Together, sharp and no-nonsense: how two installation companies became one

Two companies, each with their own culture, way of working and history. One ambition: to merge into a new installation company. How do you get that done without getting bogged down in endless discussions? Daan Kleijnen, director of Mampaey, and Jules van Merrienboer from Summiteers look back on an intensive merger process.

Two worlds, one goal

Energiewacht West and Mampaey Installation Companies were both active in installation technology. The activities include maintaining and installing central heating boilers, heat pumps and air conditioning at customers in the Randstad. Together, they have approximately 350 employees, spread over offices in Dordrecht, Rotterdam, Haarlem and Alphen aan de Rijn.

Although the companies provide similar services, their backgrounds are completely different. West Energy Watch has been under Essent for years. Mampaey, on the other hand, was founded in 1940 as a family business and has been run by a director and owner for the last thirty years, until the takeover by Essent in 2023.

Daan: “We had to bring those two cultures, organizational structures and ways of working together. We have set up a major change process to prepare everything so that we can operate as one company (under the name Mampaey) since 1 January 2026.”

The challenge: two blood types

What made this merger so difficult? Not so much the technical side, but the human dynamic.

Daan: “There were two blood types that we had to bring together. The director and owner of Mampaey knew he was leaving, but of course still had an important say in all the choices that were made. In addition, we have Essent on board as a stakeholder, who sometimes had a different view of where to go with the company. Many things to take into account and to include in the process.”

The approach: first vision, then structure

Daan: “My first inclination was to immediately draw the 'rake' and see who sat in which spot. But Summiteers forced us to take a step back and first think about which company we wanted to form. So what was the reason for the merger and what are the core values of our future company? What do our people think about this and how do they want to contribute? We tested that with both organizations”. Jules: “In the first phase, we developed a shared vision for the future company. From that vision, we have distilled strategic goals. Then, together with the MTs, we drew up a roadmap with all the projects that were needed to carry out the integration.”

Daan: “Only then did we look at what form of organization would best suit that, what roles you need in the MT and what the departments look like. To then also translate the organization of the company into concrete projects for the roadmap.”

Why Summiteers

Daan: “What appealed to me was that they not only make the plan, but also help with the execution. And in doing so, pay attention to the human dynamics in organizations and manage them in the right direction. We don't have ten people sitting on the bench here who we can free up for such a project. Everyone works in the primary process: planning, work preparation, or on the road as a technician. So we were looking for a party that could also step in to implement the plan that was made.”

“It was also nice that there was a neutral party at the table that could shut down or come to a conclusion certain discussions without having anything to do with certain goals and interests or things from the past. Attention to what is on the table and what is going on underneath is necessary to properly supervise such a process.”

Outcome

What did this process result in? In addition to a clear vision, roadmap and organizational structure, the team also paid attention to the personal development of the MT.

Jules: “Where we started with content, I liked the fact that at some point we also started working on personal learning goals. Later, we also dedicated another day to this. Not only talking about the goals of the process and the daily operation, but also: what do you want to learn or do differently to make this a success? And what does that mean for how we work together as an MT?”

Daan: “That's a good point. Apart from the plan and its implementation: what do you have to develop yourself? We don't ask ourselves that question very often in the daily hustle and bustle.”

When implementing the roadmap, Summiteers phased out at some point and a colleague came out of the Maisters Program onboard as program manager. Daan: “He implemented the plan that Summiteers had made in detail. He acted as my right hand and he did that to my full satisfaction.”

The collaboration

Daan: “The collaboration with Summiteers was very hands-on. Not pompous, but clear conversations and honest feedback. Make decisions where necessary. It felt like they were really immersed in our project. Not as an external agency that “just” comes to provide advice, but as a partner who also thinks along about the difficulties and how we were able to deal with them”

“Sometimes the former owner's vision and my own vision for the future didn't quite match, so they could give decisive advice. They did that in a subtle way. Often one-on-one first: why do you actually think that? And only when they understood that, look for a solution that both parties could agree to.”

Jules looks back on the collaboration with pleasure: “It was also a really cool job from our side. A nice process that covered all facets of strategy execution. And that also with a very nice club people!”

Three words

When Daan has to describe Summiteers in three words, he won't have to think long: “Together. That may be the word. And sharp. And then I'm looking for something no-nonsense. It's never pompous with all the complicated models, but down-to-earth.”

He ends up being 'simple', but corrects himself. “Of course, the job wasn't easy, but they made it easy.”

When asked if he would hire Summiteers again:” one hundred percent!”

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