Can you briefly explain what your job as QA Manager entails?
'I started at Nijdra in 2010. First in the measuring room, where I checked parts for size and finish. Since 2020, I have been a QA Manager. My work revolves around organising and improving our quality system. That means supervising audits, conducting management reviews, analysing discrepancies, but also looking forward to what is needed to meet tomorrow's needs. I am also a point of contact for customers. If there are questions about our certifications, product reliability or sustainability, they end up with me. You should be able to explain what happened and how to prevent it from happening again. Therein often lies the crux of quality management: learning from mistakes and making structural improvements.'

Why is quality so crucial for Nijdra?
'Because it is our licence to operate. Without high quality, you simply cannot compete in the markets we operate in. Customers do not order standard products; they demand customisation with very tight tolerances. This may involve a part that is accurate to thousandths of millimetres. If that is not exactly right, it will not fit into the customer's machine. Not only does that customer then have a problem, but so do we, because you are wasting time, materials and, above all, trust. That's why I say: quality is literally vital to us.'

What trends do you see in your field in the coming years?
'The biggest change is the rise of the semiconductor industry. At the moment, this is still a relatively small part of our revenue, but it is expected to grow rapidly. The demand for chips is huge, due to artificial intelligence and because almost all consumer goods are now connected to the internet. From refrigerators to cars: there are chips in everything. Such production requires extremely precise and clean parts. This places new demands on our work. You can no longer suffice with just manufacturing; parts have to be dust-free, free of stains and packed in special cleanroom packaging. I expect this to become the standard. In five to 10 years, clean production will no longer be the exception, but simply the norm. For us, that means more cleanrooms, stricter procedures and employees having to work in a different way.'

Specifically, what does that require from people on the work floor?
'A lot of awareness. An employee touching a component with their bare hands can already render it unusable. Therefore, we work with gloves and parts must be covered immediately. It seems like a small effort, but it is essential. I spend a lot of time on training: explaining why it's important, what happens if you skip a rule and how that ultimately affects their work too.'

'In the future, we may produce entirely in cleanrooms. That means employees work in special suits, in rooms where dust and dirt have no chance. That requires adaptation, but I find that people actually find that interesting. They get specialist work in return and feel they are part of something big. At the end of the day, it's all about one thing: everyone has to join the movement, otherwise you will lose connection with the market.'

Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important. How do you see that development?
'Previously, customers would only ask about prices and delivery times when making an enquiry. Increasingly, the first the question you now hear is: what are you doing in terms of sustainability? If this question is then answered satisfactorily, only then do price and delivery time come into play. We have had the EcoVadis certification since 2017 and score bronze. That may not sound that great, but it does mean we are serious about sustainability. To progress to silver or gold, we need much more concrete reporting, for example through CSRD reports. That takes time and energy, but it is not for nothing. Major customers now include sustainability in their choice of suppliers. Without certification, some companies won't even consider you. So it is not only a moral choice, but also a strategic one.'

Can you give a concrete example of sustainable innovation at Nijdra?
'A great example is our circular manufacturing. Until recently, machines that came back were often replaced entirely. Now, we take them apart and reassess the core components. If these still meet the highest standards, we put them in new machines. This results in huge savings: financially, but especially in terms of materials and the environment. Another benefit is that employees appreciate this too. Before, they only assembled new parts; now they also disassemble and have more variety in their work. And if you then tell them that it is better for the environment as well, you will automatically get them on board. You have to make sustainability concrete and tangible; then it will automatically become something positive.'

What role will artificial intelligence play in your work?
'AI is much more than just ChatGPT. For us, it is mainly about data processing. We have huge amounts of product measurement data. Now we often still fill these in manually and save them in PDFs. Soon, AI will automatically read all that data, analyse it and provide quality control advice. This not only saves time, but also makes our work more reliable. Machines will even be able to take their own measurements and monitor themselves in the future. This eliminates boring and repetitive tasks, leaving more room for people to focus on complex, sensitive decisions. So I don't see AI as a threat, but as an opportunity to make the work more interesting.'

In your view, which tasks will always remain human work?
'Feeling and experience You can visually assess a surface and think: something is wrong here, even if the computer says it is within the margin. That human gut feeling remains valuable. In the end, it's all about the combination: the computer does the heavy data processing, the human checks if the end result is correct. There is also an emotional side. Quality is also about being proud of your work. You can see that pride in our people, and you can never fully automate that.'

Looking ten years ahead, what does Nijdra look like?
'I expect a company with even more cleanrooms, where AI is fully integrated and where sustainability is a natural part of daily work. But the core remains the same: we deliver top quality and lead the way in innovation. What I like is that customers often say: Nijdra is always first to shoot for the moon. What they mean by this is that we are quick to embrace new technology, whether that was CNC machines in the 1980s or AI today. That pioneering mentality is what keeps us standing out. And I think that will make us even stronger in the next 10 years.'

What does it mean for you personally to work in a family business?
'A family business always has a balance between tradition and innovation. On the one hand, there is respect for the past and the way things have been done. On the other hand, there is the drive to innovate. For me, that's an inspiring combination. You feel you are part of a bigger story, but you are also given the space to shape the future. I see my role as connecting those two worlds: making sure we meet today's demands, but thinking about tomorrow’s at the same time. This can be challenging at times, but it also gives a lot of energy. Ultimately, that is what quality is about: looking forward, improving and making sure you are always one step ahead of the rest.'