'Innovatiecluster Drachten is not a support group'

News | April 3, 2017

During a festive gathering at the location where Ventura Systems designs and assembles its door systems for bus, tram and metro, cluster chairman Kor Visscher signed the cooperation agreement. Traditionally on the back of the board of the entrant company.   

loft trumpet

The local administrators of the municipalities involved showed their enthusiasm and gave their praises. Not only about the employment opportunities, which Ventura has been offering for 22 years thanks to the worldwide export of its door systems. According to alderman Maarten Offinga (Sûdwest Fryslân), the entrepreneurial spirit and now joining the business cluster are a sign of good entrepreneurship. ,,I am proud that we have such an innovative company in our municipality!'' Alderman Roel Haverkort, from the cradle of the business cluster municipality of Smallingerland, agrees. “The criticism a few months ago that the innovative business cluster is only there for the greater honor and glory of directors is far from the truth. With the addition of Ventura Systems, Innovatiecluster Drachten once again shows how you can progress through collaboration.”

Collaboration is more

A few months ago, De Nooijer of Ventura Systems was very pleased with the invitation from the business cluster to come and talk. “Innovatiecluster Drachten really contributes to our business. For example, the collaboration enables us to do more. We are already experiencing this in the knowledge circles in which we participate.” According to de Nooijer, entrepreneurship means taking steps. ,,That also applies to the government and that is why I am happy with the collaboration with both municipalities and the province. In this way we complement each other, instead of getting in each other's way."

Open innovation

President Kor Visscher of Innovatiecluster Drachten emphasized in his welcome speech how important export companies such as Ventura Systems are for the economy of the Northern Netherlands. ,,If a Frisian company improves compared to a Groningen company, that is especially good for the owner. If the company does export, then the whole of the Northern Netherlands will benefit from this.” Visser believes that companies should learn to work much more in value-added chains. According to him, open innovation is the key word. “Independent innovation is really a thing of the past. Trust in each other and openness, these are the pillars for livelihood security in the future."