Event Case: The anniversary of SEIN at the versatile Claus

February 18, 2025

Locations truly come to life during an event! That’s why greatervenues.com highlights the most beautiful venues in the Event Case section. In this episode, we speak with Kees Rutten from SEIN and Lisa Kuijer, who is responsible for events at Claus Events. They take us along and share insights about their successful collaboration for SEIN’s 140th anniversary. SEIN is the expertise center for epilepsy and sleep medicine.

It’s no coincidence that Kees – one of the organizers of this event – ended up choosing neighboring Claus Events. “We organized our last three anniversary parties at Claus; a beautiful venue. For us, it’s the perfect choice,” says Kees. “Organizing an anniversary for 1350 people can only go right the first time, because there’s no second chance. We showed what we can do and proved that these high expectations can be met,” says Lisa. The brief was clear: an event full of relaxation, coziness, and connection. The SEIN anniversary was truly meant to be a celebration of their 140th anniversary. The very diverse guests were treated like VIPs. A wonderful evening filled with entertainment and surprising acts.

Claus Events

Kees: “Claus has a lot to offer and did an amazing job with this project. The versatility of this venue makes it a unique place. We wanted all SEIN employees to experience a sense of coziness, warmth, and quality, and this was perfectly executed by the team at Claus.”

Claus created the ultimate guest experience thanks to the atmospheric Brazilian restaurant, 20 bowling lanes, and various themed rooms. Lisa: “Each space has its own character and atmosphere, which we also incorporated into the event. The food experience, such as the Churrasco Rodizio concept, perfectly matched the Brazilian entertainment, including a brass band. The bowling area was fully designed in a 50’s USA diner style, with burgers, hot dogs, and rock ‘n’ roll. The Patio – the largest room at Claus – was the vibrant heart of the event and connected the different spaces to complete the overall experience.”

Lisa: “During this anniversary party, the challenge was to allow SEIN’s guests to move around as freely as possible, without congestion, and to ensure an even distribution across the rooms: no room too crowded or too empty. The choice of various fresh and flavorful F&B concepts, combined with suitable entertainment, also had to be evenly distributed. Our goal was for the guests to be pleasantly surprised everywhere, both in taste and experience.”

Both indoors and outdoors were combined, with various food trucks offering all kinds of ‘guilty pleasures’ on the terraces. You could go in and out at several points: there was no fixed path to follow. “You could experience the event in many different ways, and that was really our starting point. Each guest could have their own story about the event, with the anniversary being the central theme, of course. When you’re dealing with such a diverse group of people, it’s also important to pay a lot of attention to the entertainment. A perfect example was the band ‘The Originals.’ They fit perfectly with such a diverse group. Finally, at the request of the organization, Wolter Kroes provided a spectacular finale,” says Lisa.

Creative solutions

Claus is expected to open a new 1,000 m² hall by the end of 2025, but for this occasion, the creative team at Claus created space by setting up a large stretch tent next to the building, called ‘The SEIN Square.’ This quickly demonstrated Claus’s creativity and problem-solving approach. Fully in style with hay bales, cowgirls, and a smokehouse barbecue. “In hindsight, we were very happy with this because it really added something extra to our event,” says Kees. “You can tell that the team at Claus is very experienced and flexible. They immediately started looking for solutions and possibilities within our budget,” Kees continues.

An investment

“When a client visits more often, you notice it has an impact on the collaboration. You get to know each other and understand what you can expect from one another. Such a relationship really benefits your event,” says Lisa. Kees: “The lines are short here. We personally know the owner, Rick Claus, by now. There are no different layers, just direct communication and clear agreements. We know it’s being done well, and that gives a lot of trust.”

“Especially in such a long-term relationship, Claus must continue to innovate. You need to keep surprising a regular client. As a surprise, we had a beautiful design created for the big LED screen, where we welcomed everyone,” says Lisa. “We thought it was so cool. That really earned them some extra points. The decoration was absolutely perfect,” adds Kees. “Personal service comes first for us. The atmosphere among our guests and staff was fantastic. Then you really realize what such a good collaboration means for your event. When we see all those happy faces, we enjoy it to the fullest,” says Lisa.

Multi-day events

The secret of Claus? Lisa: “Get to know your guests. When you understand what drives them, you also know where the opportunities lie.” This makes the venue, in addition to being an event location, also a reliable sparring partner. They focus on the collaboration with the client, the event agency, and the end customer.

A nice bonus: the Courtyard by Marriott hotel – part of the Claus Group – is located right next to the event venue, literally just a stone’s throw away. With 260 rooms and various meeting rooms, multi-day events at Claus are no problem. The combination of personal attention, creativity, versatility, and the hotel makes Claus a unique setting for all kinds of business events!

Read the full article from Greater Venues here