general/economy

The Netherlands is still experiencing slight economic growth (1.1 per cent). In the coming years too, growth will be limited to just under 1 per cent. This growth is inhibited in particular by huge geopolitical volatility. There is unrest in the Middle East, a protracted war in Ukraine, the trade war between the US and almost every country in the world, immigration problems in Europe and the US, tightness in labour markets... And we could go on and on.

Jan Wiebe Ottink has been active in the metal and aluminium sector for more than 40 years. His career once started at Koninklijke Hoogovens, now Tata Steel, but after years of working for big companies, he decided to change tack. "I was fed up and wanted to start for myself. Just then, I was approached by a persistent headhunter. Two days later, I was sitting at the table with an Englishman who would subsequently be my boss at Amari for 23 years."

In 2025, the euro-dollar exchange rate has taken a remarkable turn. While economists initially expected a decline in the euro against the dollar due to the escalating trade war, the opposite has happened: the euro has risen by almost 10% against the dollar this year. This unexpected move is the result of an interplay of monetary, political and geopolitical factors, with US politics and Federal Reserve (Fed) policy in particular playing a central role.

Bakeplus is a leading supplier with a wide range of ingredients for bakers, pastry chefs, ice cream makers and food companies. With three warehouses in the Netherlands and one in Belgium, they relieve their customers of the entire supply chain. With branded products, private labels, hardware and imports. Bakeplus not only has a very complete product range, the approachable organisation grows with the market and its customers. Personal contact is their way of providing their customers with the right supply chain support. 

If you ask co-owner and lawyer Robbert Goossens of Mariënberg Incasso Services how our economy is doing, he has no straightforward answer. Nobody can look into the future. What Robbert does look at is the number of bankruptcies in the recent period. Robbert: "Everyone thought that the companies artificially kept in coma with coronasteun would cause a tsunami of bankruptcies. We obviously keep a close eye on the figures and that tsunami is not that bad. Still, the general thinking is that the blow is yet to come. For now, it seems to be holding off. We hear and read scare stories about the recession, but maybe the economy is doing better than we think. People continue to spend money." 

Orbis Risk Partners navigates the world of maritime transport as a specialist insurance broker and risk advisor. Together with its clients, Orbis Risk Partners analyses risks to determine a strategy and manage it effectively. Frederik de Preter, Managing Director, co-founder of Orbis Risk Partners: "Our clients include owners of cargo, ships, barges and transport containers. They operate in a challenging market and have mobile assets. In short, we support them in terms of risk management. So they can focus on their deals and local trade in a constantly changing market."   

Since 2024, Xolv is a proud partner of the ICBA, the largest international network of intermediaries specialising in credit insurance. From 14 to 16 May, we attended the annual ICBA congress in Istanbul. An inspiring gathering where over 80 specialists from more than 40 countries came together to share knowledge, exchange experiences and, of course, plenty of networking. All with one aim: to serve our internationally operating clients even better.

Everyone wants fewer rather than more rules, but it seems we are getting more and more rules imposed by the government but certainly also the EU. And there will be new regulations on how companies should invoice. Within a few years, this must be done entirely digitally and processed directly in administrations.

Who would have thought a few years ago that the world order would change so drastically? Whereas the United States, Western Europe, Canada and other Western countries were loyal allies for years, relations now seem to have shifted dramatically. On 2 April last year, Trump declared Liberation Day. In doing so, he announced hefty import tariffs: on a wide range of countries, including the European Union (20%). In fact, all foreign cars are subject to a tariff of 25%.

International trade brings opportunities, but also challenges. One of the big risks you face is currency risk. Fluctuations in exchange rates can significantly affect your profit margins. In addition, external factors such as political events, economic instability or legal measures in your trading partner's country can delay or even block payment of invoices.