the necessary charging time.
All of the requirements ultimately determine the best solution.
Teamwork: why is it important?
My motivator is teamwork in order to make a difference.
I try to bring my colleagues into the exact needs of the customer.
This allows us to grasp together issues that are sometimes simple, but often challenging.
It is very important for me to create a bond of trust with customers so that they open up and we can take the right path together.
When that works, we avoid tunnel vision and really create added value.
Creating involvement from everyone is what it’s all about and that makes my job great fun!
“You are really listened to here.”
You’ve been working at Intercel for more than 10 years, what’s the secret?
Intercel is a very committed employer.
There is room for the person both professionally and privately.
I have always been given many opportunities for personal development.
You also have a lot of influence on your role in the company and you are listened to attentively.
Intercel is really a family business and you notice that every day.
There is a lot of freedom in working hours.
I know all my colleagues well and because you speak to each other often, valuable relationships develop.
Intercel is also a super alert company in a dynamic market.
The technical possibilities are changing rapidly, but also the sectors we work for are becoming more versatile.
That dynamic and working for Intercel is challenging and, above all, great fun.
In business, what is the greatest moment you have experienced?
An intensive project for a large client with many different machines.
Initially we were going to deliver a solution based on Tailor-made batteries, but that turned out not to be possible immediately.
We were then allowed to deliver ready-made products where the customer would build the solution themselves.
They were not happy with that, especially the technical quality.
Then we were quickly asked to use our full expertise again and we have been building our cell to pack lithium batteries for this company for over two years now.
It is now one of our largest clients.
iVT and electrification, tell me?
The iVT in Karlsruhe is a trade fair where all suppliers in the field of electrification present themselves to manufacturers in the Garden-Park-Building segment.
The parties at the fair also really need each other because only batteries or only an electric motor does not offer a solution.
The batteries and other components together must be efficient enough for the final solution to be practical.
Intercel is an open and flexible party and we like to work with partners and achieve the desired result together.
For example, we can provide an exact picture of the machine’s performance after electrification relatively easily and quickly in advance with partners.
Custom Battery, what exactly is that?
The basis are custom cell to pack lithium batteries, specially designed in-house by our engineers for a customer’s project.
Here we look from all the wishes and requirements of the customer and this leads to exactly the desired electrical machine.
The desired specifications such as for example capacity, various output voltages and payload are the starting point and we ensure that our part matches the machine.
This is in essence the concept of Accu op Maat.
We combine our knowledge and experience, taking into account exactly the technical requirements, commercial interests and legislation.
What will you present at the iVT?
A lot!
We carry a new generation of lithium batteries with improved energy density.
Our batteries have recently become even easier to change during use.
The performance of our custom battery systems can be monitored in real time.
This gives a customer full control of the machinery.
We offer more flexibility with different output voltages from our custom battery systems.
And last-but-not-least the improved possibilities of using the electric machine itself as an energy storage system.
What is high on your wish list to electrify?
I find especially complex questions very interesting so when I think about that I would find a machine used in logging, for example, very interesting.
A machine all the way in the middle-of-nowhere.
To develop the right electrical solution for that together with my colleagues I would find a great challenge.
