Ventje - a Dutch camper with a lot of charm from Hanover
The award-winning design is very simple, modular and logical, with surprising details - and at the same time smart and practical. Since last year, the campers with flair have also been conquering the German market from Hanover. A move that hannoverimpuls has supported.
The Ventje campervans are equipped for self-sufficiency anywhere in the world, the battery charges while driving - and they can even be supplied with a solar panel as an option. From color to seats and heating to awnings, interested parties can have their converted Volkswagen bus individually designed. Ventje's first trade fair appearance in Germany was so successful that the company founded Ventje GmbH in Hanover in 2023. After an initial pop-up location, the company is now looking for new premises with its own exhibition space.
Jessica Schnehage, Business Development & Marketing at Ventje GmbH, what makes Ventje special?
Our campers are innovative, highly functional and unique in their interior design. The interior is designed to offer the comfort of a large motorhome, but in a compact van! The kitchen at the back of the vehicle, for example, gives the user the option of cooking inside or outside. The design concept of converting the seats from a lounge setting to a four-seater with table and then to a bed has earned us the Red Dot Design Award 2021. Interested parties can order their new or used campervan from us, the vehicles are produced on demand. A Ventje has a delivery time of nine months.
Why did your company choose Hanover as its location in Germany?
After our presence at the ABF in Hanover, we were really impressed by the high demand in the market, which is why we made the decision for Germany just a few days after the trade fair. Hanover has excellent transport links, is located in the middle of Germany and has a good infrastructure - and of course the proximity to VW was also an important argument, as we produce campervans based on the VW T5, T6, T6.1 and Idbuzz vehicles. We actively sought contact with the business development agency because we needed help with the exact choice of location. Finding a suitable hall for us is difficult. It has to be heatable, representative and sufficiently large. It has to offer enough space to show three ventje in the exhibition area.
How did hannoverimpuls help Ventje to settle here?
hannoverimpuls helped us from day one with the establishment of the German company and with finding a location. In addition, the business development agency supports companies like Ventje that want to set up here through the Plug & Work competition by providing prize money for renting business premises or marketing activities. That worked for us and we opened our first pop-up store. But now we are already one step further and will hopefully soon be moving into our first own premises.
What are your experiences, what tips do you have for other companies that want to relocate?
We found it incredibly helpful to have hannoverimpuls at our side. The team gave us a lot of support with all the processes. Our countries are neighbors - and yet things work differently here. hannoverimpuls is our point of contact in all directions, including for networking. Because of course we want to become much better known! We recommend everyone to find out about the processes and organizational matters in advance in order to get a feel for the timing.
What are your next goals?
In the long term, we want to expand further and become the largest manufacturer in Europe. We are now by far the largest in the Netherlands and we are also making good progress in Germany. Then the rest of Europe will follow. Events like the upcoming outdoor trade fair on August 17 at our Dutch location in Culemborg are very important for this. With live music and good food, we will be showing the E-Ventje and variations of our extensions. A great opportunity to exchange ideas with other Ventje fans. Admission is free. The next event in Germany: The "Caravan Salon" trade fair from August 30 to September 8, 2024 in Düsseldorf.
Anna Klose, Project Manager Internationalization at hannoverimpuls, about Ventje:
We are delighted to be able to support Ventje with its establishment in Hanover. The fact that Ventje has chosen Hanover as the location for its expansion on the German market shows the great potential and attractiveness of our region. Ventje's innovative and flexible campervans are a perfect fit for modern adventurers who value comfort and independence. We are proud to be able to support them on their successful journey.
Contact details Ventje GmbH
Tel 0511-93678698