Court supplier designation: 'This was definitely worth it'

"Does it make sense to go up for the Court Supplier designation?" wondered Jetze Lont. "What is the added value for our family business and what does it bring to our employees?" It was more than he could suspect. Lont stands firmer and more confident than ever.

On Oct. 12, 2023, Lont was awarded the designation of Purveyor to the Court. The presentation was accompanied by praise for its role and significance to the region and the way in which three generations of Lont, in their own way, brought innovation to the organization. However, there was some preceding that. The articles of incorporation were checked, the company history was explored, working conditions went under the microscope and the financial situation was vetted. "It was a process of months. We had to provide supporting documents for everything. At the same time, it was a fascinating process of raising awareness. This was definitely worthwhile."

Enduring mission

Lont was founded in 1923 when grandfather Arjen started a carpentry business. A lot has changed since then, both in the work and in the challenges. At the same time, there are things that never changed. For example, the passion and dedication Arjen put into his work passed unabated from generation to generation. The same goes for his mission to be frugal. "We're talking about thrift in the broad sense of the word," Lont explains. "We are frugal with our dedicated partners, our employees and our region." 

Pure institution

Thanks to the process of securing the Court Supplier designation, Lont became more aware than ever of his roots. "I realize now that the lessons of our ancestors are deeply rooted in the DNA of our company. Their pure attitude allowed Lont to grow into the construction company it is today. My parents couldn't live in opulence before, nor was that their goal. They wanted to make beautiful products for the people in their area, and I knew from an early age that I wanted that too."

Economy again shine

This process of awareness also became the reason to rewrite the company mission statement. Under the motto "We give thrift shine again," the concept of thrift was looked at from an even broader perspective. "This brought us to being frugal with our planet and our materials," says an enthusiastic Lont. "As a matter of course, the terms 'sustainability' and 'circularity' fell into place and we had the stepping stone for our vision of the future."

Retaining humanity

Ten years ago, Lont was still among the medium-sized construction companies. Since then, many Frisian companies made the move to scale through mergers and partnerships. "We didn't do that. As a result, we are now among the few family-owned mid-sized companies. Still, we are happy with this position. For us, construction is about so much more than bricks and mortar. Within our company it is inevitable that you know each other, that you trust each other and know what is going on in each other's lives. We are now aware that we want to maintain that humanity." 

Since the 100th anniversary and the award of the designation of Purveyor to the Court, the employees have not missed an opportunity to share their vision. Customers are informed about the added value of sustainable products and the long-term financial benefits. "Fantastic isn't it? Working together on green, sustainable living environments."