Exciting times here at S3S! We just introduced you to 3 new colleagues and already we have some more company news: Anthony Maes, beloved assembly engineer and happiness officer, will be taking on a new challenge at S3S. Curious to learn what Anthony will be doing in the next couple of years? Find out in this interview!
Hi Anthony! You’ve been working at S3S for quite a while now. But for those who do not know you: could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Anthony: Sure! I am 32 and live in Ghent. I love sports, whether it’s running, mountain biking or kayaking. I also like to play snooker or go out for a pint or – even better – a great party. Oh, how I miss those days. (laughs)
Recently, I helped a friend restore his sailboat. Or better: I dropped in from time to time with a cold brew to check on his progress. (laughs) Since then, we’ve used it to sail Ghent’s waterways on sunny days. It’s almost magical to see how much more cheerful and friendly people are when you pass them on a boat.
Sounds like a great project! How did you end up at S3S?
Anthony: I started out at S3S as a temporary worker during a very busy period. Luckily for me, the company was in full expansion at that time. Orders from both old and new clients were pouring in, so the technical department needed an extra set of hands on a more permanent basis.
Since I already had some experience, Roel and Christophe offered me the opportunity to become their new assembly engineer. 3 years later, I’m still very happy and grateful, and I’m still excited to go to work each and every day.
What were the highlights of those past 3 years for you?
Anthony: Without any doubt: our fantastic team. When I first started, I immediately noticed how dedicated everybody was. We don’t just say that we put the customer first, but we ‘walk the talk’ in everything we do!
We’ve also done quite a few very large projects over the past 3 years. I remember a project for a big cloud provider where we had to build over 300 servers in a single order! So we made a temporary assembly line in the middle of our warehouse and everybody – including management – helped to finish the project in time.
But now you are taking on a new challenge. What will you be doing in the next couple of years?
Anthony: I love assembling and testing servers, but I am also a really social guy. I felt that it was time for a next step in my career where I could use my social skills. So I proposed to Roel and Christophe that I would start looking for new long term partnerships and business opportunities.
Until now, we have never done proactive sales. But looking at our ambitions for the future, we are going to change that. There are sectors that are not aware that solutions such as ours exist in the market. And there’s still some room to grow in those sectors where we are already active.
So I am going on a mission to meet entrepreneurs and discover how we can help their businesses thrive.
How exciting! I can imagine that you will be missed in the technical department though.
Anthony: I’m not too worried. We recently hired 2 new assembly engineers – Alin and Olivier – and I am sure they will do a great job. At S3S, we’re quite used to change to be honest. In just 3 years’ time, we grew from 7 to almost 20 employees. And of course, storage technology keeps evolving at a rapid pace.
Speaking of change: How do you see the future of S3S?
Anthony: I truly believe that S3S will continue to grow strongly in the years to come. And I hope to contribute to this growth by meeting new people, making connections and finding new clients that could benefit from our unique products and services.
We will soon be moving to new and bigger headquarters – an important first step in facilitating this growth. Here, we will be able to serve our clients even better and faster than before. An excellent starting point for my journey!
Thanks for your time, Anthony, and good luck with your new challenge!
Are you looking for a long-term partner for your servers and data storage solutions? A partner that listens to your needs and gives tailored advice? Then don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing how we can help you!