Meet the Staff
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]2LT – Ivo Rigter Jr
Sr. Engineer, Project manager & Co-Owner
As long as I can remember I’m interested in technique. To give an example: I try to build my own airplane when I was 5 years old…… At the age of 13 I started my first restoration project. It was a wrecked Suzuki RM380. It took me 2 years to complete it but I learned a lot. From the age of 16 I was, next to high powered Nissan sports cars, a Suzuki RG Racer and some other high powered vehicles, attracted by Military vehicles.
In our company I’m responsible for the engine department, electrical works and as project manager responsible for several ongoing restoration projects.
Next to the above I’m also BAIV’s webmaster and responsible for vehicle training. If you buy a tank at our company I will be your partner for driver & maintenance training.
You can contact me at: Contact Ivo Jr[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CPT – Ivo Rigter Sr.
Founder & Owner
On my 16th, I began with the restoration of a Willys jeep. The ‘paal 16 express’ named to the beach pole were the Jeep stayed behind after the war to supply the local beach club. It was my first adventure because of the influence of the seawater there was little left.
After that there followed a number of jeeps, Dodge’s and different vehicles such as a pair 25 Pdr. Howitzers, a Harley WLA, a C15TA, an International Halftrack, a beautiful Humber Armoured car, 2 T34’s and finally the first Priest M7B1.
I’m optimistic, energetic jovial and a passionate team builder and entrepreneur. Based on my technical background I founded several companies, all successful, in as well the trading as project business. I’m a Solution Provider. Nothing is impossible. “Unorthodox Solutions” are! Happy to serve you.
You can contact me at: Contact Ivo Sr[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CSM – Ruud Caspers
Workshop Manager / Chef d’atelier
I’m a passionate car professional, hard core technician and have an extensive managerial background in the automotive sector. I consider myself a pro-active, enthusiastic, and very dedicated person with great perseverance. I know how to run a workshop but for me most important is to serve our clients in case of small maintenance until complex and difficult restorations. After many years in the automotive sector I will as coach and technical expert enjoy and develop the military vehicle business. For the upcoming months my goal is to further professionalize BAIV as a company and provide optimal service and productivity to our customers and business partners. Therefore our workshop will be reorganized and crew will be further expanded with two mechanics. Furthermore the development of third-party maintenance for all sorts of historic military vehicles will get a much more substantial role into our operations. In short: BAIV will develop rapidly and I hope to welcome you soon in our fantastic workshop.[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]SPC – Vincent Kooijman
Foreman & Technician
Vincent likes to create something. Working on Military Vehicles is for Vincent a Top job!
From the first day Vincent was enthusiast about BAIV.
The technical part in combination with the passion for technical issues and historic military vehicles and all work related to restore these type of complex military history gives him great fun.
Vincent also has the correct size to drive British tanks so he is often in this narrow spaced area. When you visit our workshop he likes to tell you more about his great passion.[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]SGT- Erwin Beijk
Foreman & Electrical Technician & IT Specialist
Erwin repaired already things when he was very young. When he was 12 he started to work on small engines and all kind of electrical equipment and electronics.
He is a very practical technician and his major drive is to get old stuck vehicles in perfect running condition.
Next to this he is a specialist in electrics, electronics and even computers. After working for several restoration companies restoring cars from the fifties and sixties Erwin recently decided to switch to Military Vehicles.
For Erwin this is a nice challenge to bring old historical vehicles back on the road.
He would like to expand the BAIV electrical department. Getting electrical equipment back into full operation and ready for “the battle” is his passion.
So if you want to service the electrical equipment in your MV Erwin most probably will be the engineer who is going to work on it.
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]SPC – Martijn van Kuijk
Foreman & Technician
Martijn is a multi employable hardworking mechanic. Familiar with all technical work related to vehicles and vehicle related systems and knowing how to analyze and resolve malfunctions.
Also happy to be in a junkyard. This made him ticking! The right posture for tanks.
Starting his career in a Bicycle repair shop. After that he worked as mechanic / service engineer on heavy equipment for road construction and the agricultural industry.
He even worked at DAF Trucks as assembly engineer on the final assembly line.
Within BAIV Martijn is Specialist in Starting up projects. Specialist in dedicated disassembly jobs, instruments, sheet metal jobs, straightening and heavy construction.
Always in for new challenges and every day enthusiastic to work on MV’s.[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CPL- Claudia Koppens
Mechanic & Technician
Since my childhood I already repair things on my parent’s farm. At a later age, I started working in a car garage and now I can even work with military vehicles and restore them! It is wonderful to combine my interest for history with my passion for assembly! Next to this my height stature is very handy since I fit almost anywhere on, under or in between.
I’m a perfectionist and aim for the best results! It pleases me to see a rusty lump of iron gradually turn into a beautiful vehicle! Marvelous! I’ve even shed a tear when I saw Comet Celerity move with the veterans at the W&P show! [/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CPL- Joep van der Velden
My earliest memories all involve cars, trucks and motorbikes. If it has an engine, I want to figure out how to pull it apart and then put it back together again. Better, if possible!
Around the age of 13 my passion for motor-vehicles grew with the addition of an equal passion for WW-II history and facts. The obvious direction for me to go was to get my hands on one and restore it. However, I soon realized that might be out of reach just now so I settled for joining a study to become a professional Mechanic, in hopes of finding a company specializing in the big, bulky machines of war used so many years ago.
After finishing this, there was no prospect of finding such a company so I turned my gaze upon something else, different in all ways but one: History. I became the student of an authentic Blacksmith, specializing in Germanic reproductions. During my time here I learned a lot about the properties of different kinds of metal, and how to process it using both modern and ancient tools or machines. This instilled a touch of creativity inside, together with a drive to work my way straight through the problems I find during my work. [/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CPL- Milan Geerlings
Mechanic & Technician
I have a passion for cars. I got my first car from my grandfather in 2004. This needed a lot of TLC (Tender Love and Care) which I enjoyed a lot. Many cars followed since that one.
I started my personal career in a construction company in Panheel in the Southern part of The Netherlands. There I learned to work with sheet metal and steel constructions. Parallel I did some work in a car maintenance shop.
I was introduced to BAIV in 2016. I was very excited to work for this company. Working on historic tanks and armored cars was a great challenge for me. These vehicles brought freedom to Europe. For me it’s a great privilege to restore these vehicles to their original condition.
BAIV is like a family to me. The passion for these historic vehicles is the base for a strong team. I enjoy the work together with my colleagues every day. The thing I like the most is making a new product out of scrap.
If you come to visit us I’m more than happy to show you around.
February 28th 2017 Milan Geerlings[/ezcol_1half_end]
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[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]CPL- Maik van Boxmeer
Mechanic & Technician
Since i was a little kid, i have always been interested in taking things apart and figuring out how it works and what mechanism was used. Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been interested in taking things apart and figuring out how they work and what mechanics are used. I have always been very passionate about the history of WW-II and the vehicles they used back then, especially tanks and weapons, and at some point I have even considered joining the army. I have always liked cars, and when I became eighteen years old I bought my first car, a Mercedes 190e. Slowly but surely my father and I worked on this car and through this process I learned more and more about the mechanics. In 2015 I decided I wanted to fully restore a car and so I bought a Mercedes 190e 2.3 16v. This is a good example that shows, that I like creating a concept and realizing it by making it a real, working product. I can put all my creativity in it. In the past I have worked at a car company as a driver. Although I would have never pictured myself as a (car) mechanic, working on historical armored vehicles is very interesting and I am very eager and grateful to learn a lot about the subject while working for the company BAIV B.V.! [/ezcol_1half_end]