Agri is one of the most traditional markets there is, and Albert Wesenhagen, Senior Advisor at RVJ Cargo Inspections, has watched it closely for more than 46 years. “Weight determination, quality, and correct sampling as per the applicable contracts — that is our mandate as an inspection company, and it was exactly the same fifty years ago,” he says.

So has nothing changed? Not quite. The range of agri products and by-products has widened over the years, even if the products themselves are much the same. What changed most is how the facts are established. “The weighing equipment became far more accurate and better operated. It became verifiable. It is no longer a matter of estimation — the facts are recorded, registered, certified, and the installations are calibrated.”

Handling has moved on too: far fewer parcels are now carried with separations in the same hold, preventing much of the damage that used to come with it.

Albert also helped shape RVJ’s own reporting standards, making the layout of the report — and the surveyor’s general observations — a standard part of every report. “I have never liked holding on to a fixed rhythm, year after year. You have to keep looking for what can be better. The layout should invite the client to read the report.”

That, Albert says, is how progress works in a market like this: not in leaps, but in steps, each one earned through consistency and trust. “It is a traditional market. You build a position steadily, or you don’t build one at all.”

This is part 2 of a 3-part series with Albert Wesenhagen. Part 3 covers his view on AI in inspection work.