is
International policy
flourishes at the Floriade
The most important horticultural event in the world this year is the
Floriade in Zoetermeer, a town near The Hague. The exhibition is
the Rabobank Group's main sponsoring project in 1992. So the
bank is in evidence in many ways among all the flowers, trees and
plants. In particular, its international policy is highlighted by all
kinds of activities.
Kaoo
Issue 11/August 24, 1992 band
At the start of April, Queen Beatrix of
the Netherlands opened the Floria
de. That marked the climax of al-
most ten years of preparations. A direct
television broadcast told the Dutch public
aboutthe opening of this unique event. Until
11 October, visitors from all parts of the
world can find out all about the achieve-
ments of Dutch horticulture on the exhibi
tion complex covering an area of 70 hec
tares. In addition, the horticultural indus
tries in other countries have been given the
opportunity to lay out their own - sometimes
very exotic - gardens.
International The Queen's visit at-
tracted the inevitable attention, but the
Floriade 1992 is a focus of international in
terest for other reasons. It is the main inter
national horticultural event of the year. The
Netherlands sets the trend in this branch of
industry, but companies from over twenty-
five countries are participating in the exhibi
tion. Horticultural businesses, organizations
and government institutions are showing
their home-grown - or sometimes glass-
house-grown - products. Bulbs, flowers,
plants, vegetables and fruit play the leading
part here.
Themes The exhibition emphasizes
various themes relating to the international
horticultural industry: Distribution, Produc
tion, the Consumer, the Future, the Environ
ment, the World and Recreation. For example,
there is a special pavilion which shows the
efforts currently being made in the area of
the environment. In addition, in a very Dutch
system of water and dikes, visitors can also
see how the country defends itself against
the water. For that matter, the Floriade site
is 4.5 metres below sea level. The reaction
of some international visitors to that fact is
sometimes one of sheer disbelief.
Visitors In addition to royalty and pro
fessional visitors the organization in Zoeter
meer also expects many recreational visi
tors. Over 2,5 million people are expected,
many of whom - over one million - will come
from abroad. In 1990, 650,000 foreign
tourists came to view the sunflowers and
irises of Van Gogh in the Rijksmuseum in
Amsterdam and the Kröller Müller Museum
in Otterlo. The 'world's wonder garden' in
the Netherlands is encountering competition
as a tourist attraction from Mickey Mouse
and Donald Duck in the EuroDisney Park in
France.
Sponsoring The main sponsor of the
Floriade is the Rabobank Group, lts
involvement in the Dutch and international
agricultural sector and the great number of
visitors expected are the bank's main mo-
tives for sponsoring, lts insurance subsidi-
ary Interpolis is clearly demonstrating its ex
pertise by insuring everything at and relating
to the Floriade. De Lage Landen - Rabo-
bank's subsidiary in the leasing and fac-
toring fieid - has provided the finance for the
works of modern art which also make the
Floriade an international art event.
Rabo caterpillar The most important
sponsoring role is reserved for Rabobank it
self. Striking proofs of this are the cash
dispenser and Rabobank lookout tower lo-
cated on the site. Apart from flowers and
plants, animals can also be found at the
Floriade. The Rabo caterpillar is a very spe
cial example of these. A vehicle in Rabo-
bank's house colours creeps along the
monorail that winds its way through the ex
hibition. Finally, entry tickets for the Floriade
are sold to the Dutch public through the
local Rabobanks.
Meetings Many iocal banks are using
the special environment of the Floriade for
customer marketing purposes. Receivingcus-
tomers and non-customers on the exhibition
site offers a good opportunity to strengthen
ties or build up contacts. To this end, Rabo
bank is organizing a number of meetings at
the Floriade. For example, seminars for
trade and industry on doing business suc-
cessfully and for private customers on
investing. In addition, symposia have been
organized at the Floriade at which members
of the bank's Executive Board are present
ing a number of international studies on
various sectors in the horticultural industry.
The research for these has been carried out
by Rabobank together with the Agricultural
Economie Institute and are being published
in Dutch and Engiish, some also in German.
The Rabobank Group is the main sponsor of the
Floriade.
The Floriade is the most important international
horticultural event of the year.
Among others studies on the flower bulb
sector and the pot plants/cut flowers sector
appeared.
European Policy Days As usual, Rabo
bank is provingthat it is a single-minded and
progressive organization at the Floriade as
well, for one of the main Rabobank meetings
took place before the gates were opened
to the public. At the start of April the Inter
national Division of Rabobank Nederland
seized the opportunity to present the bank's
European policy to the managers of the local
Rabobanks. Just as the Floriade blossoms,
so Rabobank's European policy will flourish
optimally. That was the message that was
communicated loudly and clearly by various
representatives of the Division at the Euro
pean Policy Days.
Development Speaking in the Europa
hal at the Floriade, Rik Baron van Slinge-
landt, head of the International Division, out-
lined the development which has deter-
mined the bank's policy. 'Economie integra-
tion in Europe has great consequences for
business and industry and therefore also for
the local Rabobanks.' European unification
will result in businessmen being confronted
with new problems. For example, in the field
of tax regulations, approbation marks, trade
customs. Businesses come to their local
Rabobanks with these questions and an in-
creased demand for international funds
transfers and international financing con-
structions.
Quality 'For Rabobank, these changing
customer needs mean that we have to be at
the place where our customer asks for inter
national services. As far as Dutch business
and industry are concerned that mainly
means the European market', emphasized
Van Slingelandt. Rabobank endeavours to
offer its customers in other European coun
tries the same quality of services and prod
ucts as in its own country.
Build-up phase Van Slingelandt des-
cribed the development of Rabobank's inter
national business for his audience of bank
managers. Setting up an extensive network
of correspondent banks abroad was the first
step, with the settlement of international
funds transfers as the main activity. Building
