Sustainable ambitions of Van Oers United

Cees van Diest, Facility and HSE manager at Van Oers United wants to work smarter. So does Ronnie Schiltmans, director and owner of Prodoor in Apeldoorn. Together, they are already well on their way when it comes to the maintenance of all industrial doors at two Van Oers United locations: Dinteloord and Ridderkerk. 

Cees and Ronnie talk about this in the light, modern company restaurant in the Van Oers United (VOU) building in Dinteloord. The international supplier supplies European supermarkets all year round with fresh vegetables, which are grown in Africa, Europe and South and Central America. Since 2015, VOU has been part of the vegetable division of the French cooperative Agrial, European market leader. The vegetable processor and distributor invests in issues such as reducing water consumption, preventing food waste, strengthening biodiversity and educating employees and their children. The new building in Dinteloord (2018), a distribution centre for sprouts and beans, with its BREEAM certification of the highest level Outstanding, is also a good example of VOU's sustainable ambitions.  

Efficiency & Continuity 

When Cees van Diest had to find a specialist for the maintenance of the 60 industrial doors in Dinteloord after construction, he didn't have to search long. "I wanted a party that thinks along with me about working smarter. Prodoor in Apeldoorn did the door maintenance in Ridderkerk and was already working smarter there". Ronnie Schiltmans: "An example: if there is a malfunction, we fix it, but we also do a visual inspection immediately, allowing VOU to get more out of efficiency and continuity. If repairs prove necessary, we carry them out immediately. This also gives us a good insight into the condition of the installation, enables us to plan preventive maintenance and prevent disruptions in the future". This approach shifts the focus from faulty maintenance to planable maintenance. Cees: "Monthly preventive maintenance is carried out by the mechanics, always in consultation with each other. In the event of a malfunction, we determine together what needs to be done immediately and what can be postponed until the inspection round. More plannable maintenance ensures more regularity and is more sustainable. No surprises in workloads and costs". Ronnie's filling in: "Because we always carefully monitor the functioning and condition of the installations and intervene in a timely manner, the technical lifespan is longer and depreciation is lower. That is also an improvement in sustainability".

Who should I call? 

Although Prodoor supplies industrial doors, from docking equipment to high-speed doors, it is not tied to a single manufacturer. As a result, the company is able to offer maintenance and service for all types and brands. This is an advantage, because the arsenal of doors in a company usually comes from several suppliers. "We never say no," says Ronnie, "and have therefore immersed ourselves extensively in the products. So the customer never has to think: who should I call?" Important, because if you deliver fresh products to supermarkets, timely delivery is crucial and any disruption must be rectified as soon as possible. "The operational reliability of VOU is a precondition for the required delivery reliability. The effect on energy consumption and freshness must also be limited". Because there is a Prodoor larder with tools and materials on site, the mechanic can carry out his work even faster. The service technician who works at VOU is always the same, is aware of all HACCP and safety requirements, has unlimited access, knows the details of the location and is in possession of protective clothing and equipment. Because a permanent mechanic is deployed for the company, he feels really involved in the installations, Ronnie says. "So he chooses the best solutions and approach, not only for the sake of speed, but also for the longer term". 

Innovate

Together with Prodoor, Cees has several more innovations in store. "Sensors will inform about the state of the installations. The building will 'talk': the Internet of Things. As an intermediate step, we have an app in use in which employees report and monitor what is important for maintenance. Soon, sensors will warn us when action needs to be taken, immediately or in time". Ronnie sees plenty of opportunities in the meat industry, for example, where a malfunction in the door systems affects the entire process. "Sensors will register any disturbance and transmit it via network LoRa. That brings operational reliability to a higher level." Cees calls the step to the talking building an example of continuous improvement: "This is about improving, securing and maintaining improvements. These principles are a proven approach that I apply in my work". A solid basis for innovation.

www.vanoersunited.nl
www.prodoor.nl

Photos: gentlemen: Cees van Diest (l) en Ronnie Schiltmans, ©Marc Heeman/Fotobureau Roel Dijkstra, Building: ©Bouwonderneming Stout