23/10/2026
Some people are so much a part of Bystronic that it is hard to imagine the company without them. Gerrit is one of those people!
Today marks the final day of his last trade show with us. His career in bending began in 1985, taking him from Beyeler to Bystronic. Along the way, he became our Face of Bending and a true legend.
But to understand Gerrit’s career, forget job titles. Look at the numbers instead. Some impressive, some unusual, and a few probably still remembered by insurance companies:
· 147 trade shows, with this EuroBLECH marking his last. Countless conversations, questions answered and connections made.🤝
· 3 animal encounters: chased by a dog, an ostrich and a baboon. All during working hours. As Gerrit puts it: “Other people collected air miles; I collected natural predators.”🐒
· 3.000.000 kilometres driven for work – roughly 75 times around the Earth. Six cars didn’t survive the journey!🫣
Those numbers tell quite a story. But what we will miss most at the booth is the person behind them.
Gerrit, thank you for your knowledge, your humour and the dedication you’ve shown to your work and the people around you. After 147 trade shows, it’s hard to imagine our booth without you, your stories and the laughs we’ve shared.
After three million kilometres, we hope the journeys ahead take you exactly where you want to go – preferably without anything chasing you! ❤️
