// Big Dutchman International GmbH

Richard und Jack DeWitt invented the world’s first automatic feeding system in the U.S. in 1938. The brothers thus laid the foundation for a company named after its Dutch origins – “Big Dutchman”. Today, the family-owned enterprise is based in Vechta-Calveslage, where 1,000 of its 3,500 or so global employees work. Big Dutchman is regarded as the international market leader for housing equipment and feeding systems for modern pig and poultry production. Its services range from designing small farms to constructing fully integrated farm complexes.

// COMMITTED TO CUSTOMERS

The housing equipment provider relies on qualified employees, know-how and high-grade products. The focus is on a satisfied customer base, as Christoph Küstermeyer stresses: “We are committed to our customers. Future-oriented product development and innovative products play a key role in enabling them to assert themselves in their markets”, explains the Big Dutchman employee, who several years ago swapped his role in Sales to manage groups of visitors from around the world.

This is a full-time job as the housing equipment company has set up an informative selection of its very extensive product range for people to visit. From worldwide classics to innovations – there is plenty to see in the attractive showroom at the company’s Vechta headquarters. It’s a highly popular exhibition. “Naturally, a lot of customers visit us. But so do groups of schoolchildren and students, clubs and associations who want to know what modern pig and poultry housing looks like and what livestock farming is all about”, explains Küstermeyer.

The company shows up to 1,000 visitors around its premises in different group sizes every month. “Some of our visitors even arrive in coaches. However, experience has shown that many visitors hear very little of what I say, even with mid-sized groups. It’s very frustrating for everyone”, concludes Küstermeyer.

The housing equipment manufacturer’s employees encountered a tour guide system for the first time some years ago at EuroTier, the leading global trade fair for livestock breeding professionals in Hanover. Big Dutchman rented our TOM-Audio TG-100 in 2016. Two years later, the IT department was instructed to purchase a system for use in the company’s headquarters. After comparing it with competitors’ systems, the company opted for the basic TOM-Audio TG-100 model, and immediately purchased two sets. “We were won over by its value for money”, states Küstermeyer, justifying the choice.

And: “Everything is so much easier and all visitors hear the same message.” Even people with impaired hearing can understand the guide perfectly on tours with between twelve and 60 people. The benefit is that there is virtually no background noise, which encourages dialogue with the audience.

“At the start, we had to get used to the system’s controls, but now it works perfectly”, he remarks, pleased. Our tour guide systems are designed so that ideally, visitors are not required to make any changes besides adjusting the volume. The guide manages central channel switching and easy grouping on his transmitter. The battery power is also very satisfactory, considering a Big Dutchman guided tour can take up to three hours.

We are pleased to have found an ideal solution for Big Dutchman.

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