JOZ district winner of the Metaalunie Smart Manufacturing Award

The district winners and the national winner of the Metaalunie Smart Manufacturing Award in the Netherlands have been announced. On 8 December, the jury, headed by MKB-Nederland chair Michaël van Straalen, selected 9 district winners from all the entries. During the national final on 7 March 2018 in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht (NL), 3 nominees were selected from all the winners, and the national winner was announced. 

Both invent and make

Michaël van Straalen: “All the winners understand that the power of our manufacturing industry lies in the ability to both invent and make, now and into the future. That’s important for a company to be profitable. It was extremely exciting waiting to find out who would win the award.”

JOZ: Northwest Netherlands district winner

9 district winners, 3 nominees, an afternoon and evening brimming with inspiration and fascinating speakers, and some inspiring examples from a fantastic sector. JOZ was chosen as Northwest Netherlands district winner from 1100 companies. The reason? We’re an innovative company that uses traditional materials but accompanies contemporary developments in automation and robotisation.

Our sustainable products are reliable and stable, and can be used in modular applications, which perfectly reflects the LEAN philosophy. JOZ is also ISO certified, recognition of the efficiency of our business processes.

Metaalunie Smart Manufacturing Award

Every year, Koninklijke Metaalunie, the Dutch organisation for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the metal industry, awards a prize to one of its members. The winner is a company that has positively distinguished itself with a contemporary theme. This year’s theme is ‘Smart Manufacturing’. Smart manufacturing can be achieved by resorting to various methods, such as maximising the use of modern production techniques, excellent processes, well-chosen materials, carefully thought-out systems, digitisation, or by being a self-managing and self-learning organisation.

The national winner of the Smart Manufacturing Award was Aebi Schmidt Nederland bv in Holten, which was also the East Netherlands district winner. 

The jury

In addition to jury chair Michaël van Straalen (chair of MKB-Nederland), the jury consisted of Rolf Elling (chief editor of Vraag en Aanbod), Gu van Rhijn (senior project manager and researcher at TNO), Mark Helder (managing director of HGG International bv and winner of the Metaalunie award in 2017) and David Pappie (Director of Top Sectors and Industrial Policy at the Directorate-General for Business and Innovation of the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs).