The award is named after Wim Hendrix, aka Wim de Körver. 100 years ago he laid the foundations of many international companies from Boxmeer that we know today as Hendrix Genetics, MSD, Nutreco and Marel Poultry.
International reputation
Mayor van Soest of Boxmeer motivates the award: "We are pleased to present this very first Wim de Körver Medal of Honor to Marel Poultry. This stable and healthy company is clearly on the rise, is strong in innovations, invests in expansion, creates employment and is socially involved. It is also because of the international reputation of Marel Poultry that Boxmeer has gained global importance in the agrifood sector."
Benchmark
Marel Poultry is deeply rooted in Boxmeer, originating from the historic Stork company in 1963. Stork PMT was taken over by the Icelandic company Marel in 2008, but the Boxmeer facility always remained a benchmark in the organization.
Every day, customers from all over the world travel to Boxmeer for a factory visit. At trade fairs worldwide, the name Marel Poultry is intrinsically linked to the 'Boxmeer' location. "Boxmeer is better known in Atlanta than in Amsterdam because it is the center of the world in the poultry industry," says Anton de Weerd.
Determination
Over time, Marel Poultry has become the global market leader in the field of poultry processing machinery. "In order to maintain our strong position, we need characteristics such as willpower and innovation in all areas," says Anton de Weerd. "And the kind of determination Wim de Körver had. Everyone in our company, from production workers to highly skilled engineers, is aware of this and is 100% committed."
Social responsibility
As a major employer in the township and the surrounding area, employing more than 1,000 people in Boxmeer, Marel Poultry is aware of its social responsibility. Sponsorship of local associations and events result from this, apart from cooperations with regional high schools and Dutch universities such as WUR Wageningen and TU Eindhoven.