‘We can absolutely rely on Van der Giessen.’
At Farm Frites, 1.5 million tons of potatoes roll off the production line each year. That’s almost as much as the combined weight of all the houses in the municipality of Venlo. To continuously supply their international customers, they only work with partners they fully trust. Project Manager Jan-Kees Moerdijk: “When we work with Van der Giessen, we know everything will turn out right.”
Farm Frites processes their potatoes into delicious fries and other potato specialties. They do this in five production facilities spread across different countries. One of these factories is located in Oudenhoorn, the place where the company started in 1971. Jan-Kees Moerdijk is the project manager there. His job is never boring, he says: “We are always working on multiple projects at the same time. Parts of our factory are continuously being replaced, adjusted, and optimized. Recently, for example, our blanching line and the cutting and sorting department.”
Van der Giessen plays an important role in these projects. The company manufactures connecting components for the production line, ensuring that everything is properly placed and seamlessly integrated into the system. “It’s an incredibly important task,” says Jan-Kees. “Without them, we can’t build or maintain a factory. Their employees are always around here.”
“Let’s go with Van der Giessen. Then we know everything will be done right.”
— Jan Kees Moerdijk, Farm Frites Nederland
Starting up later is not an option
To carry out all these projects, Farm Frites Oudenhoorn has to shut down the production process. This happens one day a month. Delays are not an option, explains Jan-Kees: “Even if we start up just one or two hours later, it costs us a tremendous amount of money. When our supply chain is disrupted, we face problems on both sides. We can’t supply the customer, and we receive more potatoes than we can process. This has a huge impact on our logistics chain and organization. We can never catch up on that backlog."
Always aiming for perfection
That’s why it’s essential for Jan-Kees to work with reliable partners—people who keep their word, no matter what. “When everyone sticks to the agreements, we’re like a well-oiled machine,” he says. “That’s why I enjoy working with Van der Giessen. They always deliver when they say they will, and the quality is always top-notch. They don’t settle for an 8 as the final result. It has to be a 10, and if circumstances prevent that, they’ll tell me honestly. I really appreciate that.”
Jan-Kees prefers to work with partners who are clear about what’s possible. “I’d rather have a partner who tells me something can’t be done than one who overpromises. With Van der Giessen, I always know where I stand.”
“The end result must be a 10.”
— Jan Kees Moerdijk, Farm Frites Nederland
Expert of the fry line
To minimize downtime, Van der Giessen must account for all possible scenarios. In this area, the organization’s experience is invaluable. Jan-Kees explains: “Wim van der Giessen started out as a technician years ago. Over time, he’s seen a lot and learned from major international clients. Often, he knows more about the fry line than we do. His team helps prevent us from falling into certain pitfalls.”
In the nine years they’ve worked together, Jan-Kees can’t recall a single moment when a machine wasn’t running on time. “Something can always happen that causes a component to unexpectedly not fit—like a small issue, such as a lid opening in the wrong direction. When that happens, they fix it as quickly as possible, but making sure the machine runs is sacred."
A safe choice.
For large, complex projects, there is sometimes a discussion about which assembly partner would be most suitable. But that discussion never lasts long. “We occasionally consider alternatives, for example, to save costs. But do we dare take that risk? The conclusion is always: let’s choose Van der Giessen, because then we know for sure everything will be done right. That’s something we say here very often.”
“They always deliver when they say they will."
— Jan Kees Moerdijk, Farm Frites Nederland
