Arnold Terpstra sets down his coffee, leans forward slightly and looks you straight in the eye. “It’s not about me,” he says. Yet he’s the one who can tell the story like no other. A story of movement, of staying curious, and of working together on something bigger than any one of us alone.
Through a mutual connection, Arnold sat down with Gerrit Jan and Sjoukje. What began as an open conversation quickly grew into a collaboration built on trust and new plans. “The combination of technical craftsmanship and character immediately appealed to me,” Arnold explains. “That reliability, that practical mindset… But you could also sense that a few things were stuck. And that’s exactly where the opportunity was: how do you make something strong even stronger?”
In wetland areas, De Vries Cornjum has been a familiar name for years. Whether it’s mowing, clearing wood or cutting reed: as soon as nature allows, the team heads out. Behind all this visible activity, there’s a less-known world where plans are forged and machines are refined until they fit like a glove.
An important step in this growth is the integration of the former Hanze Wetlands BV into a new entity called De Vries Hanze BV within De Vries Cornjum. This not only brings together knowledge and experience, but also expands the range of services and allows us to support our clients even better. A strengthening of the foundation and a leap towards the future.
“We no longer want to hear the question: ‘What is it exactly that you do?’” Arnold says. “We are so much more than just that reed mower. We are a contractor in wetlands, a committed partner in nature management, and above all a company that keeps moving forward and dares to shape the future.”
Everything at De Vries Cornjum breathes progress. The machines, designed and built in-house with attention to detail, move effortlessly through the most unpredictable landscapes. But progress is not only in steel and engineering. It’s in the curious glance of a mechanic, in the question ‘how can it be done differently?’, in the shared drive to create something that truly makes a difference. It’s in every new step, big or small. “Standing still is not an option,” Arnold says thoughtfully. “Leading the way means not only having the latest machines, but also learning together, growing together, and raising the bar a bit higher every day.”
Right now, the future is being built in full swing. There are ambitious plans for a larger, new workshop — a place ready for tomorrow. The machine fleet is being updated, and the first lines of new prototypes are already on paper. But these machines are not paper dreams. They begin in the field, among the birds and the scent of wet reed, where mechanics and operators feel what is truly needed. Only then do the ideas make their way to the engineering team's drawing table, where practice and precision come together.
Sustainability here is not an extra chapter, but the start of every story. The solar panels have been faithfully catching sunlight for years, and with a home battery, that energy will soon be used even more efficiently. The CO₂ performance ladder is not a mere checklist, but a guide that gives direction to choices. Circular solutions go beyond materials and machines; they touch the core of the work in the field. The thousands of tons of biomass that result from nature management increasingly find new purposes — as raw material or biobased products. Not just disposal, but a conscious step to create more value and truly unburden the customer as a chain partner.
De Vries Cornjum doesn’t just work for itself but together with the entire chain. Collaborating with other companies, nature organizations, and suppliers ensures a stronger, future-proof approach. At the same time, the company invests heavily in the future of the profession: collaborating with schools, giving guest lectures, and actively inspiring and training young talent. Young people are encouraged not just to watch, but to join in, share their ideas, and take responsibility.
For young, hands-on professionals, there is a world of opportunities here. Whether you enjoy working outdoors, tinkering with unique machines, or thinking along about smarter processes: here, you are given space. Not an anonymous cog in a big system, but a full-fledged member of a team where your ideas are taken seriously and can become reality fast.
No thick reports or endless plans. The future of De Vries Cornjum is built every day: in the field, in the workshop, with people who dare and do. Arnold sums it up calmly: “We’re not just working on today. We’re building for tomorrow. Together. And anyone who wants to join is welcome. The coffee is always ready.”
Who is Arnold?
Arnold Terpstra (47) is a connector and motivator. This year, he is marrying Ilse, and together they form a blended family with three children. In his free time, he works on their stock car with his son and enjoys good food. His strength? Getting people moving — and keeping them moving — always with energy and an open mind.
