'We can hold our own'

At JOZ, we enjoy a bit of innovation, but that’s not all we’re concerned with. Fabricating our smart solutions is just as important, which is where our production employees come in. If you take a look around our factory, you’ll notice lots of hard workers, and by no means are they all men. Meet Simona de Vries and Renate Kuijper, 2 power women who work day in and day out on producing our innovations.

Rolled up sleeves

Simona is one of our welding construction employees, but that really doesn’t mean her work only involves welding. ‘I operate drills, saws, and punches, and even drive a forklift,’ she says. ‘I help with the production of pulling bars for our 5 types of manure scrapers. But if there’s a shortage of manpower, I’m also open to do other work. For example, I spent some time in the pre-assembly department where I built charging stations. I like to help out colleagues in need.’

Simona has had a broad education, which makes her versatile, and she also enjoys rolling up her sleeves for tough jobs. Welding is her preference, however. ‘If there’s welding to do, they have to sort out the rest by themselves,’ she jokes. ‘I do everything I can to make sure that our machines have nice rounded corners, so no sharp edges that could injure cows. That’s something I can really dedicate myself to. I grew up on a farm and worked with dairy cattle for a long time, so I know how important it is.’

Keeping the robot line running

Renate is also well integrated at JOZ. She started as an assembly worker, and is now team leader of 4 production employees. Renate makes sure that the Moov 2.0 feed pusher robot line always keeps running.

As team leader, she’s responsible for the output of the robot line. ‘And it can be quite a challenge to keep it going,’ she says. ‘Certainly in this era dominated by COVID-19. Suppliers find it difficult to deliver materials on time, which can make our lives complicated. Fortunately, I’ve been very lucky with my team. They can work very well independently, take the initiative, and they’re quickly on the same page. When we’ve completed a large number of robots together by the end of the week, then I’m proud!’

In addition to her involvement in the production of the Moov 2.0, Renate has also thought in advance about the best way to organise the assembly on the line. ‘The question I continually ask myself is what exactly do we need to make it workable,’ she explains. ‘On of the things I did to answer this question was sit down with the product owner. This way we can manufacture a high-quality product, and at the same time put the parts together in the easiest way.’

A man’s world

Neither Simona nor Renate are bothered by the fact that the world they work in is predominantly male. In fact, they wouldn’t want it any other way. ‘Men are honest about thoughts and opinions,’ Renate explains. ‘That makes things very pleasant.’

‘I’m half a man myself, hadn’t you noticed?’ adds Simona with a laugh. ‘I like to get stuck in, and don’t mind getting my hands dirty. And when it’s necessary, the men do give us some leeway. For example, they never make me work with the heaviest beams, but most importantly they take us seriously. I think we’ve found a nice balance. We women can hold our own.’

Freedom and variety

Renate and Simona are happy at JOZ. ‘I think it’s great that we’re allowed to do our thing and decide how to spend our working days,’ says Renate. ‘The work is also extremely varied, so I’m definitely not always working in the same place. I might get parts from the paint shop to check, or I have to consult with a colleague, or I’m on my way to the warehouse. I’m constantly on the move.’

Simona also enjoys this freedom mentioned by Renate. ‘I help out where it’s needed,’ she explains. ‘I like to go my own way, and I can always ask any questions I might have. I never get bored, there’s always something to do. And in the end, of course, everything we do is for the end product. I think it’s great that I can make a contribution. Our products are sold all over the world, which is something I’m very proud of.’