A workday at RH Pumper rarely turns out exactly as you’d imagined. That suits Martin Bachmann Andersen just fine. In fact, it’s one of the things he likes best about the job.
Warehouse, logistics, spare parts, purchasing, and IT—and when the phone rings, sales, too. Martin has many roles. He says so himself with a smile:
“I wear many hats.”
It’s not a lament. On the contrary. That’s exactly how he likes it best.
From Mechanic to Pumps
Martin is a trained auto mechanic and worked in the industry for ten years. At one point, he felt like trying something new.
As it happened, a friend drove past RH Pumpers’ new warehouse while it was under construction. He mentioned it to Martin, who sent in an unsolicited application—actually with a technical position in mind. This led to an interview with the CEO, who saw something else in his profile.
“He thought I would be a great fit as a warehouse, logistics, and spare parts employee given my technical background.”
He ended up saying yes, and today Martin has been with RH Pumper for five years.
Many hats, no routine
A typical workday begins, like so many others at RH Pumper, in the lunchroom—with coffee, hot chocolate, and a little morning chat with coworkers. Then it’s off to the computer.
“I’ll just skim through everything and see if there’s anything urgent that needs to be handled right away.”
If not, the journey continues into the warehouse. There, goods are unpacked, put away, and picked for the day’s tasks. The phone rings constantly. Some customers are missing spare parts; others need a pump right away.
It’s rare for a workday to follow a strict schedule.
“Here at the company, there’s not much that can’t be done.”
This also means that part of the job involves finding solutions when something needs to be procured quickly. Who has the item in stock? Who can deliver within the timeframe? This is often where a broad portfolio of suppliers proves its value.
More than “just a pump”
When Martin puts on his sales hat, his main focus is on finding the right solution for the customer. It sounds simple. It rarely is.
“Many people think it’s just a pump that moves water. But there are actually many different types of pumps. Even within the same category, there are significant differences in what they’re designed for.”
A large part of the time is spent unpacking and picking orders. Another large part is spent following up on deliveries.
“Has the item been shipped? Is it delayed? Did the supplier forget to notify us of something? And how does this affect the task it’s supposed to be used for?”
This is the kind of work that rarely gets noticed, but is essential to keeping operations running smoothly. When a technician is ready to take on a task, the replacement parts should ideally already be in place.
When Another Solution Is the Right One
What Martin finds most exciting are the situations where a customer asks for one solution but ends up getting an even better one.
“If a customer asks for a pump because that’s the one they’ve always used, and you then find a solution that works significantly better, that really makes a difference.”
One example came from a customer in Frederikssund. They had always used a contractor-grade submersible pump for a permanent installation, but the pump was not optimally sized for the job.
Martin sat down with one of the company’s engineers and worked out the solution. The result was eight new pumps.
“He called back and said it was the best thing he’d ever done. The pumps worked ten times better than the old system, and everything just ran smoothly.”
Those are the kinds of projects that stick with you. Not necessarily because they’re big, but because they make a real difference for the client.
40,000 cubic meters of sand
One of the projects Martin is particularly proud of is a harbor dredging project in Kalundborg.
A construction company needed a powerful pump that could handle water with a high sand content. That is exactly the type of task a submersible pump is designed for.
“They pumped 40,000 cubic meters of sand out of the harbor using just one pump. There was minimal replacement of spare parts, and the pump never stopped running.”
As if that weren’t enough, it turned out that another company could use the excavated sand.
“So everything was shipped on. Everyone was happy.”
A win-win, as Martin calls it.
These are the kinds of projects he likes to look back on—projects where the technical solution hits the mark and the result creates value across the board.
A Workplace in Transition
If Martin had to describe RH Pumper in one word, the answer is clear:
“Ready to adapt.”
Everyday life changes quickly, and a new task or challenge can always pop up out of the blue.
“We treat each other with respect, and no one speaks rudely to one another. I actually think we make a point of doing that.”
He also points out that RH Pumper is constantly evolving. New locations are being added, partnerships with new suppliers are expanding, and the product range is growing steadily.
This isn’t the right workplace for someone who wants every day to be the same.
“That’s also why I left the auto repair trade. I was just standing there looking at the same cars day in and day out.”
Pumps have become exciting
For Martin, his coworkers play a big role in his job satisfaction. He highlights the strong team spirit, the trusting leadership, and the informal atmosphere as some of the things that make RH Pumper a great place to work.
And then there are the pumps.
“It wasn’t something I gave a second thought to before I started here. I just thought, ‘It’s just a pump.’ But I have to admit that my perspective has changed. Pumps have actually become interesting.”
He smiles.
“That’s probably a little nerdy.”
At the end of the day
When the workday is over, I usually head straight home to my wife and two kids. Family comes first.
Every now and then, I work out with some great coworkers. And then there’s the motorcycle.
“There are quite a few people out here who ride motorcycles.”
It’s a shared interest that extends beyond working hours. A few times a year, a group of coworkers heads to Knutstorp Ring in Sweden.
“Everyone’s always making fun of each other. If you don’t drive properly, you’ll hear about it.”
He laughs.
For Martin, everything is connected. Riding his motorcycle teaches him to focus on the details. His family teaches him patience. Training gives him structure and endurance.
“Just go for it—in general.” It’s an approach that works well both at work and in life outside of RH Pumper.
