Nedcon Magazine Summer 2020 English

magazine

JULY

2020

6 16 22

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

CAN WE GO ANY FASTER?

HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT

KRAMER PFERDESPORT THE HOBBY OF

RUBEN VOSKAMP

1

CONTENTS A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

HELMUT SCHOLTEN

4 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

12

CAN WE GO ANY FASTER? I PASS THE PEN ON TO…

WOUTER BRUGGERS HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT

KRAMER PFERDESPORT DE HOBBY OF...

RUBEN VOSKAMP

22

6

16 COLOPHON EDITORS

WORKING AT HOME

20

COLUMN BY KASPER VRIJBLOED

25

Gerard Kant Rob van Lier William Krabbenborg Kristian van Petersen Beinte Groen Kasper Vrijbloed Volker Müller Alle Diks Amber Hengevelt

FINISHED PROJECTS

26

DESIGN

AND FURTHER...

ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

10,14,28,35

loek & feel

EVENTS 30 PRINT GETTING BACK IN TIME WITH THIJS DE JONG

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32

Drukkerij Westerlaan

PREFACE

DEAR COLLEAGUES, We already find ourselves in the summer of 2020.

Time passes quickly and a lot can happen in a short time. Also within NEDCON. To begin with, the undersigned has taken over from Edwin Bolwerk.

Last December, when you were celebrating Christmas together, I could not foresee that I would be working at NEDCON in 2020. In my own hometown!

Of course, the biggest change of the past six months has taken place within our society. Who would have thought that we should embrace themes like ‘’social distancing’’ and that COVID-19 can disrupt so many people’s lives. Let us hope that the relaxation of measures can continue gradually and that we can interact again as before. And above all, being able to celebrate our successes together.

Also for NEDCON it was (and still is) to wait and see what effect this whole situation will have. At first it seemed to become somewhat critical for us with regard to a number of assignments immediately after the outbreak, but soon after the initial panic in various countries it turned out that most of the projects could continue as normal. Furthermore, also the production in Pardubice was able to continue operations. It is also important that the internal

adjustment to the situation (working from home, keeping distance, measures in production) went well, for which we thank you!

In the meantime, everything indicates that this year will again be an excellent business year with many beautiful projects in progress. Think, for example, of the Siemens – Henkel project in the United States, which you can learn more about in this edition.

Fortunately, we are fully active in a number of market segments in which investments are still, and even increasingly, being made. This does not mean we can sit still. In the coming year we will continue to work hard on our strategy so that NEDCON with or without corona can look forward to a prosperous future.

Back to me personally, I can only say that it is a pleasure to be part of this.

I wish each of you a lot of reading pleasure and stay healthy!

Best Regards, Hans Jacobs

PREFACE

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AFTERSALES INSPECTOR

HELMUT SCHOLTEN Every day, Aftersales Inspector Helmut Scholten guarantees the safety of our racks in the Dutch distribution centers and warehouses. A position that means getting up early, traveling a lot and working days that cannot be predicted. But also interesting customer conversations, freedom and a lot of personal responsibility. Helmut takes us along one morning, to learn more about his position!

5:30 AM – TIME TO GET UP I already start my day on time because it takes me an hour and a half to arrive at the first customer. My packed lunch is already waiting for me and in half an hour I am ready to hit the road. This morning I visit a new customer in Beilen to inspect his racks, which were installed in 1994 and have not been checked for five years. I wonder what we will find!

8:00 AM – ARRIVAL AT THE CUSTOMER I usually arrive at the first customer around 8:00 am. I plan at most two appointments per day because it is usually impossible to predict in what state you will find the racking. Safety is paramount importance to one customer, while others are less aware of this. There may also be few damage in one year, but you will soon find something else within a short period of time. I always try to gauge how a (new) customer views safety before I enter the warehouse.

8:30 AM – START OF INSPECTION After an explanation to the customer about what the inspection entails, we can start. At first glance there is little damage to be seen, but this changes as soon as I approach the racks closer. Good concentration is therefore essential, many damages are ‘’hidden’’ and are not immediately noticeable. For calculating damages, I use the standard according to EN 51635. Damages are divided into three categories: green, orange and red. Green means that there must not be an immediate action on the damage that has been found (but must be monitored), and for red, in principle, the rack must be unloaded immediately. However, the responsibility for this lies with the customer. Our role is to advise the customer on the consequences. Experience has shown that nine out of ten customers take care of the advice and repair. I record all damage in an overview on my tablet and send it to the customer the same day.

9:15 AM – BRACING DAMAGES After 45 minutes, I have a good picture of the damage in this warehouse. I see various damage to the frame bracing. The photo shows a horizontal that was probably damaged during the loading and unloading process of the pallets with forklift trucks. This damage is common in almost all warehouses.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

10:15 AM – TIME FOR COFFEE Coffee breaks are always a good time to get to know the customer and his employees better. It regularly happens that a new order is created through these informal conversations. Not only the inspection, but also the direct customer contact that I have every day through this position is very valuable. You build a bond and you can immediately provide the customer with a piece of advice.

10:30 AM – FIVE TO GO After the break, there are still five aisles to go. When an aisle has been checked, I add a new inspection sticker to the load sign plate as shown in the photo. This sticker indicates until when the check is valid and when an appointment for a new check can be scheduled. The initiative for this lies with the customer, but Claudia Bruijs often writes to our customers in advance. The customers appreciate this very much!

11:00 AM – TO MEASURE IS TO KNOW In the photo you can see that I have noticed a damage to this upright. If you look closely, you can see that the upright is slightly bent inwards. I look at how deep the bend is to determine which marking I should give the damage: green, orange or red. The damage is limited (and thus receives the orange label) and may no longer be loaded after unloading. I again note this in the inspection overview on the tablet.

11:45 AM – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? CHECK! After a three-hour inspection, it is time to go to the next customer. I have just gone through the inspection document with the customer and agreed that he will receive this today.

I usually do this from home in the afternoon. I also send the results to Ziadin Shala. Based on this, he makes an offer for the customer to decide what to do with it. Our task, creating awareness and advising on how to create the safest warehouse possible, has been completed!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF HELMUT SCHOLTEN

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| NR | JULY 6 NEDCONNECT NEDCON MAGAZINE 2020 1 2020

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT THE ROUTE TO AN OPTIMIZED FATIGUE DESIGN

CAN WE GO ANY FASTER?

By Beinte Groen

In today’s world, almost anything can be ordered online. In many cases, there will be a ‘next-day-delivery’ guarantee as well. All of this is possible thanks to highly automated warehouse systems with incredible order-picking speeds. Speeds that are only possible if everything, hardware and software, is perfectly matched and aligned with each other. Crane, shuttle, racking and warehouse-management-systems rely on each other. The weakest link is determinative for the speed of the entire system.

As NEDCON, we are very experienced with automatic systems: miniload and palletized systems come in all types and combinations. Different system integrators all have their own specific needs and wishes, which we can fulfill any time. In the recent years, automated systems have become bigger and bigger, multi-million warehouses are no exception anymore. So what can we expect for the future? Our knowledge and reliability makes it possible to realize projects of this size. Read this article and find out how our technical know-how is still improved every year and why our products are so reliable.

at all. However, with fatigue, small cracks appear on the surface and grow a little bit with each repetition. Eventually these cracks grow so big that they are visible with the naked eye and form a serious danger to the structural integrity of the system. When the component is loaded one more time, SNAP! You’re done.

Try bending a paperclip back and forth a couple of times, it breaks. In real life, fatigue takes some time to develop, and that is exactly why it is such a dangerous topic. We only know after 15 years if we made a mistake in our design, and if we did, we have sold that mistake many years!

SNAP!

For NEDCON this means that we have to know exactly which components are sensitive for fatigue damage and which are not. Our satellite rail is such a component that is prone for fatigue: A heavy shuttle drives over this very thin profile over and over again. In projects this rail can cover spans up to two meters and carry loads up to 1200kg.

When a warehouse is operational for 15 years the shuttle may pass

In automated warehouses, most pick and place operations are very similar. During the lifetime of a warehouse, they occur many, many times (in the millions!) and therefore automated systems are prone to fatigue failure.

Fatigue failure is the weakening of a material when it is loaded and unloaded repeatedly. The component can hold the load for a single time easily, no problem

a certain point several hundred thousand times. In other words: fatigue.

Normally we would never sell a system in which cracks can appear during the lifetime of the warehouse. However, in 2018 NEDCON is confronted with a completely new chapter in fatigue failure. What kind of cracks are acceptable with respect to safe operation and functionality? And for how long?

The $$$ Project The first project in which we could show the improved satellite rail is Siemens-Henkel. A huge project in the United states that is a challenge for the entire company.

Siemens pushed us to put a thinner rail in the quotation than we would normally do. They even told us they don’t mind cracks in the rail, as long as the structural stability is not compromised and the cracks are not visible for the first ten years. This is entirely new to us and we could not do that without knowing 100% sure that it would be safe, not only now but also 15 years later. Therefore, we

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: CAN WE GO ANY FASTER?

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Micro cracks slowly appear in the inner radius of the rail.

These cracks are only visible using magnetic spray.

started testing in mid-2018 on our unique pallet-shuttle test setup. Today, half a million cycles and a 1,5mm thinner rail than in the quotation, we started with the execution of the project.

Theory is one thing, practice another...

Unfortunately, fatigue is a very difficult subject for calculations.

Using the available theory you usually end up with a design that is more than sufficient. It’s even a bit

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Cracks are allowed for Siemens-Henkel. The above picture shows crack-growth investigations. Does this look safe to you?

over-done, material thickness could be reduced. That is why we are so happy to test our own components and that we can include all positive (and negative!) effects that theory forgets. In 2018, NEDCON has invested in test set-ups to identify risks and opportunities. Two fullscale test set-ups are built for our bin stored goods and our palletized goods. Both machines have been running for some time now, gathering useful information for us and enabling us to further improve

our design. Full-Scale testing has the big advantage that nothing can be overlooked: We are testing reality! This also means that every once in a while we are surprised by something new, something the theory did not predict. We keep on learning from our tests: Theory is one thing, practice another.

Where full-scale testing gives us very honest information, it does take a long time to finish. In order to reduce the time it takes to get

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Luckily, Siemens also agreed that this rail was too thin…

the information, we can use our newest test machine: The HighCycle Fatigue machine (HCFMachine). This machine is built to test small test specimens at a very high frequency, up to 100 cycles per seconds! That’s 6000 times faster as our full-scale test set-up. Its main feature is a very sensitive and high-speed hydraulic cylinder with precision pumps and sensors. With this machine we are able to test small sections and connections.

Big improvements in small details Fatigue is one of the biggest challenges for the future, and thanks to the rise in automation, it is becoming more and more relevant to fully understand fatigue failure. Knowing what exactly happens enables us to reduce material thickness, eliminate risks, optimize our designs, simplify production and sell our product at a competitive price while maintaining good

margins. Big improvement can be made in small details. Let us be ready for tomorrow and keep on testing, keep on learning, and keep on NEDCON! ■

The full-scale test setup for palletized goods. A slow but beautiful machine.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: CAN WE GO ANY FASTER?

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1

WIM GRAS PLANNER INSTALLATION - 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? A lot has happened within NEDCON in my 40 years. I think I was number 28 on the payroll and I have seen many hundreds coming in. The festive evenings, trips and sporting events were always special.

But I also remember a low point due to the economic crisis, which forced many colleagues to leave the company.

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? The enormous economic growth that NEDCON has experienced.

From many Dutch customers to worldwide sales with impressive projects.

Did you think you would be working for NEDCON for so long?

Actually, I never thought about that. Those 40 years of service have flown silently afterwards. My advice if the work permits: take a stroll through the beautiful building. There are many hotspots where you can chat with colleagues!

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WIM FROON INSTALLATION FACILITY OFFICER - 40 YEARS OF SERVICE What positions have you completed?

I started as a welder in NEDCON’s T.D. and then worked in the Assembly department. I have learned a lot and had a great time everywhere.

What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

The stuff that was developed for projects with colleagues.

Only to hear that it works well is a great thing to me!

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

It is a wonderful company, a good employer and the social services are perfect.

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ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020 JAAP BRINKENBERG SITE SUPERVISOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? The miniload was popular when I started at NEDCON. My first construction was a satellite rack. Later on the shuttles. At one point the Assembly department was split, I now work at Key Accounts. You always experience the latest systems and developments in practice from the start.

What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

I am most proud of a well-delivered project that nevertheless presented certain challenges. A challenge can arise in any area, but building it in such a way that the customer has no idea that there was even a problem gives satisfaction.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

The different racking systems that you build, each time at a different location. The Installation teams and the contact persons of the customers also differ per job. Those changes keep it challenging and fun.

JEROEN VAN DE KOLK PROJECT MANAGER - 25 YEARS OF SERVICE

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What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? The charisma and views of Ruud Hollander, one of the two founders.

In addition, the size and intensity of projects such as British Airways, Mercadona and Migros and the possibility and confidence placed in me to develop the KNAPP department. The loss of a number of valued colleagues has been very hard on me.

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? The emergence of ‘’Silo’s’’. About 10 years, with a relatively small club, serving KNAPP. In the beginning, we started at about zero. Now we are more than a fixed value to them.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

The passion I have for what I do (and have done) and what concerns me! Having fun in what you do is important because it takes a lot of free time ;-).

ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

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HEAD OF SITE SUPERVISORS

WOUTER BRUGGERS try to build a Lego GBC-module and to solve the Rubiks 3*3 within 30 seconds. But I really do not train enough for that. I can now also solve the 4*4 and 5*5. Nice combination is the Mindcub3r, see photo!

What can we wake you up for at night?

A warm apple pie with whipped cream and a scoop of ice cream.

Is there a (famous) person you would like to get to know better??

Floortje Dessing (a Dutch presenter). I keep finding her an interesting type.

By Kristian van Petersen

What is your name?

Do you have a motto that you would like to share with colleagues?

Wouter Bruggers

‘Life’s a party, but you have to do the decorating yourself’ and ‘How can we execute the next project even better?’

In service since?

Which dream do your prefer to come true?

February of 2016

A travel time of 10 minutes from Amersfoort to NEDCON. More realistic: a mountain hut tour in the Himalayas!

What is your position at NEDCON? Head of Site Supervisors. Prior to that, I was Manager Installation. I also was once approached for the position of Manager Continuous Improvement.

Where were you born?

Gouda. I was raised in Bodegraven and Delft.

What is your best trait?

I have a genuine interest in the drive of others.

And if you have to name a bad trait?

I do not know if you can regard this as a trait, but I eat too much candy. And I would not ­recommend leave a packet of syrup waffles open when I am around…

What music do you prefer to listen to?

That is very diverse and somewhat ‘’wrong’’ music is allowed. From Yann Tiersen, to Tropical Danny and Therapy. In the car, I listen a lot to Ibiza Lounge.

What are your hobbies?

Playing hockey and guiding my children’s hockey. I also

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What do you like to do on weekends?

1. Enjoy a barbecue with friends.

2. Take a long walk with my family in the forest.

We have been doing this for years and now often in ‘Dierenpark Amersfoort’ (zoo). Lots of trees, lots to see, our smallest cannot escape and they have apple pie with whipped cream. We come there around 35 to 40 times a year.

I PASS THE PEN ON TO…

Which news has impressed you most in the past six months?

That we as a society are vulnerable if we do not consciously deal with nature and each other. Now it is a virus (from animal to human), next time it may just be something that people have invented themselves.

Logical structures are under tension (banking sector, collapsing prices). On the other hand, I also see redundancy (‘’to look out for one another’’). The shelves in the supermarkets are full and there is good action from politics and as a society.

What is your favorite way of spending your holidays?

To go to France with a tent.

Preferably in a mountainous place surrounded by rivers. Although I also find mountain tours with three discovering boys quite exciting.

problems and names got faces.

Actually, all meetings where the team is complete are great!

organize the success internally!

Is there a nice project that you still remember very well?

I would keep very much the same, but: 1. Install a Snicker machine (I some­ times feel like chocolate around 4 pm).

2. Organizing capacity to organize improvements.

Many projects have something beautiful: the height at Ausnutria, the vastness of Euro Car Parts, the watch work in Trondheim, the beauty of sites in Switzerland. Oh, Miele in Gernsheim was also impressive. It has been there for a long time and we have built on it while it was in operation!

What other position within NEDCON would you like to fulfill for a week?

If you were CEO for a day, what would you do or change?

I pass the pen on to…

Frans van Esveld.

And I would like to ask him the following…

What will NEDCON’s facilities look like in 2022? ■

Account Manager at Key Accounts.

How do you convince the customer to choose NEDCON in this competitive market and then

What is your most beautiful memory of your time at NEDCON so far?

Taking all Site Supervisors to our production plant in Pardubice.

Even though they have been with us for years, only a few had been there. They now saw how production actually works and how the Operators did their best to ship the right materials to the sites. This resulted in awareness of each other’s

I PASS THE PEN ON TO WOUTER BRUGGERS

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ROALD SJOUKEN INSTALLATION MANAGER - 25 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? The first major project in the USA to be completed. This was at Peyton’s in Tennessee in 2003. After that, many more followed on the other side of the ocean.

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? The development of the KNAPP shuttle systems during assembly.

I liked to think about new and more efficient assembling methods.

What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

I am proud of a large number of projects in Europe and America that we have successfully completed, under sometimes-difficult circumstances.

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APPY WOLBRINK MANAGER PDAM - 25 YEARS OF SERVICE What positions have you completed?

There are quite a few, in order: graduation student - Prospective Draftsman - Draftsman / Constructor - Prospective Project Engineer - Project Engineer / Manager - Coordinator Information Provision - Manager Product Data & Application Management - Management Team Delivery / NEM

What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

First half: engineering and supervision of some nice NEDCON projects. Think of Libri (Witron), Atria Finland (Witron, two cranes on top of each other), Schuitema (Witron, concrete floor in rack) and Nike (Vanderlande).

Second half: I have been working for several years at both locations in Doetinchem and Pardubice due to my contribution to SAP (and process) development. I hope that I have contributed to the cooperation between the two locations and the understanding to each other.

Did you think you would be working for NEDCON for so long?

After my graduation I was able to bridge the time until military service (1995) at NEDCON. My idea was to work for several years at different companies after military service to gain experience at different companies and in different positions. Military service has been abolished and my contract with NEDCON has been extended… and now we are 25 years further.

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ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020 KRISTIAN VAN PETERSEN MANAGER ACCOUNTING - 25 YEARS OF SERVICE

What positions have you completed?

On 1 October 1993, I started working as an Employee on Accounts Receivable and soon after that I became an Administrator. I left the company in 1998 because at that time the career prospects seemed limited. Nevertheless, I returned to the position of Head of Administration in 2000. In principle I still am, but because of the introduction of the English job names I became Manager Accounting.

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? Actually, I can only relate this question to the Finance department and the development has been really enormous if you compare this with 25 years ago.

Back then, we all only had a monitor running the accounting system. If you wanted to type a note or put something in a spreadsheet, there was one computer in the middle of the department with Word Perfect and Plan Perfect on it. So sometimes you just had to wait your turn. If you look at how we are doing now, this is a world of difference and the situation back then is simply unimaginable.

Did you think you would be working for NEDCON for so long?

In principle not, but it was not entirely unthinkable given my personal structure. The departure in 1998 was purely related to a desired improvement in the position that was not possible at the time at NEDCON. I therefore left with my head held high and through the front door. When I returned in 2000, I already had the idea that this could be for a long (er) time.

DAN MIDDENDORF SALES SUPPORT MANAGER – 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE

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What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

The teamwork that went into the preparation for and participation in the old Swisslog CLR meetings. We won more orders than we lost. To all of those colleagues who were involved in the efforts: I say thank you! One of the last of the CLR meetings ended with NEDCON being awarded the Publix, Orlando FL project with Swisslog, which was the last Clad Rack project that NEDCON installed in the USA.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

I have always been a sport enthusiast. American Football is tops but after 12.5 years working with European colleagues I am becoming a soccer voetbal fan. The enjoyment of playing a sport is the energy and excitement in participating and the thrill of victory. There are no trophies for participation. The motto of the NFL Raiders is “Just Win Baby.” The energy to be detailed, the excitement to be creative and entrepreneurial while working to provide the customer a solution that wins the order is the reason I play for the NEDCON side.

Did you think you would be working for NEDCON for so long?

Prior to joining NEDCON, I had spent 11 years working at a medium sized and family owned manufacturing company.

I would not have left my previous company if I did not see the same camaraderie in my future colleagues and that is what I have found at NEDCON. No, I am not surprised that I have been at NEDCON USA for so long!

ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

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HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT NEDCON DELIVERS (TO)

By Bas Hoogakker

TOP SPORT

Kramer Pferdesport is a family owned company with worldwide approximately 800 employees of which 280 employees are working at the company base in Hockenheim, Germany. They basically supply everything an enthusiastic free time, but also professional horse rider, requires for the sport. Spread over Germany they have 33 mega-stores but obviously the majority of their business nowadays is done online!

In 2014, NEDCON has built an automated NR 6 pallet warehouse together with psb Intralogistics GmbH. This warehouse stores approximately 9000 pallets, double deep divided, over nine aisles. While business is still booming they have decided to expand their capacity and bought another warehouse, which is basically a copy of the already existing one. In August of 2019, we received the order from psb for a value of approximately two million euro. But Kramer is the customer?

That is indeed correct! However, the racking is an important but single piece of the logistic system, which is why we supply to a system integrator in this case.

required materials and make them ready for delivery. They have done a great job while in the beginning of January 2020, Thomas Paternoga as Site Supervisor could start on site. From that moment truck after truck with materials rolled in.

That actually sounds easy but we had more than just one truck driver cursing over the access to the warehouse. The road was still under construction and trucks really had to reverse over a narrow dirt road to reach the entrance of the warehouse.

In the photo you can see what

the new constructed warehouse looked like: a very nice concrete floor with, as it looks, an endless space. As always, that picture changed rapidly when the materials started arriving. On request of psb, we have started with the construction of the mezzanine in front of the pallet rack.

Reducing construction time The mezzanine is an important part of the warehouse while electrical cabinets and conveyors are placed on this mezzanine.

Underneath (in this case) will be a massive sprinkler distribution piping installed. So the earlier

Materials ready for delivery In the beginning of September a hand-over from Sales to Project Management has been done.

From that time the assembled project team, Robert Bockting, Marinus van Dam and Bas Hoogakker, started the execution of the project. Over the period of August until November, the design has been finalized and detail engineering completed.

In November and December our colleagues from Production, Purchasing and Logistics in Doetinchem and Pardubice have worked hard to arrange all the

HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT: KRAMER PFERDESPORT

17

we finish this part the other trades can start their work and herewith reduce the overall construction time.

In the months January and February, Thomas and his team from GeMo Tech have built half of the warehouse. Which means: the mezzanine with front zone and all nine aisles of racking until approximately halfway.

Immediately hereafter, the bottom guiderails were installed also to halfway. Where after a period of construction, a break of one week was scheduled.

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This was done to enable psb to install the stacker cranes in the first three aisles of the racking system. The stacker cranes are delivered in parts, assembled horizontally and lifted into their respective position. In the presence of these large parts and related machinery, it is more wise to leave the site for a short period rather than fight over every square meter of available space. While not all floor rails where installed on time, we provided a temporarily installation of these rails and psb could set the remaining stacker cranes as scheduled.

It’s all in the details In the end, the installation of the stacker cranes went very smoothly and after the break, we have started again with the remaining aisles and the work on the mezzanine. In this project, as in many, the most of the detailing work and hours are spend in the front zone. You can see in the photo below that this area, in its final state, contains a lot of equipment. Not only the conveyors, but also large cage ladders are going high up in the racking system to the moveable maintenance platforms. Robert

HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT and followed. In contradiction to other building sites both psb and the end-customer allowed to proceed and did not stop our activities. Unfortunately, the kind of work does not really allow for the social distance measures.

After careful consultation, we have chosen to keep our group close to each other and completely separate from outsiders. Until our delivery date on May 6, we have been fortunate and our procedure worked well.

has made some changes to these platforms with regard to the previous design, which worked very well. In the end, we show our competences and make an actual difference in these minor details.

NEDCON defeats corona at Kramer And all of a sudden in the beginning of March, the coronavirus changed the world. Around the world, many preventive measures were taken to prevent further infection of people. Also on the Kramer job site these were implemented

As we approach the end, the available space becomes tighter and tighter which requires a detailed scheduling of the work and last deliveries. Especially on this last topic due to the efforts of our colleagues from Central Planning and the Logistics departments in Pardubice, the last materials arrived just in time on April 15.

Consider it done During the course of calendar week 17, we followed the travel restrictions between the Czech Republic and the Netherlands closely, and luckily the welder

arrived on site just in time. He filled the last aisles with racking and put up the fencing. We finished the works in the first week of May, which is despite all what happens in the world precisely according to schedule.

I have mentioned it already; a project like this can look ‘’easy’’ but it really is not, and no project is. It is the combined effort of everybody in the chain, from Sales, Engineering, Production, Logistics and Site Management, that makes NEDCON to what it is: successful in the business.

However, we could not be successful if we did not have partners who joins us in our mission and respect our values.

For this project, it has been the team from GeMo Tech, who together with Thomas, have overcome the challenges and built this great NEDCON project!

Thank you guys! ■

HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT: KRAMER PFERDESPORT

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org b n e b b a r K William

Marco de Vri es

Amber Vos 20 NEDCONNECT

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Lieuwe Verhaag

riks e d e r F m e ll i Jan W -

Wilbert Stapelv oort

WORKING AT HOME

ang Dennis L

Merle Lenselink

kerk Luke van Nie

Dominik H eym

#WEARENEDCON

Peter ter Voert WORKING AT HOME

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INSTALLATION MANAGER

RUBEN VOSKAMP

By Gerard Kant

Can you tell something about yourself?

When exactly did this happen?

My name is Ruben Voskamp, I am 53 years old and I live in a rural area near Twello. I am married to Monique and my two young adults that are 23 and 24 years (who study and work) still live at home.

1 April 1990, no joke!

How did you end up at NEDCON at the time?

After passing my exam, I was still freewheeling.

However, the AGK (current UWV) thought otherwise.

I had to apply for a job and did so, at NEDCON.

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What were your positions within NEDCON? I started as Upcoming Mechanic and progressed to Construction Manager. After about 15 years of field service, I made the switch to the office as Installation Manager Europe and USA. At the time, I supervised the first larger USA projects (the big Dematic Walmart Silos). Thereafter, I was the Head of Assembly and after a reorganization, I returned to the old position as Installation Manager.

THE HOBBY OF… NOW ABOUT YOUR HOBBY: KITESURFING! How did you encounter it?

As a seasoned windsurfer (I started when I was 12 years old), I saw a new sport in a windsurfing magazine: kitesurfing. In the winter of 1996, I took two hours of lessons in Cabarete in the Dominican Republic. At that time, the lessons were not much. In spring 1997, I bought my first set at the ‘BOOT’ in Düsseldorf: a 19m2 kite from Naish and a kind of wakeboard. The sport was still in its infancy, especially the safety and restart possibility of the kite was very amateurish and life threatening. I had bought a big kite thinking it would be a nice addition to windsurfing if the wind was just not blowing hard enough and I was fed up on the waterfront.

Since when do you practice this hobby?

I started practicing in 1997, but after a few near death experiences I quickly resold the first kite. The second is still in the attic as a relic and as a precaution that no one else could be involved in an accident. After that, I focused again for a few years on windsurfing and mountain biking, something I also love to do with kite friends.

How long did it take you to ­master kitesurfing?

Since it kept itching and the development of the safety and maneuverability of the kites had improved, I resumed kiting in 2000 (I quit for a while from

1998). I took another two days of lessons beforehand, but that was mainly to take away the fear and regain confidence. If you have a little talent and are into water sports, you can sail the first skates with 3 x 4 hours of intensive lessons. I have just started a new branch myself: “foiling”. Floating over the water with a carbon wing under your board. Also super cool.

How often do you stand on the kiteboard and where do you surf?

When the wind blows, I am always restless and I want to get on the water. I prefer to surf as much as possible, I also regularly go to the water in the evening. The average is three to six times a month depending on the wind.

What makes this hobby so special for you?

I love playing in the water: braving the wind and waves is the best thing that exists on this earth for me! Feeling like “a fish in water” (Dutch saying) certainly applies to me.

For the specialists among us: what kind of board do you have and what kind of kite do you surf?

The ‘fone twin tip’, ‘fone wave surfboard’ and different sizes of ‘fone bandit’ (the harder the wind the smaller the kite).

THE HOBBY OF RUBEN VOSKAMP

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“

MY YOUNGEST SON POPS OVER 20 METERS

“

Wijk aan Zee Noordpier and Oostkant IJsselmeer are the home spots.

What is the most exotic place you have ever surfed?

Many holidays are planned around water sports. Tarifa (Spain) is where I want to spend my holidays and my old age, but as a honeymoon I went to Mauritius (One Eye). Great blue lagoons and one of the most beautiful waves!

What was the biggest challenge for you while surfing?

Mauritius was very challenging and technically difficult. If you catch a wave of three meters with the reef below you, which almost dries up, are those moments that you think: is this wise?

What are your favorite surfing conditions?

25 kts southwest wind, 7m2 kite, with the sun above me, making a down winder from Wijk aan Zee

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to Bergen. Riding endless waves without worrying about anything.

Can I (Gerard Kant) also learn it at my age (you would not say it, but I am already 60), or is it a more a ‘’youth’’ sport?

Kite is not a heavy sport, only extreme. The harder the wind, the more extreme it can go wrong. In France, I have seen people of 70 years old kiting. So as long as you are healthy and physically okay then it is no obstacle. Unfortunately, every year there are fatal accidents that discredit the sport. Take lessons and do not overestimate yourself. When preparing: check and double check!

Tell us about your most spectacular jumps!

The counter is at 9 meters!

Fortunately, I have a voice in my head that occasionally puts the brakes on it. My youngest son pops over 20 meters. Super cool to see but also scary for me because

I know what can go wrong.

Nowadays we have a measuring device, called WOO, that measures your jump height, airtime and G-forces. Super fun and motivating to stay ahead of your mates.

At NEDCON, safety is of paramount importance. What do you do to protect yourself as well as possible while surfing?

Good preparation, helping each other and properly assess the situation. I wear a helmet when surfing and foiling and I always wear a buoyancy aid.

What do you recommend to the reader who wants to practice this sport?

Take lessons in shallow water, it is a super cool sport but it has risks. ■

COLUMN

By Kasper Vrijbloed and, despite a few flaws, the company has always been able to maintain the family well.

Chess, belote and playing soccer When I was asked if I wanted to write columns for NEDCON’s magazine, I had to think about it first. Because what are you going to write about in a column? Without a subject, a blank white sheet in front of you can be quite intimidating.

My father owned a small horticulture.

To bring the boxes filled with vegetables to the auction every morning meant hard work. But you cannot let a company survive with hard work alone. He had to make choices about many things, even though it was sometimes difficult.

Apart from his children and my mother, my father did not often have staff walking around to help. In his eyes, if staff were helping at all, they could not often do it right. HRM was clearly not his thing. When eating habits changed in the Netherlands and other vegetables were sold well in the grocery store, he almost took that as a personal attack. He could get angry at that. What is wrong with the old familiar cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Marketing was not really his thing either. Fortunately, my father really knew everything about soil, plants, nutrients and technology

My first real job was with a small engineering firm. The advantage of a small company is that you quickly feel important, but you also quickly become important. I had roughly ‘’three hats’’ on there. Something like architectural CAD draftsman, CAD developer and system administrator. It was fun and versatile for a long time, but at some point I found out that I had not been able to keep up with developments in all three disciplines.

And I realized that a choice had to be made. Actually, quite soon after this insight, I got the opportunity to become a full-time CAD developer at a large company named: NEDCON. Here I was able to develop concentrated in just one field.

It seemed as if I ended up on a football field from a chessboard through a belote game. In all three games, the goal is to win, but on a football field you as a player are a much smaller radar in the game.

Working in a large organization was unknown and new territory for me.

It seemed like I ended up in a world where everyone from their own island, let all sorts of separate interests prevail. In the beginning, it was difficult to understand but it was later on fascinating to discover how a large organization is divided into many roles and departments.

And so I approach the reason why my name is under this column. The feeling of tension that I experience when I see how with so many different individual knowledge, wishes and apparently sometimes conflicting interests, we end up in the field as a team. That seemed a good starting point and

source of inspiration for a series of stories. It gave me enough guidance to dare to say yes to the question, to start writing a regular column.

All that was before COVID-19 appeared. The playing field around us seems to have completely changed.

How can we still properly fulfill our roles in this new situation? The islands seem to be further apart than ever before. We immediately started to refocus ourselves in this new environment. This required a lot of individual tensions and efforts, which hopefully and apparently were not without reason. Because it seems that NEDCON can still play all games and, above all, is still in the league. But no matter how busy we are now, with our own personal concerns, it may be more important than ever to keep an eye on our teammates. As a 100% home worker, I must honestly say that I find myself inadequate in this and I am especially busy keeping my own to-do list as short as possible. Perhaps I can make up for this by sharing the following uplifting thought: A tiny particle of hereditary material packed in protein, released somewhere in the world, has managed to turn almost all of human society upside down in a matter of months. I cannot think of a clearer example that apparently insignificant matters can have a major impact. That may seem like a scary thought now, but you can also draw strength from it. In case you might get stuck thinking you are just a miniscule little radar in the bigger picture. And if your Calimero complex makes you doubt the usefulness of your own role, know that it matters how we perform our actions. The smallest actions, even if they seem so small, if you do them smartly they can have a big effect. ■

COLUMN BY KASPER VRIJBLOED

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Estée Lauder - Switzerland

Estée Lauder - Switzerland

Textaafoam - Tilburg

Textaafoam - Tilburg

Hammer - Germany

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Cedric - United States

Tura - Sweden

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FINISHED PROJECTS

Cedric - United States

Textaafoam - Tilburg

Rhenus - Germany

FINISHED PROJECTS

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9

LIEUWE VERHAAG PROJECT ENGINEER - 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? I remember most that nothing is final and that the world is always moving at NEDCON. I have seen many colleagues come and go through reorganizations, illness and dismissal. Unfortunately, Eva Jansma was also one of them. Young people also die.

That made quite an impression.

What is the best development for you within NEDCON? That we, as colleagues, succeed every time to conclude a project with success.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

The fun, informal atmosphere among colleagues and the work flexibility that prevails at NEDCON.

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MERLIJN ULRICH SENIOR SALES ENGINEER - 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

My work is a team effort. For the accurate elaboration of calculations, with accompanying drawings and quotation texts, I depend on information from all disciplines. I am therefore most proud of the way in which our projects are realized in the broadest sense of the word.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

Continuous personal development in my field, as well as creating a healthy and pleasant working atmosphere together with other colleagues.

Did you think you would be working for NEDCON for so long?

Yes! (at least that has always been the intention).

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ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

NADIA HENDRIKSEN FINANCIAL ASSISTANT – 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? Those are the nice staff outings; from NEDCON but also from voestalpine. As a result of a number of nice parties, I ended up in the organization of the Personnel Association.

What functions have you completed?

I came in on HR and then went to Finance to take maternity leave from a colleague.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

The pleasant colleagues, I can say with certainty! Because this was not the work I studied for. In the meantime, I also started to love the work.

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MANFRED OVERKAMP ACCOUNT SOLUTIONS ENGINEER - 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON?

I find that difficult. There are so many experiences over the years that have stayed with me. The ones who stand out the most are the construction visits to completed projects, which always makes an impressive impression. And the parties that are always very extensive and fun.

What are you most proud of when you look at the work you have done?

Actually, I am quite proud of all the work I have done so far with the teams I have worked in. In the more than 12 years I have been involved in a number of large projects with many challenges where it was not always smooth sailing, but it is very satisfying if a project is finally completed properly.

What are your motives for so many years of loyal service?

The possibilities for self-development within NEDCON and the diversity in my work.

ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

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#Bedrijvendagen

#Modex

#Innovation Day

#Christmas Celebration

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EVENTS

#NEDCON Academy

#Sinterklaas

#Obstacle Run

EVENTS

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GETTING BACK IN TIME WITH…

THIJS DE JONG

By Gerard Kant

THIJS TELLS… 6.5 years ago, May 2013, I was one of the last to use the then still existing early retirement scheme. A special date if you know that I previously worked at NEDCON for about 32 years. It was a special time and basically everything I wanted to experience happened.

Employee number 9 It all started in 1974 when I was hired as an Inside Sales Representative and Technical Draftsman. I was the ninth employee at a very young company.

At a certain point, founders Hans Stegweg and Ruud Hollander decided to produce the pallet racks and shelving themselves. The first small profiling line was bought and we performed a test ourselves in the production hall in Deventer. There was some

panic when the profiles destined for an assignment turned out completely ‘’Wokkel-shaped’’. This was solved with the help of an outside specialist and private production at NEDCON was a fact.

Changing times Because NEDCON could not expand further in Deventer, a new office and production building was built in Doetinchem and NEDCON moved. At that time, I was just married, moved into a new home in Raalte and our first was born. Although I regretted leaving NEDCON, I changed my job to a company that was involved in the construction of cold stores and utility buildings in Raalte. This position was international and offered me a bit more at the time because I also followed a study program. I always enjoyed working there because it was a different field and it was very educational.

NEDCON developed quickly When I was near Doetinchem in 1985 for an extension of a cold store there, I went out for a cup of coffee with Hans and Ruud out of curiosity.

I was amazed that the company had developed so quickly. While talking, Ruud suggested that I come back because they wanted to expand the project sales department. They were looking for someone with international experience, who was technical

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GETTING BACK IN TIME WITH… and commercial and already knew the company and product. After deliberation, I decided to return to NEDCON! The time that followed was very interesting. We did the first projects in Germany and Switzerland, and then further into Europe. During that time, many new colleagues joined the team. It was a privilege to work with these colleagues and to further expand the product range and increase the market positions.

What made the work even more fun was to scour the market with new system partners for new innovative warehouse solutions.

This way, you obtained a better market position together, which in turn enabled subsequent assignments. I have always found it special that colleagues at NEDCON worked on an equal footing and that innovative solutions were jointly sought.

Start-up of a new Business Unit A special moment was the startup of the Business Unit ‘Nedframe Silobouw’ together with Peter Groenewegen in the mid-1990s.

‘Nedpark Parkeerdecks’ and NEDCON Spain were also linked to this.

Innovative work was done on all fronts. The static calculation of the construction was linked to a calculation program. This was in turn linked to the offer to be worked out, creating enormous internal clout and in the market. It was a special period in which we (together with colleagues Karl-Heinz Wiedenhorst and Henk Welleweerd) quickly gathered projects such as Ikea, Kloosterboer, Wallmart, Nike Korea, etc. This Business Unit was a very nice group of people. When you turned 50 you got a moped as a birthday present. With this you could race to your heart’s content on the department…. until the gasoline runs out.

Due to the takeover in 2004 by voestalpine, Nedframe was closed and voestalpine’s Silo construction took over all activities. Painful for the entire Nedframe group because we had just invested a lot of work in the business. However, given NEDCON’s circumstances at the time, this was inevitable.

A different world is ready From about 2007 until my early retirement in 2013, I worked in the Dutch North and East Rayon sales. Despite the crisis from 2008 to 2013, this has been fairly successful with the help of colleagues internally and the Assembly department. Of course, this was also the case because predecessors of mine had built up the district for years.

And then the day comes when you say goodbye to all those years full of fun, emotions and contacts. The question that I had

GETTING BACK IN TIME WITH THIJS DE JONG

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was: How will this be once I get home? Now I can tell you that a completely different world is ready.

The pace is much calmer and there is more than enough to do, but in a completely different area.

‘’Trying to stay healthy’’ When I quit, I started to work on my own home. Insulation, paintwork, building a garden house and I also renovated the garden itself. When this was finished, I started working on

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facilities for elderly inmates in Raalte. For this, funds had to be recruited to pay for this. A completely different world, but certainly challenging. Furthermore, I have brought some structure to my own weekly program, including gym and social contacts. We also babysit on Tuesdays. This is also very great because I have missed this sometimes with my own children. Now that my wife is also retired, we also find more time for holidays and travel. In short;

enough to do and I am not bored for a moment. The only remedy is: “trying to stay healthy”.

I wish that everyone at NEDON is enjoying a motivating and educational time. Finally: I am almost certain that as long as goods have to be stored, NEDCON will play a leading role in the field for the next 10 to 20 years. ■ Take care!

Thijs de Jong

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ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020 OLAF BEKKING FORMER SALES ENGINEER – 12.5 YEARS OF SERVICE

What do you remember most about your time at NEDCON? I see NEDCON as an internationally oriented company with a very social character. I appreciate the space and trust that is afforded in this, by both employer and colleagues.

What positions have you completed?

Ha ha, there aren’t that many in those 12.5 years. In other words: ‘’Once a Sales Engineer, always a Sales Engineer”!

On the other hand, I have seen quite a few Account Managers come and go within this position (about six).

What is the most beautiful development you have been part of?

I have been able to work on great projects for both Dematic and TGW, but the ever-growing cooperation with KNAPP and the accompanying dynamics was a very nice part of my NEDCON life. Concluding with a top product: the “OSR EVO 2D Classic”. I think that NEDCON and KNAPP are ready for a bright future together!

What are you proud of when you look at the work you have done?

The many balls that you have to keep high as a Sales Engineer (I personally think I have dropped few…).

Is there anything you would like to say to your former colleagues?

Enjoy the beautiful projects and the life we go through together. It is not always easy, but keep giving each other space and respect.

We thank Olaf for his many years of dedication and commitment!

ANNIVERSARIES OF 2020

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www.nedcon.com