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VDL ETG
De Schakel 22 5651 GH Eindhoven Netherlands
© VDL Group 2026
De Schakel 22 5651 GH Eindhoven Netherlands
Name: Bertus
Age: 66 years
City: Wierden
Position: Production Manager
A conversation with Bertus feels like a time travel through the history of the factory. He started in 1973 as a fourteen-year-old boy at Philips Machinefabriek Almelo and stayed there for his entire working life. Initially under the name Philips Machinefabriek, later under VDL ETG Almelo. “I've always enjoyed it here. Had many opportunities. Faced many challenges. I am grateful for that.”
It started in 1973. Bertus was just 14 years old and rode his bike to the factory. The porter was standing at the gate. He looked at me and asked: ‘Who are you?’ When I mentioned my name, I was allowed to go straight through. From that moment on, I belonged.
That’s how his career at the PVO began: the Primary Vocational Training, the predecessor of what we now call BBL. For two years, he learned everything about turning, milling, carpentry, and sheet metal work. It was a different time: home visits by teachers, parent evenings at the factory, report cards on your personnel card. “That’s almost hard to imagine now, but that’s how it was back then.”
After his training, he was given the opportunity to teach himself. “After eight years, I was on the other side, as a trainer. I loved it. You see boys coming in without experience and eventually becoming real professionals. Passing on the baton, that was rewarding.”
Then another new opportunity arose: working in the Quality Department. “Honestly, I didn't want to go there at first. I thought teaching was the best thing there was. But we agreed: if it doesn't suit, you can do something else again. In the end, I stayed there anyway and I learned a lot.”
He encountered issues with complaint registration, receipt flows, and later the first computer systems. “We still used carbon copy receipts in five colours: white, red, green, yellow, and blue. Everything was on paper. When the first PC with floppy disks arrived, nobody knew how it worked. I spent months figuring out how the program was put together. That’s how I naturally became the expert.” Quality also brought him into contact with clients and suppliers. “That was a huge enrichment. I went everywhere: to the factory, to suppliers, but also to customers all over the Netherlands.”
The last years of his career were spent in the Projects department by Bertus. As a production manager, he enjoyed a lot of freedom and responsibility. He supervised a wide range of assignments, often larger and more complex than regular production. “What I like about Projects is: you start something, you finish it, and then something new comes along. It’s varied, and that suits me.” Among other things, he worked on systems for Philips Healthcare and Elekta, where small teams of specialists worked precisely and diligently. “Those were great teams. People who knew their craft, who truly created something beautiful together. That gives energy.”
Doing something new regularly: that is perhaps the secret to his long career at VDL. He worked in the workshop, in quality, in assembly, in purchasing, at the technical service, in the warehouse, and later in Projects. “I didn't want to do the same thing all the time. I was always looking for a new challenge. That's how I’ve explored everywhere in the factory, and I learned something new everywhere. I find that really rewarding.”
Over the years, Bertus has worked on countless projects, but a few stand out for him. For example, he was involved in the construction of complete washing facilities, where frames for ASML machines are cleaned. “At first I thought: how? But I was given free rein. Anything was allowed, as long as it worked. In the end, we had one large and one small washing facility, all designed lean. Those are the rewarding challenges.”
Another highlight was preparing to build flight simulators for the aviation industry. The roof of the hall had to be raised, a huge foundation was poured, and safety was meticulously arranged. "That was fantastic work. I am proud of it."
Sometimes work took him far outside Almelo as well. For example, he visited a factory in the Czech Republic, a former military workshop where shell casings were still lying in the corners. “That was very unusual. Dark halls, almost no windows. That was exciting for me because I’d never experienced anything like that before. And then suddenly flying business class, with orange juice and a little newspaper on the plane. That was very special.”
What stands out in his story: Bertus has never stopped learning and sharing knowledge. Evening classes, courses, leadership training, modules in control engineering, training to teach. He provides the training on reading technical drawings at the VDL ETG Almelo Academy and has been teaching at the STODT (training in machining and technology) for about 35 years. “Those are very motivated people. They really want to learn, ask questions, are curious. That makes it wonderful to do.” Bertus has also been the permanent Sinterklaas in Almelo for many years, and he’s happily continuing this tradition even after his retirement!
Not only Bertus, but also his wife works at VDL in Almelo. It started with a few hours a day helping in the kitchen, and later she got a permanent position in the packing sluice near the warehouse. "She has really found her rhythm there, with a few colleagues around her. She will just keep working when I retire later."
Ask Bertus what he is most proud of, and he doesn't mention a single project or role. For him, it's about the whole. “I've always enjoyed my work. There were challenges, there were opportunities, and I was always able to try something new. I really value that. And I've had many great colleagues; that might be the most important thing.”
He also has a message for the younger generation. “You need to help each other. Don't think in terms of boxes. Just roll up your sleeves. That's what it’s all about. Put that phone away and talk to each other.”
Bertus has retired. And now? “Cycle more. Mountain biking. Perhaps volunteering, but I don't want to be tied into a strict schedule right away. Retirement also means more time for the grandchildren. And the children are already asking me for chores, painting, and that kind of thing. So I'll see how it goes. I definitely don't need to be bored.”
After 52 years, the conclusion is clear: Bertus has had a career to be proud of. From a fourteen-year-old boy to an experienced mentor and project leader. “I’ve had a wonderful time here. And I will carry that with me. Grateful, that’s the word that fits best.”
