Eqraft Appoints Klaas van de Poppe as CEO to Drive Global Growth and Innovation

Eqraft announces the appointment of Klaas van de Poppe as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as of May 1, 2026. He succeeds Marcel Kampes, who is stepping down to focus on independent entrepreneurial projects in the areas of leadership and start-ups. 

With extensive international experience in the technology and industrial sectors, Klaas van de Poppe has held several management positions in large companies and SMEs during his career, particularly in the agricultural sector. 

Eqraft designs and manufactures processing lines as well as complete plants dedicated to the sorting, weighing and packaging of potatoes and onions around the world. The company provides both stand-alone machines and fully integrated high-tech systems, leveraging advanced software and artificial intelligence applications. 

For more than forty years, Eqraft has been supporting producers, processing companies and packaging companies to optimize their operations in a reliable and efficient way. Today, the company is a leading partner to the global post-harvest potato and onion industry, serving customers in Europe, North America and Australia. 

Eqraft is headquartered in Emmeloord, the Netherlands. The company also has offices in Goes and Richland, Washington, USA. Over the next few years, Eqraft intends to continue to grow in its current and new markets, accelerate technological innovation and further strengthen its after-sales services.

The origins of Eqraft date back to the 1980s. Marcel Kampes and Rutger Keurhorst have been jointly managing the company since 2019. Looking back on this period, Rutger Keurhorst confides that he has excellent memories of his collaboration with Marcel. 

Rutger Keurhorst, Managing Director and co-leader of Eqraft:

"Together, we have worked with determination to strengthen and develop the organization. This period has been full of challenges, but above all of progress and shared successes."

The arrival of Klaas van de Poppe opens a new chapter in the history of Eqraft.

Rutger Keurhorst:

"I look forward to continuing to build the future of Eqraft and the post-harvest potato and onion industry alongside Klaas and our teams."

This trust is also shared by Bart Aangenendt, Co-CEO of Hydratec Industries NV, majority shareholder of Eqraft since January 2025. 

Bart Aangenendt, Co-CEO of Hydratec Industries NV:

"We are delighted to welcome Klaas and are confident that he will lead Eqraft into a new phase of growth."

Klaas van de Poppe — Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eqraft:

"I am very excited to join the Eqraft team. By listening to our customers and pooling our knowledge and experience, we can continue to offer high-performance and cost-effective solutions for the sorting, weighing and packaging of potatoes and onions."