The Verslingerd aan Hout online shop was launched in mid-2018. If you’re looking for unique items to brighten up a nursery, children’s room or playroom, you’ve come to the right place. From wall hangings to lamps and other personalised accessories, everything is designed and crafted with great love, care and attention to detail.
We speak to Cora Wijker from a garage in Barsingerhorn, North Holland, which she has converted into a lovely workspace. As an online marketer, she had always worked for larger organisations, but she felt she was missing out on creativity. That’s why Cora started freelancing in 2018 (and cutting back on her hours), to free up time to set up her own business. ‘I’ll just do that one day a week on the side,’ she thought. Things turned out differently, because since 2020 her online shop has been a full-time job that she thoroughly enjoys.
Everything under her own control.
When Verslingerd aan Hout first started, Cora didn’t immediately have her own laser cutter. At first, she outsourced the cutting work. That was costly, as two-thirds of the price was labour and one-third was the wood. She placed a large order every month so she could buy in bulk and get a discount. When her stock ran out, customers sometimes had to wait longer for their orders. That is now a thing of the past, as after a year she took over a second-hand laser machine.
Whereas she used to receive all cut parts in their raw state, she now paints everything first before it goes into the laser machine. She is also much more flexible. Does the customer want the product mirrored or would they prefer a different font? All of that is very easy to arrange. And there’s no more waiting for the monthly delivery of cut materials, as she now has complete control over that too.
Her BRM laser is actually used almost exclusively for cutting wood. She does engraving on request, for example when a lamp is purchased from her online shop and personalised with a name. Cora wants to stand out, which is why she has chosen to offer only products she has designed herself. She simply enjoys working with wood. ‘Of course, that machine can do much more, but I already have so much work that I don’t yet feel the need to work with other materials’.
It’s also well-suited to the future.
Her first BRM laser was a second-hand one she was able to take over from someone who was giving up the business. When it was time for a replacement, she did some research. She discovered cheaper brands and laser machines, but found these neither powerful nor large enough. She also knows a number of other online shop owners who have a cheaper, smaller machine from a different brand. ‘If there’s a problem with it, they have to send it in themselves and it’s out of action for weeks,’ she says. ‘So it might be cheaper, but it doesn’t do you any favours.’
Cora wanted a laser machine that was affordable, durable and robust. She rang BRM, where Ruud helped her. It felt right, both in terms of the product and the price. ‘It all appealed to me and I thought: I want this one! That machine simply fitted in with my business and with the future, so why would I think about it any longer?’
Saving costs and working flexibly.
Flexibility is useful, but ultimately having our own BRM laser machine also resulted in cost savings. At one point, the price of timber rose sharply, as did many other costs. By no longer outsourcing the cutting work, she was able to delay a price increase for a very long time. ‘Of course, a laser costs money! But compared to outsourcing, I recouped the cost of that purchase within three months. And that machine will, of course, last much longer than three months.’
A pleasant collaboration.
The collaboration with BRM is pleasant. Cora is pleased with the comprehensive manual. The first service has now been carried out, and she got in touch a couple of times when her machine wasn’t working. It turned out to be a fuse that was very easy to replace. ‘You just get really good support,’ says Cora. ‘Of course, that laser machine is a piece of equipment, so things do break from time to time and need replacing. That’s not a problem at all.’
“I think it’s brilliant that you can just give them a call and get help straight away.”
