At VDL Smart Spaces, we produce building modules for a Dutch construction company. Daan Huft has been working at VDL Smart Spaces as a process engineer since September 2022. What exactly does this role involve and how does he find working at VDL? We ask him!

Daan, how did you end up at VDL Smart Spaces? 

“During my Business Administration studies at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, I completed my internship at VDL Smart Spaces. I enjoyed it so much that after graduating, I reconnected with the company and was able to start working here as a process engineer. I have now been doing this for 1.5 years with great pleasure.”

What does the process engineer role entail? 
“At VDL Smart Spaces, we manufacture building modules for homes, and as a process engineer, I oversee the entire production process. What stands out in the production process and where are the potential bottlenecks? I make these visible, and based on these analyses, we continuously optimise our production process.”

You actually started your career in a relatively new organization; how did you experience that?
"In 2022, we transitioned from bus manufacturing to building modules for homes. We set up a completely new organization here, which also meant rediscovering everything together. From logistical processes to how we needed to organize production. A great challenge to work on with the entire team, and it involved both successes and setbacks. Even now, we are continuously making improvements in all processes to work more efficiently together and deliver higher quality."

What makes working at VDL enjoyable?
“What appeals to me is the contact with my colleagues on the factory floor. What do they find important in the layout of the production line and how can we incorporate that from engineering into our processes? My highlight at VDL Smart Spaces so far has been setting up our first production line. When I started here, we still had a temporary production line and were in the process of configuring the final layout of the factory. I had a coordinating role in this, and it was very enjoyable to do!”