19 minute read
HOW ARE THINGS NOW WITH
FORMER MACHINE OPERATOR PROFILING DEPARTMENT LAURENS GERRITSEN
By Rob van Lier & William Krabbenborg
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As soon as we arrive we see Laurens already standing in his beautiful garden in front of his house on the outskirts of Doetinchem. His wife is waiting for us in the backyard with coffee and a slice of cake. While enjoying a nice spring sunshine, we are curious what Laurens can tell us about his time at NEDCON. He started in production in 1987 and in 28 years he has made his way through NEDCON in an interesting manner that led to the partial establishment of production in the Czech Republic and a production location in Russia.
Rob - How did you feel about being approached?
Nice! I received the previous edition of the magazine and it was great to read.
William - Do you still feel involved with NEDCON?
Yes, I still feel a little bit involved in NEDCON. I regularly see updates pass by on LinkedIn and I still speak to former colleagues. For example, I sometimes run into them in the city.
William - Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
I will be 73 years old soon. I was born and raised in Doetinchem and I grew up in the house next door to where we live now. My father built that house himself and later we moved into our current house. I also renovated it all by myself!
Rob - What is your family situation like?
Together with my wife Nolda I have two children, a daughter and a son. My son is in health care and my daughter started her own business in May and has her own administration office. Our daughter lives opposite to us and our son 1500 meters away.
William - It’s like a family neighborhood around here, Laurens! How old are they?
Our daughter is 45 and our son 47. We also have two grandchildren aged 18 and 16, that’s great!
Rob - Do your children take any knowledge from you?
No, neither of them are in engineering at all. Apart from the professions, they don’t have anything to do with it in other areas either.
Rob - Can you tell us a little bit about your life? How did you end up at NEDCON?
I have a technical education and before I started at NEDCON, I had several jobs. These jobs were all in and around Doetinchem. I also worked in the catering industry for a while, working with extraction systems, deep fryers and all kinds of other technical equipment. That company went bankrupt and then I came into contact with a former colleague. We decided to start our own business. Our business included making tools, also for NEDCON. In the end, unfortunately, it turned out that we were not such a good team. We therefore decided that one of us would quit, which was me. I was in my early 40s at the time. Hans Stegweg found out and he wanted me back in the company. So at that moment I officially started at NEDCON, but in a different position. I became machine operator in the profiling and tool maintenance department.
William - You’ve also been through the reorganizations. How did you experience that?
Everything was kept quiet and I already knew quite a lot from my role; everything was going to leave Doetinchem and be built up in the Czech Republic. They had approached me to get it all going again there. Due to some misunderstandings, colleagues found out early on. That was a very difficult and emotional period.
Rob - How long did that period last, that you couldn’t say anything it?
I think that lasted about two months.
William - How did you find being in the Czech Republic in the early days?
Every country has its own culture and the Czech Republic’s is obviously very different from the Dutch. Also the language was a barrier. I didn’t speak English very well myself but with some I could get by in German. The language was actually the biggest problem.
Rob - But then comes the time when you are asked to travel a little further for NEDCON. The plan was to set up a production site in Russia. You were involved in that a lot, right?
That’s right, it was in 2005. Hans Stegweg asked me at the time if I wanted to take on Russia. The painting line in the Czech Republic was dismantled and it was moved to Russia and shortly after that a production line for beams from Doetinchem also went that way.
William - What went wrong in Russia?
We were taken over by voestalpine at the time. I do not know the story exactly but I think that had to do with the fact that we stopped in Russia. In the end I was there for about 5 years. I did experience it as a great time!
Rob - That means you really did travel a lot in your time at NEDCON!
That’s right. Everyone in my family thought I was crazy to go to Russia on my own. The first time I flew to Moscow and there I had to take a cab to hotel Iris. There I was to meet a Danish colleague who was going to rebuild the coating line with me, which had come from the Czech Republic. After we met, we went for a drink at the bar. The other morning we drove in the car towards Vyshni Volotsjok. On the way things happened that could not bear the light of day. For example, halfway there was an exchange of certain things. Once we arrived at the new NEDCON location, the building looked terribly dirty and old. Everything had to be
done about it. Via an adventurous route, consisting mainly of dirt roads, we arrived at a hotel. Not only did the roads consist of sand, there was also brown water coming out of the tap. Moreover, we both had to get used to the food. But here again the language was the biggest problem. Fortunately I had my computer with me so I could translate a bit. It was a great adventure but all in all I had a very nice time in Russia.
Rob - What is your greatest memory of working at NEDCON?
For me, the Czech Republic and Russia are the best memories. Moreover, working in the Czech Republic has left me with very nice contacts.
William - On average, how often were you away on a monthly basis?
That was usually 50/50. I was in Doetinchem for a few weeks and then abroad again for a few weeks.
Rob - How was that for the home front?
Nolda never really liked being alone in the evening and at night but she got used to it and fortunately it got better. Occasionally I felt alone too. Fortunately, at one point I knew the city of Pardubice well and the people who lived there as well. That was great!
William - Laurens, what is your best and worst characteristic? Or should I ask your wife?
I am extremely stubborn yet also a very social person. I like to help people who are in trouble, in various ways. For example, I make a television for someone but I also work with the disabled. In fact, I do a lot of volunteer work now. From the organization where I work (Stichting Present) we also regularly go out with young people, into society, on Wednesday afternoons. Especially to show them what is going on everywhere. That is fun to do and I certainly get satisfaction from it.
William - A nice bridge, what are your hobbies and how do you fill the week?
I do a lot of volunteer work, about 1.5 days a week. That also includes handling the administration, attending courses and meetings. That’s all part of it, of course. I also enjoy playing cards, drink a beer on the terrace, and go walking and cycling. I also like to go camping sometimes with the grandchildren. Backpack on and go!
Rob - Do you still like to travel even now?
Yes, we have been to quite a few places together. Next summer, in August, for example, we are going to Rhodes with the whole family. In the past, we have traveled around Africa, Sicily and Corsica, among other places. I love adventure.
William - When you think of highs and lows in your life, what comes to mind?
We have experienced three young deaths, that has always stuck with me. And as far as highs go, of course, the births of my children and grandchildren.
Rob - Do you have any particular musical preferences?
No, not really. We never have the radio on either. We have a large social network, and we spend a lot of time together.
William - What has been your greatest development within NEDCON? What are you proud of?
That’s where you get me thinking! At one point, a new roller conveyor machine came in in 1998. It was a gigantic challenge to get it running. Just like producing our own end plates in Pardubice. The fact that it finally worked was wonderful.
Rob - If I may summarize, do you look back on your time at NEDCON with satisfaction?
Yes, I do. I’ve had great work, plenty of challenges and the opportunity to work with many great colleagues!
William - Do you have any plans for the future?
I can’t think of anything right now but we want to make at least one more trip through Sardinia. That was planned, but corona threw a spanner in the works. So that is at the top of our list. If you are 73 and everyone is doing well, you don’t need much else. We are very satisfied.
Rob - Would you like to give your colleagues at NEDCON something to think about?
Of course I wish everyone good luck and fun at work. Unfortunately I can’t be present at the barbecue because I’ll be away for the weekend with my grandson. I would have liked to speak to a number of former colleagues again. Better luck next time! Oh yes, and I would like to visit the NEDCON location in the Czech Republic again one day ;-). ■
THE ONE OR THE OTHER?
Camping in nature or the luxury of a hotel?
The luxury of a hotel.
Sun, sea and beach or doing an activity?
Doing an activity. I like cycling and walking! I have also walked the well-known ‘’Pieterpad’’ and several times the ‘’Nijmeegse Vierdaagse’’.
Cooking or eating out?
Eating out.
Beer or wine?
If I have to choose I will go for a glass of wine. But it doesn’t matter much to me.
Summer or winter?
Summer.
Good book or a nice movie?
Reading a book is not my thing so then I go for a movie.
FROM ROCKER TO STARS: THE HOBBY OF PETR BÍBL
My name is Petr Bíbl, I have been working at NEDCON since 2001, currently as a Quality Manager in Pardubice. Since the age of 18, I have been actively involved in rock music and even today, at the age of 47, I am a guitarist in a rock band with which I travel around the Czech Republic. Like every musician, I used to dream of becoming a big rock star. My dreams partly come true as I played with my band on hundreds events and creating my own music still fulfills me.
Thanks to late night returns from concerts, music has also led me to another great hobby, the real stars. Looking up at the dark, star-studded sky, I gradually began to find the courage to learn how to navigate the night sky, to venture into observing planets and distant celestial objects such as star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. It’s a bit of a paradox when, after recharging one’s energy during a noisy concert, one ends up seeking one’s peace somewhere alone, after nights with binoculars.
History lessons
My first step towards astronomy was a theoretical foundation. All of us know or have heard of the basic constellations by which we orient ourselves in the sky. However, if you want to look for some distant objects among millions of stars, you should know much more about the universe. First, you need to know and understand the history of the universe, because when you look through a telescope at a distant celestial object, you are essentially looking into history. That object may not even be there today.
This was the reason why I found my way to the observatories, where I was really fascinated by the lectures of Czech scientific aces. It is astonishing when these scientists convincingly describe how
everything in the universe came into being, what its evolution is like and whether the universe is finite. Science is beautiful and exceptional in this respect. I have often wondered how they can be sure of everything, how they can calculate it all. The big bang question is an example, but if one doesn’t believe them, one will hardly find the motivation to search for answers.
Unique birthday gift
For my 40th birthday I met my wish to have a bigger stargazing telescope. It was also possible thanks to my colleagues contribution as a birthday present. Today there is a huge choice in everything, and this also applies to observing equipment. After comparing different types, I decided on the Dobsonian, which has a large mirror tube built on a bullnose design and can rotate the telescope in several axes. Thanks to the large body of the tube and the large mirror, you can again see much further into space.
At the very beginning, I was looking primarily at details of the moon. I definitely don’t recommend observing the full moon; you’ll quickly find your eyes hurt despite the use of various attenuating filters. The first steps towards observing the planets Jupiter and Saturn followed. Under ideal conditions, the viewing of these two planets is magnificent, with details of Saturn’s ring or the large spots of Jupiter clearly visible. By contrast, you won’t find much detail when observing orange Mars or bright Venus. When the weather is good and the moon is new, conditions are ideal and you can make out the poles of Mars.
Modern technology lends a hand
When planning to observe celestial objects, I take advantage of modern-day options such as Stellarium software, which is an online star chart that shows you exactly what you can find in the sky at a given GPS location. I live in the city with my family, but luckily my garden provides good conditions for observation from north to southwest, with less light pollution. I use night sky guides or various stepping techniques, where I focus on a particular star, count the distance from it to where the object should be. Believe me, it’s not easy and requires a great deal of patience, although it seems always clear on the map.
Dreams for later
Once I’d like to visit a real observatory, like the one in Chile located on Cerro Paranal Mountain, and observe the southern sky. I’d also like to learn to photograph the sky, but I probably keep this plan for retirement.
Warm summer nights lending themselves directly to stargazing are coming. While you are on vacation, try to lift your head to the night sky. You will surely catch a glimpse of some constellations, stars or just the August Perseides. It will please you for sure, so good luck! ■
Nunner Logistics - ‘s-Heerenberg
Rensa Family Company - Didam
Winit - Bremen
JR. SALES ENGINEER DAVEY GERRITZEN
In March 2017 I joined Jan, Wim, William, Ernst-Jan, Dominik and Marko in the Reseller department. In the meantime, we now have support from Irma and Sam and Dominik was tragically taken from us. We are a close-knit team and do a lot for each other. Recent events have only reinforced that feeling, in my opinion. Five years have flown by and a lot has changed.
7:30 AM - NEW DAY, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Every day at 7:30 my alarm clock rings and I jump right out of bed. Who am I kidding; 10 min of snoozing left. I am absolutely not a morning person, rather a night owl. At a quarter to 8 I get dressed and start my morning routine. Around a quarter past 8 I am in the car. From Aerdt it is a short 20 minute drive to NEDCON.
8:40 AM - SYSTEM TOUR
While enjoying my first cup of coffee and my sandwich, I check my mail and the opportunities in SalesForce. Due to the recent hectic, this has had a somewhat lower priority so there is work to be done to get everything up to date.
10:45 AM - SHAKE-TIME
As many of you know by now, I am a regular at the gym. To get enough nutrition I eat six times a day. Around this time I always drink a kind of protein shake but one with about 700 calories. In this way I raise the total number of calories per day to around 4,400.
12:30 PM - LUNCH
Around this time, I make a quick trip to the canteen to get something to eat. Usually I bring my own lunch which I prepare the night before. The food in our canteen is great but I don’t know how many calories it contains so it’s harder to keep track of how much I eat in one day.
1:00 PM - RESELLER DEPARTMENT MEETING
At 1 o’clock we are all expected in the ‘Directiespreekkamer’ for the monthly team meeting. Here we discuss the standard matters such as figures, KPI results, steel price developments, tools and all other matters that occupy the minds of the department. Jan always prepares a presentation and serves as chairman. I take notes of important matters and agreements made and work them out. A few days before the meeting the minutes are sent to the entire team. At half past two the meeting is over and we can get on with our daily work.
3:30 PM - BUSINESS AS USUAL
After the meeting, I get back to dealing with customer requests, price updates and technical support. In principle, I have a policy of providing customers with a quote within 24 hours, regardless of whether it is € 150 or € 1.5 million. Nine times out of ten this is successful. Sometimes a project is more complex, requiring coordination with planning and purchasing, which means that 24 hours is not quite enough. I then let the customer know where we stand and when they can expect the quotation. Speed is highly appreciated and in the past we have stood out more than once because we acted so quickly. With this policy I keep the pressure on but in times of serious pressure it is a madhouse. But that’s the way I like it!
5:30 PM - END OF THE WORKDAY
At 5:30 I turn off my PC and drive home. Around 6 o’clock I come home and I can join the family for dinner immediately. One of the many advantages of living at home, haha!
7:30 PM - THE MOMENT OF THE DAY
At 7:30 I drive to the gym. Today legs are on the program. During leg days I wear clothes that are way too big and listen to 80’s rock. It gives me great old-school vibes. Usually my sessions last 2 - 2.5 hours, including warming up and stretching afterwards. I have four of these sessions during the week. The fifth session is on Saturday and lasts only 1.5 hours. I train on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Next December I want to compete in a bodybuilding show so I am training very hard for that. In the five years I’ve been training I’ve gained about 35kg in total. For the show I just wrote about, I want to gain another 8kg which I will take 1.5 years to do. Anyway, I digress. I had a lovely workout. Time for a shower!
11:15 PM - LUNCH, YES AGAIN!
At a quarter past 11 I go back downstairs after a shower and make my lunch for tomorrow. When that’s done I make another shake and eat cottage cheese with oatmeal, honey and a banana. I eat the cottage cheese and shake in front of the TV. Often during dinner I watch a series or a movie and at 00:45 - 01:00 I go to bed.
