The UK’s leading finishing group, SD Team, which is headquartered in Caldicot, has appointed Raymond Koper as CEO of its first European division, SD Team B.V.
SD has been providing sealants and cosmetic repair services to a range of sectors across the UK for over 50 years, and is now strengthening its position with the launch of its first European office in the Netherlands.
With newly appointed CEO Raymond at the helm, SD Team B.V. will be bringing its hard surface repair and sealant offering to Dutch businesses and contractors.
The Netherlands office will also be a European hub for SD Marine, the group’s cruise interiors division, as well as Solseal B.V., its online distribution centre which supplies quality and specialist products for the construction sectors.
CEO Raymond Koper joins the business following 15 years with Netherlands-based Siemens, formerly NEM Energy, a Dutch engineering firm in the field of power generation. Beginning his career as Mechanical Engineer, he soon transferred to commercial management, and was responsible for the manufacturing of large steel structures across Europe, the US and China.
Preceding his appointment at SD Team B.V., Raymond spent six years as Strategic Procurement Manager at Siemens, responsible for the sourcing of new suppliers and the large multi-million contracts globally.
On leading SD’s expansion into Europe, Raymond said: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at SD at such an exciting time for the company. Taking an already established, successful business and adapting it for international markets is a huge opportunity and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and understanding of the Dutch business landscape to this new venture.
“Through SD Team B.V., we aim to change the approach that businesses here take in replacing damaged goods and fittings, to repairing items wherever possible. This not only contributes to sustainability and a more environmental approach by reducing landfill waste, but saves money for companies who do not have to pay for expensive replacements.”
Ahead of its opening, SD will be recruiting for 15 experienced sealant applicators and 15 hard surface repair technicians to broaden the expert team in the Netherlands.
Nick Jones, Managing Director of the SD group of companies, said on the appointment: “Raymond brings with him a wealth of experience in the Dutch business sector and I can think of no better person to oversee our launch in The Netherlands. This year is shaping up to be a monumental one for SD as we bring our unrivalled expertise to a new market and prepare for significant company growth.
“As CEO, Raymond already has ambition plans for SD Team B.V., including further expansion into wider Europe in the coming years, so I very much look forward to seeing what the future holds for our international team.”
