Portfolio Benno Nijenhuis

Welcome

I focus on building genuine expertise and establishing a clear, trustworthy name and authority in the market. This includes maintaining a consistent positioning throughout the entire stakeholder chain.

For me, marketing is more than just being visible – it’s about how you are perceived. It’s about influencing how people think (perception) and what they do (behavior). That’s why I emphasize being distinctive, growing with a clear purpose, and building a credible story that people believe in.

I connect traditional products and systems with the demands of a changing market, adapting to new patterns in buying behavior. In doing so, I focus on themes such as sustainability, circularity, service, trust, and partnership. ESG and circularity are not buzzwords to me, but ways to create tangible value and make a business future-proof.

By combining strategy, creativity, and data, I help organizations not only strengthen their position today but also prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. A key part of this is engaging the internal organization – because true brand value starts when employees embrace and carry the story themselves.

I’m a down-to-earth “Tukker” who keeps both feet firmly on the ground. I understand long-term developments and visions but translate them into practical, hands-on actions in the short term.

What I stand for

My Core Values

Vision: I have the ability to identify opportunities, create meaningful connections, and set direction – precisely where others tend to stop

Commitment: I pursue results with determination and maintain full oversight of the process, even in complex or changing environments.

Trust: For me, trust is the foundation of effective collaboration, leadership, and long-term relationships.

What I want

To help industrial organizations grow by embedding strategic marketing as a core value driver within their operations, not as a “communication department,” but as the engine behind market creation, positioning, and commercial direction.

My strength lies in translating complex market dynamics into clear, actionable growth strategies across themes such as sustainability, regulation, and customer behavior.
I believe in brand authority: a brand that is technically credible, operationally reliable, and mentally top-of-mind.

Where I work best

I thrive in B2B production environments where technology, sustainability, and craftsmanship converge. Companies that build systems and trust often with a strong legacy, a distinctive culture, and the ambition to remain relevant in a changing world. Organizations that connect strategy with execution, where marketing and sales jointly build sustainable brand equity across multiple stakeholders.

In short: businesses that see marketing as growth capital, not as a cost center.

Which Role I Play

I view marketing as the bridge between technology, market, and people. For over twenty years, I have operated at the intersection of product, process, and positioning.
From civil engineering to building materials, from rebranding to market expansion. It always comes down to one thing: making value visible.

I combine analytical precision with creative imagination, a hands-on process manager who brings alignment and momentum. My communication approach starts with the “Why”: why does this brand exist, what does it promise, and how do we prove it in every customer interaction? The “How” and “What” naturally follow. Whether it’s positioning or proposition design, I connect brand strategy to measurable growth.

Way of Working

I look from the outside in: real value emerges only when you understand what drives customers and stakeholders. A sharp stakeholder strategy creates focus, coherence, and results. At the same time, I’m convinced that a company’s identity and personality form the foundation for how the world perceives it.

That tension — between strategy and human connection — is what makes my work fascinating. It requires balance between leading and listening.
My approach is strategically grounded yet practically executable: I translate complex challenges into concrete steps, align teams and departments, and strengthen the synergy between marketing, sales, and development.

I believe in knowledge sharing and thought leadership — using expertise, innovation, and experience as the foundation for growth built on trust.

Working internationally energizes me. Different cultures, markets, and mindsets keep me sharp. With a Dutch mindset and a cross-border perspective, my motto remains simple: Bring it on.

My four W's

Product Circularity - positioning

Winner of the Rethink Award for reusable raw materials
Winning the Rethink Award was, for me, a confirmation of my role as a frontrunner in sustainability within the manufacturing industry.
The Rethink Award is a biennial prize presented by Federatie NRK and Plastics Europe to companies whose products and initiatives contribute to sustainability and the circular economy within the rubber and plastics sector. The award celebrates pioneers in sustainable and circular rubber and plastics and rewards innovations based on the principles of Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Renew, and Recycle.

While this recognition often centers around plastics and packaging, I succeeded in placing rubber—a material rarely highlighted—at the forefront within the Renewable Raw Materials category.
During my pitch to the NRK jury, I already sensed I had something unique: a vision and process that reached beyond the familiar boundaries of the industry. Convincing the association to nominate my projects demonstrated my ability to connect the language of innovation and circularity with the realities of the market.

For me, this award was not an endpoint but rather proof that with courage, strategy, and perseverance, you can move even a traditional industry forward.

Executed concepts and projects

Renovation Proposition - Framing Opportunities

From new construction to renovation: The new reality in construction
The construction sector has been caught in a vacuum for several years: slow decision-making, delayed permits and a shortage of skilled labor are stalling new developments. As a result, building owners are shifting their focus toward renovation and sustainability of existing properties.

In particular, industrial and distribution roofs from the 1990s are urgently in need of replacement. Aging materials, damage and stricter energy standards make renovation inevitable. At the same time, there is a growing desire to preserve existing systems, a choice that generates substantial savings on dismantling and disposal costs.

For manufacturers and suppliers in the building materials industry, this represents a clear opportunity: offering sustainable, compatible system solutions that integrate with existing structures. In this way, renovation becomes not merely a technical necessity but a strategic growth market within the broader energy transition.

Change is not a threat, it’s an opportunity.
Opportunities that I have seized by connecting challenges to new possibilities.

Product Positioning – Tapping into New Channels

Over the past 10 to 15 years, the construction sector has undergone a clear transformation, from employment to self-employment. This shift has been strongly reinforced by foreign professionals. The explosive growth of self-employed contractors has created a new landscape of choice and purchasing behavior, where speed, availability, and convenience are the key drivers.

While traditional roofing contractors tend to work from a position of specialization, the self-employed professional often operates as a versatile all-rounder. This group is not primarily looking for brands, but for solutions, ideally through a single point of contact. As a result, there has been a clear shift from specialized roofing suppliers toward the broader building materials trade, where the one-stop-shop concept has become the new competitive advantage.

From employment to self-employment: A new dynamic in the construction chain

® Logodesign

Benno is a down-to-earth and creative professional who gives his absolute best, a rare combination of qualities. We worked together wonderfully, and the company, then still Hertalan, flourished during a challenging period.

Gé Morssink - Managing Director
Hertalan Rubber Products

If you’re looking for an experienced marketer, you simply can’t overlook Benno. Driven and passionate about his craft best describe his way of working — always with a broad strategic perspective and a keen eye for detail.

Bart van Beek - Managing Director
Van Beek EPDM