Not only in Eindhoven the High Tech Discovery Route is allowing people a close look behind the doors of the high tech industry, but also about 200 kilometers further away in Almelo. As well as in the Frisian town of Drachten, where Philips has been active for 75 years already.
E52 makes a series of articles in preparation for the Dutch Technology Week (23-29 May). This is the eighteenth part. Here are the earlier parts
Ten high-tech companies from Almelo will show everything they have on Saturday May 28, as part of the High Tech Discovery Route Twente. One of the ten companies that can be visited is Urenco, where uranium is enriched for nuclear power plants. “Normally no one can come inside, it’s a big the secret what’s happening here in the factories”, Job Schipper explains. “It is really unique that people can get a tour to the inside on May 28. But we have some conditions. You have to be at least 13 years old, you have to apply and legitimise yourself well in advance, and smartphones or cameras are not allowed.”
Schipper believes that the general public still doesn’t really know how cool the high tech industry in and around Almelo really is. “A lot is happening here in the high tech sector, we want to highlight this with the discovery route. Last year we focused mainly on children; this year it’s broader than that.”
It is the third time that the discovery route in Almelo is part of Dutch Technology Week. According to Lianke Gerdzen from Enritec, that produces machines for the enrichment of uranium, technical talents from Twente do not need to go to Eindhoven or the Randstad. “Leaving the region is not at all necessary, we’ve got so many beautiful, good companies. But by showing all of this, we also want to attract talent from outside our region.”
This year there is plenty to do for children at Enritec, especially the girls are not forgotten. “Too many people still think that technology is only something for boys, because it’s about making your hands dirty and stuff like that. But take another example, fine mechanics, the really detailed work you know, in fact girls are generally better at it than boys.”
Buses run between the different companies. “But not between Almelo and Eindhoven, although it of course would be very nice if people would come to Almelo from there.”
Drachten
The same day, Saturday May 28, between 11:00 and 17:00, twelve high-tech companies that are part of the Innovation Cluster Drachten will present themselves and will give you a peek inside their engine rooms. An exciting and playful day full of fun discoveries and wonders of technology.
The partnership of the twelve has been marketed under the name ‘Innovation Cluster Drachten’ and represents around 3.000 employees in the region, of which 950 work in product development. More info to be found here.
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