He knows that this year’s Precisiebeurs program is once again bulging with great keynotes, presentations and lectures, but for Roland Kuijvenhoven it ultimately comes down to networking. “Everybody is approachable; you can reach out to people you haven’t seen for a while, and they know how to find you easily as well. That applies to us in the same way it applies to those hundreds of fellow companies here: the Precision Fair is the place to raise your profile.”
Kuijvenhoven is director-owner of Te Lintelo Systems, founded in 1985 by Ben Te Lintelo and owned by Kuijvenhoven since 2015. The company focuses on applications for the photonics sector, with expertise in transmitting, manipulating and detecting light. It is impossible to imagine the high-tech manufacturing industry without photonics, so it is not surprising that this sector has been given its own place as one of the six main themes of the fair. Besides ‘Laser and Photonics’, these are ‘Mechatronic Engineering & Systems’, ‘Metrology’, ‘Vacuum & Clean’, ‘Micro Processing & Motion’ and ‘Production for high precision’.
Over 350 exhibitors
For all themes, various representatives will be on the exhibition floor in the Bossche Brabanthallen. In total, there will be over 350 exhibitors, surrounded by an impressive program with highlights such as a keynote by Cor Ottens (System Architect at ASML), the presentation of the latest issue of PIT Magazine on key technologies and lectures on Big Science projects, by ILOnet. There is also an “AM for Precision Square” in the middle of the exhibition floor with 14 additive manufacturing specialists. Of course, the regular anchor points such as the presentation of the Ir. Davidson Award and the Wim van der Hoek Award by the Dutch Society for Precision Engineering (DSPE) are not missing either. To show that precision technology is developed from generation to generation, there is also the Young Talent Pitch Program for innovations by young talents.
Crucial pillar
With the Precision Fair, Mikrocentrum once again clarifies that our society cannot do without the high-tech manufacturing industry. Program Manager Bart Kooijmans calls high-tech a crucial pillar of the (inter)national economy. “This sector is now responsible for 50% of all R&D investments in the Netherlands with an export value of some 22 billion. The demand for high-tech products continues to grow, accelerating developments and innovations around precision technology. Their realization requires specialization in various fields but also cooperation and knowledge sharing. All this comes together during the 22nd edition of the Precision Fair, on November 15 and 16 in the Brabanthallen in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The entire precision technology value chain comes together to share knowledge about the latest developments and network.”
Outsider
Roland Kuijvenhoven can only agree. While at first he and his photonics colleagues still felt a bit of an outsider, as one of the six main themes, that is certainly no longer the case. “We see that there is a lot of interest in photonics, and so we can profile ourselves nicely here for the companies we represent. Low-threshold, so it’s easy for both existing and potential customers.” He will, therefore, mainly be found in the booth. “Of course, I will also be walking around the fair, making introductions here and there and catching a few lectures, but I think I can be handy to people who want to learn more about our work. As a supplier to the photonics industry in the Benelux, with a team of passionate, experienced, well-trained photonics engineers, our mission is to find the best photonics solution for all our customers. Be it for research & development or industry. We are happy to talk that through with anyone!”
MTA Group
Jean-Pierre Noten, Corporate Communication Manager of MTA Group, hopes to convey to visitors above all that his company is the one-stop-factory for the development, industrialization, and series production of high-tech mechatronic systems. “We work for renowned OEMs from various markets. Whether producing to customer specifications or developing first in co-creation and then producing, it is in our DNA that we strive for the most optimal and cost-efficient production process.”
MTA can join many other exhibitors in the central theme of Mechatronic Engineering & Systems. But that does not mean that Noten will only be found at the companies related to it. “Besides being present at our booth, we always take ample time to walk around, gather information, and meet up with business associates. This year, colleague Richard van Lieshout is giving a keynote presentation with one of our customers, VSParticle. All in all, the Precision Fair is a great time for us to get and bring knowledge every year. But also to network and meet relations and also with an interesting customer case to show our knowledge and competences on our exhibition stand.”
Catalyst
According to Kooijmans, the sector-wide presence of top professionals from the high-tech sector, knowledge institutions, government agencies, technical universities, and incubator programs makes the Precision Fair so interesting. “They gather here to work together for the future. The increasing demand for precision binds all these professionals and their effort to meet that demand.”
For the same reason, there is also extra space this year for the industry associations and non-profits that play such an essential role in the industry itself. So there are more than 25 parties in the “networking arena,” including the technical universities, colleges and Mbo’s, industry associations, knowledge institutions, and government agencies that make a visit to the fair even more interesting. “Again, this contributes to our big goal: the Precision Fair as a catalyst for the high-tech industry. It shows that we are widely recognized as the moment in the year that everyone wants to attend.”
Collaboration
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