Man of The Month
January 2023
In this column we would like to present special characters and personalities in the international environment of EDE International on a monthly basis. Enjoy reading!
Five Questions to Rik Lecot:
Rik Lecot is 62 years young, married and has two sons. He started his professional career in 1983. Since 2000, he has been Co-Managing Director at our member company LECOT in Belgium and has since then been an active and valued contact person in all E/D/E matters.
EDE International: “Dear Rik, what do you like to do in your spare time when you are not working?”
Rik: “Lecot is of course my biggest hobby. Otherwise, I like to go to football in the region where I live, the club from Kortrijk. We are also a sponsor there and I am there regularly every fortnight. Another hobby is food, too. As you can see (strokes his belly and laughs). Especially Belgian cuisine with very nice fish.”
EDE International: “You have been working with the EDE since you started at Lecot – more than 22 years now. Do you have a personal highlight? What do you particularly appreciate about working with the team at EDE?”
Rik: “The feeling that you are not a “number” at EDE! I have known EDE and the people, including the owner family, for a very long time. There are strong personal relationships. Mutual visits are always full of appreciation. We always reflect about things together: What else can we do? I must say that the joint development of Lecot and EDE is very positive. – Especially the topic of internationalisation. These two success stories should continue. “
EDE International: “Are there also cultural differences in our cooperation?
Rik: “Of course. EDE has developed a lot and has become more and more international. Nevertheless, there is still the German culture. That is also a good thing. I am European through and through. I worked in Germany before Lecot and know both the language and the mentality (editor’s note: Rik speaks 5 languages fluently (!) and a little Spanish). This also helps especially to understand the complexity of the EDE.”
EDE International: “Is there something particularly valuable that one could learn from a Belgian company in an international environment?
Rik: “Belgium has always been a transit country. Characterised by multilingualism, different cultures and openness. We have many foreign manufacturers – perhaps more than in other countries. We see that as an advantage and look with an open mind: Which one is the best? That’s what we take. There is a saying in Belgium: Goods arrive in Rotterdam – and on the way to France or Holland, something always falls off for us.” (laughs)
EDE International: “Rik – do you have a final message for us?
Rik: (thinks for a moment and then): “Full speed ahead in internationalisation EDE!”
Thank you very much for the interview, Rik!
About “Lecot”:
Since its foundation in 1888 by Charles Lecot, the family business has grown from a small hardware shop in Heule and Maaseik, Belgium, to become the largest national supplier of general hardware, fasteners, building hardware, tools and industrial safety. Today, it is already in its fourth generation. As a family business, Lecot says it swears by long-term relationships and places the highest value on reliability and quality for its customers in Belgium and the Netherlands. Lecot has been a member of the E/D/E Group for more than 25 years.
The interview was given in December to Mayte Jakstait.
