The new development of livestock housing specialist Spinder Dairy Housing Concepts is in its final phase. The keys were handed over and the building is being furnished. The first employees will be working at the new location in Drachten straight after the summer break. The start of the move will be marked with an open day for employees and members of their families.
In July 2018, the first pile for the almost 20,000 m2 building at the Azeven Noord industrial site was driven into the ground by alderman Bakker (of Economic Affairs). One year on, the building is all but ready. Some issues are yet to be finalised from a technical point of view, but the keys have been handed over and Spinder is now ready to get on with relocating the business and furnishing as planned.
Not all of Spinder's machines and processes are being moved in one go. "To minimise any inconvenience for our customers, we wish to stay on top of the relocation process", says director Jehannes Bottema. The assembly, dispatch, product development and sales departments are first in line for relocation. This concerns about 35 employees who will work in or from the new location in Drachten after the summer break.
The remaining 15 employees of black steel processing will remain in Harkema until the end of the year. "The relocation of the production machines will take more time and will be carried out in phases. Some of the machines will be purchased as new, while others will be dismantled in Harkema and later reassembled in Drachten. All that will take time and preparation." Thanks to modernisation of the production process and means of production, Spinder will be able to efficiently capitalise on the growing turnover. The entire move is expected to be completed by March 2020.
Putting the new premises into service was celebrated with a festive family day on Saturday, 13 July. All employees were given the opportunity to show their families around in the new working environment. The move is a very special event for the company as well as for its employees. "Such special moments should be celebrated with one's family." In 2020, with all operations running from the new location, the company will be organising a general open day to present itself to suppliers, customers and stock farmers.
The modern factory in Drachten meets all of today's requirements for sustainable buildings. For example, partly recycled materials were used and the building has been insulated in a way to minimise the energy required for cooling and heating. The office and showroom are not connected to the natural gas mains. In coming months, final choices will also be made with regard to the installation of solar panels on the roof. This has already been taken into account during the construction of the roof.