โHow do we ensure that the right person is in the right position within RH Marine while continuing to comply with changing laws and regulations?”ย โ Rick Ramautar, HR Director at RH Marine.
RH Marine is a leading and independent system integrator and innovator of electrical and automation systems for the maritime sector. With a mission to make ships smarter and more efficient, RH Marine is dedicated to reducing the ecological footprint of the maritime industry.
“The collaboration between RH Marine and Kneppelhout began during turbulent times, but the organization is now doing well,” says Rick Ramautar. “Nevertheless, we always encounter legal challenges, for which I can rely on Kneppelhout and the employment law team led by Arnold Birkhoff.”
“The collaboration with Kneppelhout started back in 2015.”
Rick serves as HR Director for both RH Marine and Bakker Sliedrecht, which have been part of the same group since 2022. The partnership with Kneppelhout began in 2015, following the bankruptcy of Imtech Marine and its subsequent acquisition by Pon Holdings, which required an extensive restructuring process.
In addition, RH Marine faces challenges similar to those of other Dutch companies, such as staff shortages and constant changes in laws and regulations.
“For an HR department, having a good employment lawyer is essential.”
Kneppelhout has supported RH Marine during the restructuring process and continues to provide valuable legal advice.
“For an HR department, having a good employment lawyer is essential. Our employees are incredibly important, so we want to take good care of them. This includes drafting a social plan during layoffs, but also, in better times, having regular consultations to evaluate and review employment contracts against the collective labor agreement.”
“The Kneppelhout team always looks ahead and finds solutions that work well for us as an employer and for our employees.”
The path to RH Marine’s current success has involved intensive processes, in which the collaboration with Kneppelhout has played a key role. Rick especially values their forward-thinking approach:
“The Kneppelhout team always looks ahead and finds solutions that work well for us as an employer and for our employees. They allow us to remain in control; Kneppelhout advises but never makes decisions for us. That makes this partnership so effective.”
“Like others, we also face constantly changing laws and regulations. I see a valuable role for Kneppelhout in helping us navigate these changes now and in the future.”
