Robyn Coates

Location Van Leeuwen Australia
Position Sales Manager Victoria/Tasmanië
At Van Leeuwen since 2018
Age  45

Robyn Coates, Sales Manager at Van Leeuwen Australia, has 25 years of experience in the pipe and tube industry. Over the years she has developed lasting relationships in the market and devoted efforts to acquiring broad and in-depth product knowledge. ‘At Van Leeuwen we are able to meet virtually any demand.’

When she was nineteen, Robyn started working as a salesperson for a large flange manufacturer. After this she worked for various global distribution companies in the pipe and tube industry. In 2018, with 20 years of experience under her belt, she joined Van Leeuwen as Sales Manager. She was hired at the Melbourne branch for Van Leeuwen’s global framework contract with ExxonMobil. She manages a sales team of two sales employees and one Account Manager in the states of Victoria and Tasmania.

Solid partnerships

‘For us as sales team, it is especially important to always know exactly what materials are available where and when, and of course also what you have on hand yourself,’ says Robyn. ‘Only on the basis of this knowledge are you able to share your ideas with the customer, give them proper advice and provide them with the best materials on time. Due to our solid partnerships with our customers and suppliers, we are able to meet virtually any demand. When customers need products, but are unable to find them anywhere, they know that they can always count on us. This is exactly why they always come back to us.’

You do not just become a sales specialist overnight. ‘Over the years I have learned a great deal from experienced colleagues about products and how the market works,’ says Robyn. ‘I took various product-related courses and I especially learned a great deal on the job’. But no matter how much experience you have, at Van Leeuwen you always continue learning. You are given ample room to continue to grow and try new things. For example, a while ago I suggested to management that we should do more business directly with refineries and gas companies. I expected to be able to generate cost savings this way. “Go ahead,” they said. This is exactly what typifies the company, this hands-on mentality. I very much like that.’

Appreciation

Van Leeuwen Australia serves many customers in the Process & Power segment. ‘For example, I have managed to acquire many loyal contacts in the refinery and gas market,’ says Robyn. ‘That produces great results. For example, in 2021 we succeeded in signing a large contract with Puma Energy Australia, through a project manager at Puma Energy with whom I have had an excellent relationship for years. Van Leeuwen Australia established a project team for this contract. This shows you that you must invest in your customers, and we amply do this at Van Leeuwen.’