IN MEMORIAM – Sander Splinter, a highly respected figure in the industry, sadly passed away following a battle with lung cancer. He was a board member of ESTA and a strong advocate of industry-wide cooperation, especially in the area of safety standards. 

At the time of his death, Sander Splinter was managing director of ERIKS Nederland, the specialist industrial services and engineering company, a position he had held for just over three years.

Before that he had worked for Mammoet for almost 18 years, latterly as Managing Director for Europe. Such was Sander’s reputation that many in the industry thought he would return to Mammoet at some stage in an even more senior role.

After graduating in mechanical engineering in 1994, Sander gained a degree in Technical Business Administration from the Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, the Netherlands.

In 2000 he joined Mammoet and his career began to take off. He spent three years as Branch Manager for the main office of Mammoet Nederland, then was appointed director of Mammoet’s crane rental business in the Benelux region. By January 2010 he had been appointed Managing Director of Mammoet Nederland but within less than two years he had been promoted again, to the position of Managing Director of Mammoet Europe.

Sander had long been a strong advocate of industry-wide cooperation, especially in the area of safety standards, and in 2011, he became a Board member of Dutch association Vereniging Verticaal Transport (VVT) and also joined the ESTA Board, becoming President of ESTA’s Section Cranes.

He held these positions for six and a half years with great energy only stepping down when he joined ERIKS. In his time with ESTA he ensured that improving safety in the industry was the main focus of debate within the Section Cranes and the agenda of every meeting included a major discussion on an important – and often new – health and safety issue.

He also stressed the importance of good cooperation with the crane manufacturers on environmental and safety standards, and successfully stimulated wide-ranging and productive debates.

“Sander’s knowledge, commitment and support will be greatly missed”, ESTA says.