WorldEmp’s business partner Peter van Wessel explains how the company is delivering high-quality talent to tank terminal companies as they address their staffing challenges
Companies in the tank storage and infrastructure sector face significant challenges, such as increasingly stringent safety standards and the pressure of the energy transition. They must comply with stricter regulations, invest in technological innovations, and compete fiercely in a global market.
Additionally, operational flexibility and logistical complexity require constant adjustments. These factors compel companies to continuously innovate and operate efficiently to remain competitive, despite a growing shortage of qualified personnel. ‘
WorldEmp can assist with this,’ according to seasoned expert Peter van Wessel.
Van Wessel has an impressive career spanning more than 20 years in the tank storage industry, including at companies such as Advario and Oiltanking. His experience improving operational efficiency and promoting innovation within the energy and chemical sectors means that he can also spot the gaps.
Working as an independent consultant in the industry he knows so well, van Wessel explains that the traditional way of recruiting personnel is no longer sufficient to meet all the challenges. ‘I believe the innovative remote working strategies of WorldEmp are the solution to provide highly qualified international talent for this sector,’ he says.
Unique Approach
WorldEmp is not a traditional recruiter. ‘Everyone tends to look for solutions in the familiar. But that is no longer sufficient for the tank storage industry. They will need to look at new ways,’ says van Wessel.
Since joining WorldEmp as a business partner, van Wessel has focused on helping tank terminal companies address their staffing challenges. In a sector where safety and flexibility are paramount,
he understands the need for qualified employees who can work remotely without compromising on quality or efficiency. ‘I understand there are questions about whether the WorldEmp concept can work,’ he says. ‘Although I am fully convinced, it is obviously good to start ‘cautiously’. A lot of engineering work and calculations are done before a decision is made to invest in a project. In that process, I see opportunities. In a next step, you could look at all functions in the entire process. Can current functions be divided, for example? Into tasks that require physical presence or not? And can the person who is physically present not coordinate with someone else in the world, who ensures the work is done? I think so, and would be happy to guide companies in this with WorldEmp.’
The company, founded by CEO Frank Korf, goes beyond the familiar and focuses on finding, training, and connecting highly qualified professionals from countries such as India to European companies. Using modern technology, these ‘digital knowledge workers’ work remotely from their home country while being fully integrated into the team of their employer. This allows companies to tap into a broader talent pool without struggling with local labour shortages or lengthy processes to physically bring in knowledgeable migrants and house them and their families in the region.
Van Wessel says: ‘WorldEmp offers solutions by connecting companies with qualified international talent, especially at a time when the local labour market is tight. You can no longer rely on hiring colleagues who live in the region of your terminal, simply because the world
has changed. We have a shortage of young people graduating in technical professions, we have a shortage of houses for those willing to move to fill the gaps, and moreover, the competition from other regions for the same professionals is great.’
‘The demand for flexible and qualified employees is only increasing, while in the Netherlands, fewer students are choosing technical education. With WorldEmp, companies no longer need to search only in that shrinking pool.’
Moreover, WorldEmp has the significant advantage of not only providing personnel but also offering the right support. This means that companies receive assistance not only with recruitment but also with integrating new employees into their existing workflow and work culture, also through the WorldEmp platform. This enables companies to seamlessly transition to a more international and digital way of working.
Sew Energy: A Success Story
WorldEmp may be a new name in the tank storage industry for some, but it has already proven its value in other industries. A good example of how WorldEmp helps companies solve their staffing problems is SEW Energy, a supplier in the Dutch industrial market. SEW Energy was looking for ways to solve their staffing problem, particularly for preparing work packages in their projects with industrial piping and maintenance services for oil and gas operators. After meeting at a networking event, SEW Energy came into contact with WorldEmp, and shortly thereafter, they hired their first employee in India.
The collaboration was immediately successful. Ganesh, a highly qualified professional from India, quickly became an indispensable part of the SEW team. ‘We were initially skeptical about how we would integrate him,’ says Pascal Kool, director of SEW Energy. ‘But with the guidance of WorldEmp, we found a way to fully incorporate Ganesh into our processes. He now independently prepares work packages and delivers them directly to our production manager.’
Ganesh’s success has prompted SEW Energy to seek more talent in India. Although they are still looking for local staff for certain roles, the addition of international employees via WorldEmp has provided an innovative way to expand their workforce. ‘If we can’t find people locally, it’s fantastic that we have access to a global talent pool through WorldEmp,’ explains Kool.
An important aspect of working with international teams is data security. SEW Energy, for example, ensures that all employees work on their company networks, so that critical knowledge remains within the company.
The collaboration between SEW Energy and WorldEmp perfectly illustrates how the tank storage and construction market can also benefit from international employees. Companies like SEW, active in the oil and gas industry, need customised solutions for their piping, welding, and maintenance services. By using remote teams via WorldEmp, they can scale their operations without compromising on quality or safety.
Moreover, the collaboration with WorldEmp contributes to reducing commuting and thus the company’s carbon footprint. Employees no longer need to leave their families in their home country. They can, so to speak, have breakfast in India in the morning, work in Europe during the day, and be home in time to put the children to bed.
Innovatec: Another Success Story
Another example is Innovatec, an innovative world leader in designing, drawing and building of hatchery automation. Innovatec has assembled a team of highly qualified professionals from India with the help of WorldEmp. The time difference allows them to work around the clock, which offers a significant efficiency advantage.
‘The way WorldEmp works also helps,’ says Stephan Luimes, technical director Innovatec. ‘They have a very precise selection procedure, focused on bridging cultural differences. Moreover, the employees are intensively guided when they start working. For example, they receive a course on western culture;
that we are direct and expect to hear their opinion as well.’
Pioneering Progress
The future of the tank storage market is challenging but promising due to its crucial role in energy and production chains. Thanks to companies like WorldEmp, businesses can benefit from international expertise, even in times of staff shortages. By leveraging the power of remote working and digital knowledge workers, WorldEmp offers companies in this sector an innovative and sustainable solution to their staffing problems.
With Peter van Wessel’s decades of expertise from the tank storage industry on board, WorldEmp is ready to support the market in its next evolutionary step, where growth, innovation, and staff development go hand in hand. The question is no longer how companies can find talent, but how quickly they can expand their team with the right people, wherever they are.
