'An entrepreneur is an omethinker'
The nomination for the Lodewijk van der Grinten Prize (LvdG) surprised Rob Ewalds. As director and owner of Gaston Schul, a specialist in customs clearance and international trade, he is relatively little in the spotlight. And the 53-year-old Belfelden native doesn't mind at all.
Still, he is surprised by the huge impact of the award. Like the fact that the nomination had to remain a secret for a long time. "I think it is Venlo's biggest city secret after the choice of Prince Carnival," he says with a laugh. "I know it is an entrepreneurial award, and not a business award. However, for me it is always about the company, not about me. That does not alter the fact that I am immensely honoured by this nomination."
Gaston Schul
After studying Economics at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Ewalds returned to Venlo. He started at the Venlo-based freight forwarding company Jacob Meijer. "My father owned Jacob Meijer, a company mainly focused on handling and taking care of customs documents," he says. One day, a consultant came forward and offered the company Gaston Schul for sale. "Perhaps I had a premonition about my future during college, as I graduated in logistics management and management accounting. I was only too happy to cash in on the opportunity to stand on my own two feet," Ewalds says.
'Actually, my business has grown from document factory to full-service customs services provider'
Million-dollar loan
Ewalds senior advised his son to buy the company, but in doing so immediately let it be known that he would no longer be involved himself. "So I had to look for money. That succeeded. On 1 October 1999, I took over Gaston Schul. A year and a half later, my father got rid of Jacob Meijer. Fifty per cent of the shares for me, the other half for my sister. Six years later, I took over her share, integrated both companies and chose the name Gaston Schul." About that million-dollar loan, Ewalds says: "It haunted my head: what am I actually doing? It was quite a risk. But after a few months it itched again and I thought: what's next?" Fifteen more acquisitions followed in his career, from small to large and all under his own steam and self-financed."
Venlo as a logistics hub
Ewalds describes his company as a specialised administration office. "In fact, we are tax advisers. We are a commercial company that provides an electronically correct customs declaration based on data provided by our customer. Customs then checks our work in turn. They are an enforcement organisation that checks whether the declaration and data are correct. Actually, my company has grown from document factory to full-service customs service provider. We also increasingly have an advisory role towards our customers." And so, among other things, this is all done simply from his home town of Venlo. One of the most important logistics hubs in our country. "This is the logistics heart of Europe. At least one of the most important ones. Venlo has excellent road, water and also rail connections and also good connections to the seaports. Moreover, there is a huge hinterland. That offers entrepreneurs a huge amount of opportunities."
Rethinking and challenges
Opportunities that Ewalds actually always sees. So the concept of rethinking is anything but foreign to him. 'An entrepreneur is an omdenker' is his philosophy. "A famous Amsterdammer once said: 'Every disadvantage has its advantage'. Compare my statement with that. Entrepreneurs are often turning challenges into opportunities. Entrepreneurship is a form of top-class sport. Look at the challenges we face these days: Geopolitical developments, the rapid changes in internet and digitalisation plus the huge consolidation (through acquisitions) in the customs market."
When the borders disappeared in 1993, many thought customs work was done. "So it wasn't. Anno 2024, challenges create new opportunities again. The Brexit, for instance, locked a market. But for us, that actually created additional work. We also employ several developers ourselves. This is to ensure that not some AI or internet specialist in an attic develops a new system at the expense of our work. You have to keep up with developments, otherwise you are too late. We see threats as opportunities. Global trade will continue and the market will always need specialists. I always say, "Think customs, think Gaston Schul!"
Text: Rob Buchholz - Photography: Bram Becks
