With the entry of heavy duty company Dewulf from Winsum, Friesland, the group of high-tech companies of Innovatiecluster Drachten (ICD) celebrates that it has been officially designated as national ‘smart industry field lab’ and fourth in the Northern Netherlands. The companies are extensively digitized and their machines, production resources and organizations are closely intertwined and therefore an example for the future manufacturing industry.
According to Binne Visser, chairman of Innovatiecluster Drachten, Dewulf is a jewel in the region. ,,Many MBO and HBO technicians from the region find their jobs there, while their smart agricultural machines for growing potatoes and root crops are known worldwide for their good quality.’’ With the entry of Dewulf, heavy duty systems make their entry into the high-tech business cluster. According to Visser a nice expansion that fits well within the scope of the ICD. ,,With Dewulf we get the chance to share techniques and knowledge from another field. With this we make a next step in the development of our cluster.’’
trendsetter
Johan Boonstra, Plant Manager of Dewulf Group, realizes that technological development is crucial to remain a trendsetter. ,,We work daily with our team of specialists on product improvement and (technological) innovation. Technological lead is crucial for our customers. However, developments are moving so fast that we can no longer keep up on our own. Therefore we look forward to the cooperation within Innovatiecluster Drachten.’’ Boonstra is finding partners among high-tech companies to increase the innovative power of his company and the region. ’’We like to offer employees of tomorrow the opportunity to gain internship and work experience with us. This way we strengthen our position in the region.''
field lab
The field lab status does not come out of the blue. According to Visser, the ICD companies show that they can produce smartly and very flexibly. ,,Both in terms of the product - its properties, quality and design - and in terms of quantity and delivery time. Moreover, a core characteristic of smart industry is the extremely efficient use of raw materials. This is how we contribute to a sustainable world.’’
Field labs are practical environments in which companies and knowledge institutions develop, test and implement Smart Industry solutions in a targeted manner. They also provide an environment in which people learn to apply these solutions. In addition, they strengthen connections with research, education and policy on a specific Smart Industry theme. The Netherlands has 41 Smart Industry Field Labs, in which more than 500 companies, knowledge institutions and governments work together. Examples in the Northern Netherlands are the testing ground for the latest generation of mobile internet 5Groningen, shared smart factory Technologies Added in Emmen and the collaboration of the Northern manufacturing industry Region of Smart Factories.
Dewulf
From its expertise and production center in Winsum (Friesland), Dewulf has been leading in the development of innovations for seed and tender technology for 80 years. Dewulf is a top global player in agricultural machinery for growing potatoes and root crops. The Dewulf Group carries the well-known Dewulf and Miedema brands and, with its 3 branches - in Belgium, the Netherlands and Romania - boasts no less than 150 years of combined experience. The group is rightly considered a reference in the development and manufacture of agricultural machinery for tillage, planting, harvesting, storing, sorting and transporting of potatoes and vegetables. Market knowledge, continuous innovation, pleasant cooperation and a passion for the sector are the cornerstones of the management. The group realizes a turnover of more than 70 million euros (2019) worldwide with a close-knit team of more than 300 colleagues.
