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The new batch of Factories of the Future has been announced. Companies that, even against the backdrop of a global pandemic, have continued to invest to build world-class manufacturing facilities. The common thread running through the stories of P&V Panels, Stas, Takeda Belgium, Terumo, Vinventions and ZF Wind Power? The passion of the employees who make a difference every day in practice and build that factory of the future. We introduce the Flemish winners to you.
Over the past eight years, the leading group of forward-thinking manufacturing companies In Belgium has grown to a club of 48 companies, including the six new winners. They all got to work on the seven transformations in the Made Different program of organizers Agoria and Sirris. And with results, they achieved more growth in terms of productivity, turnover and jobs than the rest of the manufacturing industry. Flemish Minister of Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture Hilde Crevits was present to present the awards to the four Flemish winners. "I see our Factories of the Future as engines of the future. Their stories show how we can anchor ourselves here in a new way. As the Flemish government, we also try to support companies along that path. On the one hand by allocating money. In recent years we have spun a beautiful fabric of research institutions, start-ups, scale-ups and companies working together on applied innovations. On the other hand, we are pushing hard on training. In the coming years, jobs will disappear and change. We want to help guide people to the jobs of the future."
Employees have also been the key to success in the journey that P&V Panels, Stas, Terumo and ZF Wind Power took on the way to their Factory of the Future awards. We will let the Flemish winners themselves explain to you how they won this award recognition. For example, sign maker P&V Panels, headquartered in Heusden-Zolder, initiated several improvement projects. "By allowing data to flow freely to all facets of production, we manage to achieve batch size one in a cost-effective way. We started with a modified production layout to create more structure but at the same time this allowed us to work and deliver faster. I am most proud of the people with whom we achieved this success. They make our slogan 'one step ahead' a reality every day.".
Automate and digitize wherever possible. That was the starting point for Stas from Waregem, specializing in the construction of tippers and self-unloaders, to become a Factory of the Future. "An initiative in which we have involved not only our own employees but also students doing internships here for a better end result. For us, there is added value in this cooperation with students. Through contacts with universities and schools, you are naturally always well informed about the latest techniques. It can also be a way of attracting new workers. The first acquaintance is then already behind us." Crevits also shows herself to be an ardent supporter of workplace learning "This story of Stas shows how easily students can move on in companies after workplace learning. It is a full-fledged degree, which puts you in touch with state-of-the-art technology and where you actually have a 100% chance of getting a job."
The pharma industry also draws present in the list of Factories of the Future 2022. Terumo Europe, manufacturer of medical devices, bet within its journey on establishing digital links between its various machines. "By building a machine platform, we were able to inject our production with a large dose of flexibility. Digitization is a real spearhead in our industry, both in processes and products with, for example, the trend toward monitoring patients from a distance. By building an intelligently flexible platform, we can now respond quickly to new needs. Our staff also transformed from classic to high-tech operators."
The last word is for ZF Wind Power, which builds gearboxes for wind turbines. "Through innovative cooperation with our customer, we have managed to make an integrated product, fully assembled, fully tested. That can go straight to the site for installation. For us, this recognition is confirmation that we are on the right track. That helps both internally to have more buy-in for new investments and externally in attracting new personnel. We have been on the road for three years now. This is a nice way station on that journey."
In addition to the six new winners, eight other manufacturing companies were also able to extend their previously won titles. They are Lavetan and E.D.& A. in Turnhout, BMT Aerospace and TE Connectivity in Oostkamp, Duracell in Aarschot, Van Hoecke in Sint-Niklaas, Stas in Tournai and AISIN Europe (formerly AW Europe) in Saint-Ghislain.
