Visscher is retiring and not only saying goodbye to Philips. He will also step down as chairman of our business cluster in June.
In a full house at Philips in Drachten, Tuesday afternoon 15 May, Visscher thanked the invitees. Representatives of, among others, the University of Groningen, Stenden/NHL, VNO-NCW, FME, Region of Smart Factorys, International Welcome Center North, ROC Friese Poort and directors of municipalities and the three northern provinces. ,,It was a privilege and mostly a pleasure to work for Philips.’’ The best thing about his work? ,,That I was always involved at the forefront of technological development.’’ He witnessed the entry of the first computer, robots and 3D printers. His experience teaches him that the best people have long since moved beyond Philips. The time of independent innovation is over’’, he tells his guests one more time. His conviction; knowledge sharing is the only chance for new techniques and innovations. A thank you to Philips is in order, for the space he was given to put energy into a network in which education and business work together in a unique way. ‘’I was apparently considered ’loosely trusted,’ as we say here at Philips about people who are allowed to represent the company in the outside world.''
green heart
That is therefore the reason for the royal appreciation, his social commitment. Described by our program manager Joost Krebbekx as his ‘green heart’. ‘’Innovating between the cows wouldn't be possible? Kor forged a ’coalition of the willing’ with six companies and simply went to work with Philips, Neopost, BD, Norma, Variass and the current FMI. Organic growth in four sprints of two years and no municipal and provincial boundaries as obstacles.’’ Visscher took the lead as penciler and association chairman. ''But that was only the administrative side. Kor, you are wedded to the idea and sold the idea with verve, inside and outside Philips, because you believe in it and as you say: have fun with it.''
Heritage
Mayor Tom van Mourik outlines the endless possibilities for high-tech companies, but also the challenges. ,,Every reason for Innovatiecluster Drachten to open its own Shared Facility Center in 2016. In Drachten, of course, and right here on the Philips site.’’ A personal achievement of Kor Visscher, for which he stuck his neck out both inside and outside Philips. Drachten's first industrial building, the AA Building, dates back to 1949 and was built by local entrepreneurs at the time to house starting entrepreneurs. ,,Now it is industrial heritage and the innovations for the future are taking place there. Because not only the companies work together there, students from university, HBO and MBO come there to work on assignments that until recently were not part of the curriculum of their studies.’’
To trust
From the Smallingerland municipality and the province of Fryslân, Visscher received not only 16 million euros at its founding, but, according to him, mainly an ’’above-average confidence’’ to make Innovatiecluster Drachten ’’something beautiful.'' ''Now our cluster gives the impetus that the northern provinces need. Not an employment program from above, but the need of companies and knowledge institutions themselves to work together.’
In the media
Read the story about Kor Visscher's award in several media here.
Drachtster Courant, May 16, 2018
Province of Friesland, May 15, 2018
Balkster Courant, May 16, 2018