LIFE AT VOORTMAN
VOORTMAN STEEL MACHINERY
CONTACT
installation and maintenance of our machines
Field & Customer Service
Our Field & Customer Service teams are the ambassadors of Voortman. Friendly, professional and fast, they solve every problem. On the phone, via email or on site at the customer's premises. And not just if there is a problem with a machine. Our Field Service Engineers travel around the world to install, commission and maintain our machines and to train our customers. Together with the Customer Service team, they form a close-knit department that is completely dedicated to making our customers' lives easier.
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Whereas team Customer Service mainly works at our Voortman Campus, our Field Service Engineers are real adventurers who travel all over the world. One day they are working on machinery in an industrial hall in the middle of the desert. A week later, they are standing with their feet in the snow. But both teams have a clear task: to help our customers. Read more about the Support, Maintenance, Service, Installation, Commissioning and Training teams.
INSTALLATION
Building something from nothing. That is what our Installation team does. It kicks off with a (partially) empty hall and containers with one or more machines being delivered. A team of Engineers then builds the machines and sets them up precisely. This takes about three weeks, during which the Installation Engineer is away from home. During these three weeks, the Installation Engineer works closely with colleagues and stays at the same hotel. All these trips and accomodations are arranged to perfection by our own Voortman Travel team. On location, the Installation Engineer also maintains close contact with the customer: as a team they make sure that the machine or machine line is set up. After that, the job is finished and it is Commissioning's turn.
COMMISSIONING
The Commissioning Engineer will ensure that the machine actually runs. With a laptop connected to the machine, they will ensure that everything is adjusted down to the last detail and that the machines work together optimally as one system. On small projects the Commissioning Engineer works alone, on larger projects there will be a team with two or three of them travelling together. For a correct set-up it is important that they know exactly how the process should work, so our Commissioning Engineers are well informed of the customer's production process. After three weeks, the job is completed. Like the Installation Engineers, the Commissioning Engineers are often home for a week before they continue with the next project.
TRAINING
The machines we deliver to our customers are operated on the customer's side by operators. Our trainers ensure that the operators receive proper training: in our own Experience Center or on location at the customer's premises. This way the customer knows how the machines work and they can perform minor repairs themselves. The more knowledge the customer has in-house, the less support is needed. Every training session is different. Some customers are working with a machine for the first time and others just need a refresher course. Moreover, the cultures and knowledge levels of our customers differ. Our trainers can empathize with the customer's knowledge needs and tailor their training accordingly. Like our Service Engineers, our Trainers are on the road Monday through Friday.
SUPPORT
Team Support solves as many as 90% of the customer problems. This works as follows: a customer contacts Support because something is not working properly. Very inconvenient, because sometimes this means that the production process is halted. Our Support Engineers can empathize with the customer's situation and do everything they can to find a solution. They listen carefully and work professionally and quickly. All this is done remotely as much as possible. By phone, mail or live viewing with the customer, 90% of the problems are solved. If we can't solve the problem remotely, a Service Engineer will visit the customer on location to help. Team Support is not only there for our customers, but our own Engineers can also contact them with technical questions and machine specifications.
MAINTENANCE
Our Maintenance Engineers ensure that each machine remains in top condition and the customer can continue the production process without any problems. Their knowledge of our machines is always up-to-date and they perform periodic maintenance checks. Maintenance checks are scheduled far in advance, so our Maintenance Engineers know exactly what their work week looks like. In a report, they record what they have detected and conducted. For example, parts may need replacement but have yet to be ordered. In that case, a new appointment is scheduled to fix this problem. Depending on the size of the job, our Maintenance Engineers work alone or with a number of colleagues. The duration of the jobs varies from one to five days.
SERVICE
Surely the most unpredictable discipline within the Field & Customer Service department is Service because nothing can be planned. A problem arises that cannot be solved by the Support Department and the customer needs help immediately. The Service Coordinator contacts the customer and makes sure an appointment with a Service Engineer is scheduled as soon as possible. This means that they are on the road with the bus from Monday to Friday. Our Service Engineers are therefore not only technically skilled, but also enjoy the challenge of dealing with the most complex issues. It is also important to reassure the customer and to radiate confidence that the problem will be solved in no time. Thanks to the creativity and technical knowledge of Team Service, the machines are up and running again quickly.
TEAM
The team consists of international colleagues who, despite being all over the world and not often meeting in the office, maintain close contact with each other and the other Voortman colleagues. Once a year the entire team meets in Rijssen during the Field Engineering Days, where in addition to informative training sessions, there is especially time for team building and socializing.
HEAR IT FROM OUR COLLEAGUES:
WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS THINK OF OUR FIELD SERVICE & CUSTOMER SERVICE ENGINEERS?
Ian Cahill
Cahill Structures | UK
"They are the most professional installation crew I have ever seen. They literally leaped out of their cars and worked and worked to get us to processing steel as quickly as possible."
Jason Mouldin
Steel Specialty | US
"We have had great experience with the Voortman team. And when you experience it that way, you know your next experience will probably be the same."