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Smart Industry article 6/6: Working and learning safely
Smart Industry article 6/6: Working and learning safely
Article 6/6 of Smart Industry’s Dinnissen special is about working at Dinnissen. In order to work faster and smarter every day, finding, training, and retaining the best talent is crucial.
We’re proud that we're not only trusted by the best producers in the world, but also are trusted by the best employees. In this article Luuk Haenen - Production Manager Welding - and Chris Cleven -Project Engineering Manager - talk about their career paths and about about Dinnissen’s commitment to working safety and continuous growth.
Working and learning safely in a dynamic industry
The manufacturing industry needs to work faster and more efficiently. To achieve this, working safely and finding and retaining young talent for the company are essential. Luuk Haenen, Production Manager of Welding and Chris Cleven, Project Engineering Manager, explain how Dinnissen tackles this.
Dinnissen always has room for at least two trainees in the Engineering department and likes to work with school leavers in the department - but certainly also in the factory itself. “No other companies in the region have a similar philosophy. That's why we prefer to draw up a career plan with new recruits to help them to develop within our company and to learn the skills that are perfectly in line with our way of working. Training them further is achieved through internal training programmes”, says Haenen. He worked at Dinnissen for years during the holidays and has been in full time employment for three and a half years. “It feels good to show the new guys all the facets of the profession. From assembling and welding machines to making semi-finished products. After that, they specialize their skills in a certain discipline in our company and attend internal training courses. The finishing standards in food are different from those in the feed, for example. Each specialist area requires a different approach in that respect.”
Continual growth
The work in Engineering is also very dynamic. Cleven: “Anyone who starts out as a design engineer and wants to become a project leader will certainly be given the chance to develop. Within Engineering, too, people specialize in pet food/feed or in food/chemicals. You will find that the atmosphere here is open and safe: no one is judged on their mistakes. It is by learning from your mistakes that you can continue to grow. Our goal is to constantly try to push people to a higher level and enable them to advance within the company. Most of our Account Managers also have a background as an Engineer. In this way, they bring their own expertise to the client: an important added value.”
Working safely
Safety first is a motto that certainly applies at Dinnissen. For example, a great deal of attention is paid to machine safety. Everyone has to attend SCC training courses and numerous safety issues are addressed during the toolbox meetings: from working with hazardous substances to raising awareness of the dangers of welding fumes. Furthermore, testing is never carried out with potentially carcinogenic substances. It goes without saying that every test product must have the appropriate certificates and safety data sheets.
