“A wide range of responsibilities and variety in my work.”
Thanks to the diverse nature of my role, no two working days are the same. My responsibilities include leading the team, conducting research and coming up with and developing solutions. I also create sketches and 3D drawings, develop demos and carry out tests. In addition, I prepare reports and maintain contact with customers and suppliers. I also take part in standards committees that help determine regulations and liaise with the patent office regarding our patents. In short, every day is different!
Over the years, the way we work has changed. The software and machinery we use continue to evolve, and Van der Valk Systemen is growing too. Product development now involves collaboration between several departments. Whereas we used to build and test demos by hand, we now make use of the latest 3D printers, climate chambers, tensile testing machines and external research organisations, for example.
“Finding a solution and turning it into a marketable product is what I enjoy most.”
Developing new systems also allows us to enter new markets. For example, we were asked whether we could supply a screening installation for polytunnels, a market in which we had not yet been particularly active. The main challenge during development was adapting to a new environment. In the Venlo greenhouses we’re familiar with, we attach our screening systems to lattice girders. These girders aren’t present in polytunnels, which presented us with an exciting challenge. The development process resulted in the ValkPoly+ system, which now enables us to supply screening installations for polytunnels as well.
The R&D team is constantly working to improve existing solutions and develop new products and systems. What I enjoy most about my work is finding a solution and turning it into a marketable product.
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