From milking cows to leading innovation
Shortly after the takeover, plant director Jan Boumans took over the management of the factory. He had never been a dairy farmer, but as a young boy he used to help his grandfather on the farm. "I was allowed to help milk the cows. Together with my cousins, the whole family was there. I always found that special. That cooperation and being outdoors – I encountered that same feeling here in Putten."
Jan grew up in Brabant and now lives with his family in Hilversum. ‘The soft G has come with me to Het Gooi,’ he laughs. After studying Industrial Engineering in Eindhoven, he set out to see the world. During his student days, he lived in Canada for a while and returned there later on. His working life began at ASML. After completing a management traineeship and working in project management at Elis – which, coincidentally, is also the supplier of our workwear – he found his place at Arla Foods. ‘When I was working at Arla in Nijkerk in 2016, I saw the Vreugdenhil headquarters being built. At the time, I only knew the name, but it stuck with me. And when I got the opportunity to start at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods a few years later, I was immediately interested.’
Jan initially had a different role in mind, but it soon became clear that the newly acquired factory in Putten needed its own plant director. Someone who understood the technology and had a feel for teamwork. Jan: ‘That suits me. I'm a generalist: I know a little about a lot of things, and I like to bring people together to build something.’
Versatile, specialised and agile
Several milk streams are processed in Putten: organic milk, Jersey milk, goat's milk, organic goat's milk and regular cow's milk. The products are sold worldwide – including in China and South Korea – and must meet high quality standards. ‘It is precisely these requirements that ensure we are constantly improving,’ says Jan. The factory functions largely as a project organisation. In addition to regular production for a number of regular customers, there are numerous technical improvement projects and trial productions. Machines were recently auctioned off to make room for new investments. ‘We are continuing to build. Not just for today, but for what will be needed tomorrow.’
Together at the canteen table
The factory, which employs a total of around thirty people, operates in five shifts. Each shift has four operators on the floor. ‘You don't have any luxuries,’ says Jan. ‘When someone is ill or on holiday, you have to improvise, help each other out and trust each other. During the factory's start-up period, the team really showed how strong it is. I'll never forget that moment.’
Being an operator in Putten means being flexible. Due to the varying raw materials, product changes and the development of new products, no two days are the same. It requires flexibility, curiosity and a keen eye for detail. ‘You have to be able to switch gears quickly and think along with the team,’ says Jan. ‘But that's exactly what makes the work here so interesting: you're really helping to build something new.’
Many colleagues come from the Putten area and cycle to work. The canteen table in Putten is where everything comes together. Work discussions, jokes, ideas – it all happens there. ‘We are a small team, which means the lines of communication are short. Everyone feels responsible, both for production and for each other.’
We are building tomorrow here. And we are doing it together. In true Vreugdenhil style: down-to-earth, personal and always with quality first.
Jan Boumans, plant director Putten
Why do you work closely with the Sales department?
Our Sales team often receives customer inquiries about the applications and quality of milk powder. That’s where I come in, to advise on possibilities and experiment with different milk powder compositions to meet specific needs. But Sales is just one of the departments I collaborate with. I’m active at both the head office and our production sites, working closely with technologists and colleagues from the Quality department. I also regularly conduct on-site experiments at external locations. For example, I use the pilot plant at HAS Green Academy in Den Bosch, a test factory where I can carry out experiments that aren’t feasible at regular production sites or labs. I also make use of the facilities at Wageningen University & Research. External tests include heat simulations using an autoclave to mimic the sterilization process in cans. I also use advanced equipment to measure chemical reactions like oil oxidation, which helps us better understand and improve product stability.
Engine of innovation
Putten is where many new products take their first steps. Think of cream powder with 51% fat and, in the future, possibly even hybrid concepts. These are combinations of milk and vegetable powders. ‘Here, small batches are produced, tested and improved. What works and is in high demand can later be scaled up in our factories in Scharsterbrug or Gorinchem.’
Process hygiene, sustainability and energy consumption also receive a lot of attention. ‘We invest step by step,’ says Jan. ‘Not everything at once, but always focused on growth and customer demand.’
Putten shows that small can also be powerful. With specialisations that are unique within Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods and a culture in which you are never just a number, but an important part of the whole.
About Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods
Since 1954, we have operated as a Dutch family business in the dairy sector. Every day, we work hard to make all the goodness of milk available to people around the world. We specialize in milk powder, with four production sites in Gorinchem, Scharsterbrug, Barneveld, and Putten, a head office in Nijkerk, and a commercial office in Madrid (Spain). Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods processes 1.5 billion kilograms of milk into high-quality nutritional products and ingredients, which we export to 130 countries. Our ingredients for the food industry are mainly sold in Europe. Consumer milk powder is primarily exported to Africa and the Middle East. Our more specific applications make their way to the Asian market. Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods employs over 500 people and has an annual turnover of approximately €1.1 billion.
