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Twelve months after joining the Schenk Group, Schenk UK and CEO Marcel Claessen reflects on a year defined by seamless integration and cooperation, exceptional governance and safety, and a renewed, group-wide commitment to service, reliability, and sustainable growth.
A Seamless Handover Built on People
In the words of Michael Cundy, Managing Director of Schenk UK “One year on from joining the Schenk Group, Schenk UK has completed a seamless transition into the Schenk Tanktransport.”
That people-first focus—listening closely, communicating clearly, and aligning day-to-day operations—set the tone for everything that followed. It’s why the first year has been characterised by continuity where it mattered and change where it counted.
“The priority was simple.” Finance Director, Chris Orger explained. “Make the transition seamless for our customers and our people. Thanks to the dedication of teams across our business, in our workshops and on the road, that is exactly what we’ve done.”
One Group Mindset
Michael defines the experience of year one by how quickly teams embraced an open, ambitious way of working across borders and functions: “The welcome we received from all our colleagues in Schenk has meant the business has moved quickly to develop an open and ambitious way of working, with teams embracing collaboration and actively drawing on group capabilities.”
That cultural alignment is more than cohesion; it’s a performance multiplier. Michael highlights that collaboration has strengthened safety and compliance across operations, with innovation flowing both ways with colleagues on the continent. The result is faster problem solving, smarter ways of working, and more responsive, better service, underpinned by the Schenk Group’s scale.
Chris reinforces the point from a finance and operations angle: “What has made the difference is how we now work together; more open, more collaborative… We are not just learning from, but sharing best practice with our new colleagues, channelling our shared know-how into smarter ways of working, faster problem solving and consistently better service.”
Leadership Perspective: Marcel Claessen on Schenk UK
For Marcel Claessen, CEO of Schenk, the integration of Schenk UK marks a strategic milestone in the Group’s growth journey: “The integration of Schenk UK marks a major milestone in our journey to become the market leader in Northwest Europe. It strengthens our footprint, deepens our expertise, and enhances our ability to serve customers across borders. We’re building on a legacy of craftsmanship, reliability, and innovation, while sharpening our focus on measurable improvements in customer performance, safety, and operational excellence.”
“What makes this acquisition particularly impactful is the immediate value it delivers to our existing customer base. Within the first year, we are already witnessing commercial growth in the UK through clients we have long supported in the EU and vice versa. This reflects a strategic approach to cross-border client development, where established relationships are actively leveraged to broaden service reach and strengthen market engagement.”
“Moreover, the integration reinforces our unified identity. Our Continental teams benefit from UK expertise in safety, commercial strategy and contract management as well as each other’s strengths in operational execution and client engagement. At the same time, shared Group-wide capabilities in procurement, IT, and finance foster a more cohesive and efficient way of working. This reciprocal exchange enriches our collective expertise, strengthens our organisational resilience and is building one culture across the group.”
Year One Impact
The integration was not without its challenges, but perhaps the clearest indicator that the integration has stayed on course is customer feedback.
The positive reaction to the acquisition, confirmed that service quality, reliability and value have not only been preserved but strengthened. “Their feedback has reinforced Schenk UK’s commitment to high standards and validated the seamless transition was executed with minimal disruption and maximum continuity” acknowledged Michael.
Across the first year, Schenk UK has focused on building and developing a stronger platform—not just aligning systems but strengthening standards. Positive market confidence has affirmed our position and created the base for sustainable, long-term growth in our core product sectors. leveraging the size and scale of the Schenk Group, we have enhanced our capabilities and service offerings while investing in technology and talent to continue to drive operational excellence and uphold our sustainability commitments.
Chris adds that resilience has been a guiding principle. “We’re strengthening governance, streamlining systems, improving compliance and risk management and developing our strategic planning” to enable Schenk UK to respond faster to market shifts and deliver greater value for customers. These developments form the backbone for year two priorities – linking performance more tightly to investment decisions and sharpening productivity across the network.
The Road Ahead
“Looking ahead, we will build on this momentum—doubling down on collaboration, raising the bar again on safety and service, and leveraging Schenk’s scale to create value for our customers,” said Michael. “We are now strategically placed to deliver further growth while maintaining exceptional customer service. We will continue to develop the business with discipline.”
Echoing that focus, Chris added “With a stronger platform and clearer priorities, we are well positioned to deliver consistent value.” A final note from Michael – “None of this is possible without our workforce. We extend our thanks to every colleague for their contribution, hard work and dedication throughout the past year; establishing solid foundations in year one has been critical.”
