Last August marked Jeffrey's 10-year anniversary at Badotherm. After having spent the first years of his career at a metalware plant he landed a job at the factory of Badotherm in Dordrecht which has been a home of inspiration for him ever since. “From day one I was given the opportunity to learn and challenge myself. I did not have any experience with using a welding torch but that was not an issue at all. “The precision welding work we do is so specialized that even experienced welders will need to learn the “tricks of our trade”.
“The first years I was trained by two experienced colleagues, both with their own approaches and opinions. An ideal scenario for me, as I could learn a lot from both and at the same time define a way of working that suits me personally.”
We ask Jeffrey about the differences between his first working experiences and his current role at the diaphragm seal company. “In my former roles I was expected to focus mainly on output, put my blinders on and go! At Badotherm I am allowed to keep an open mind and stay receptive for new ideas that pop up.” Is that also what makes Badotherm stand out from others in the industry you think? “I think what is key is our willingness to take on big and smaller, more specialized assignments. We don’t shy away for special requests from customers. Our manufacturing facility caters for high volume production and specialized custom assignments at the same time.”
In 2021 the 5S methodology was introduced to the factory floor in Dordrecht. 5S stands for 5 disciplines (sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain) to create and sustain an environment for continuous improvement by creating efficient and effective work areas. Jeffrey experienced first hand the impact of this mindset change in the factory. “you can feel it when you enter the factory, everything looks tidy, the working stations are clean, there is no noise. We are no longer wasting time on searching for missing tools and parts as everything gets stored properly.” Not surprisingly the 5S 5S mindset also enhances the products and services that Badotherm brings to market. Jeffrey explains, “Displays in the factory show the orders that need to be produced that day. Like a team of chefs in a Micheline-starred restaurant, we work together and run through all the necessary production steps.
When the product is ready it gets packed and served to the market. It really makes my day when things runs smooth and our team members efforts are in sync!”
At the end of the interview we talk about the future and how Jeffrey envisions his work to change in the coming years. “I want to stay receptive for new innovations and technologies that we are adopting as a company and focus on learning new skills. Recently I followed online courses to learn how to install and configure robot arms. The role and employability of such robots will only increase in our industry. And that is exactly a field of expertise I want to further master and by doing so, remain of value to our company and customers.”
Got enthousiastic about Jeffrey’s story? Check our job openings if there is a position that suits you and come join us.
