About ten years ago, Leon Stevens started selling straw bales from his parents’ shed. In 2023, he and three employees will move from Zeijen to a building on Transportweg in Roden. The trading company has grown out of its shell.
From 300 to 1500 square meters in area. Stevens, who will soon be living in nearby Lieveren, takes the plunge. “We had not expected this growth in recent years and now we actually have to move to larger premises.” That larger building is the building where Belga Transport was previously located, a well-known name in Roden.
When he started selling straw bales at the age of 17, he didn’t envision a business like this. “I just wanted to earn some pocket money. Later, more bedding was added, and in 2022 I took over animal feed Udding from Hooghalen. Then I suddenly had three employees.”
It was all unplanned in advance. Stevens studied civil engineering.
Because he grew up with horses, he – just like his parents and his brother – is fully involved in the horse world. “This is my world. I know a lot of people and notice that I often have the goodwill factor. I do the acquisition myself, give nutritional advice and do the fertilizer accounting, among other things. It makes a difference that you get out of the world.”
The young entrepreneur remains ambitious and says he is committed to growth. “I expect that we will soon have more staff, now that we have a larger building. Perhaps another store will be added in the future.”
This week Stevens will receive the keys, from Monday he will be in the new building. “Yes, that goes very quickly,” he laughs. “But we have to. We won’t sit still.”