Testimonials

If you would like to know what a PAF project is about, take a look at the testimonials of recent candidates. They are classified by region where their assignment took place. Enjoy and be inspired!

Be informed

< Back to overview

Manu Uylenbroeck - Participant 2017-2018

Thanks to the Prince Albert Fund, I have gained an operational and commercial experience in a whole new product market.

Role

Manu Uylenbroeck’s project consisted of developing a road-to-market strategy for the flooring division of Decospan on the West Coast. Decospan had entered the East Coast a few years ago but not yet the West Coast.

Responsibilities

The main challenge in this project was the long sales-cycle of a wood flooring product and the multitude of parties involved in the decision-making process. A second challenge was the fact that California as a market is not only huge but also highly competitive and saturated. In order to build a successful strategy, Manu met with all the people involved in the process, listed the different parties and the type of products they were currently using, identifying the links between them.

How he benefited

By conducting his research from San Francisco, Manu gained an in-depth view of the West Coast flooring market. Thanks to his project, he was able to experience the pressure of having to build something from scratch first-hand and take the end responsibility for the result. “As I come from a finance background, this project made me realize the value and difficulties that come with a business development and sales job,” he admits.

The company – Decospan

 

Decospan, which was established in 1978, is a Belgian manufacturer of wood flooring solutions. The company has since become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of veneer wood panels and floors. With its treasure chest of more than 160 wood species, its state-of-the-art machines, sustainable business model and flexible employees, the company can develop new products that meet the needs of all stakeholders.

 

 

Thanks to Manu we obtained an in-depth view on the flooring market on the West Coast. Thanks to this insight, we could interfere on the specifications of competitor’s products and adapt them to Decospan flooring products to be able to enter the market.”

© 2024