Van Seumeren family leaving Mammoet

The van Seumeren family is selling its stake in international heavy lifting and transport specialist Mammoet and leaving the company.

Roderik van Seumeren, president and CEO, Jan van Seumeren Jr, chief technical officer, and Patrick van Seumeren, vice president and chief operating officer, are resigning from the board and leave the Netherlands-based company on 4 July.

They hand over to four existing Mammoet employees. Jan Kleijn, who heads up Mammoet in the Americas, will take over as CEO. Neil Birkbeck, Herman Smit and Erik Rave will take up remaining positions, together with Siem Kranenburg, the current chief financial officer, on the executive board.

The majority of Mammoet, around 75%, is owned by Dutch investment group SHV. Adding the remaining 25% from the van Seumeren family gives SHV 100% ownership. A statement from Mammoet cites "a difference of opinion between the majority shareholder SHV and the van Seumeren family" as the reason for their withdrawal.

Roderik van Seumeren said, "It is unfortunate that the relationship we entered into as directors and shareholders with SHV in 2006 has to end this way. Neither party wanted this. SHV is a stable shareholder and a very solid party. Thanks to it, Mammoet has been able to grow faster in recent years. Cultural differences have led to this break. Mammoet is a fantastic company and is in good hands at SHV. Its continuity is assured. Internally, the company has very good people across the board. I have no concerns about that and I shall take all the time necessary to settle in the new directors."

Roderik van Seumeren told IC that following the handover to the new board, which he anticipates will take a few months, he plans to take a couple of years out, away from the industry. In addition, he will resign from the board of ESTA, the European Association for Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes.

Mammoet, which has a turnover of around Euro 860 million, is a culmination of experience of family-orientated companies that have roots in the moving and lifting industry as far back as 1807.