He knows that this year's Precision Fair programme is once again bursting with great keynotes, presentations and lectures, but for Roland Kuijvenhoven, it ultimately comes down to networking. "It's low-threshold, you can approach people you haven't seen for a while and they also know how to find you easily. That applies to us in the same way as to those hundreds of fellow companies that are here: the Precisiebeurs is the place to raise your profile."
It's low-threshold, you can approach people you haven't seen for a while and they know how to find you easily too - Roland Kuijvenhoven, director-owner of Te Lintelo Systems
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. For the high-tech manufacturing industry, photonics can no longer be ignored, 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, several representatives will be on the exhibition floor in the Bossche Brabanthallen. In total, there are more than 350 exhibitors alone, surrounded by an impressive programme 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 will also be an 'AM for Precision Square' in the middle of the show 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 passed on from generation to generation, there is also the Young Talent Pitch Programme for innovations by young talents.
Crucial pillar
With the Precision Fair, Mikrocentrum once again makes it clear that our society cannot do without the high-tech manufacturing industry. Programme 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, which also accelerates developments and innovations around precision technology. Their realisation requires specialisation in various fields, but also cooperation and knowledge sharing. All this will come together at the 22nd edition of the Precision Fair, on 15 and 16 November in the Brabanthallen in 's-Hertogenbosch. The entire precision technology value chain will come together to share knowledge about the latest developments and to network."
This sector now accounts for 50% of all R&D investments in the Netherlands with an export value of some 22 billion - Bart Kooijmans, Programme Manager Precision Fair
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 himself will therefore mainly be found in the stand. "Of course, I will also be walking around the fair, making introductions here and there and catching a few lectures, but I think I will mainly be of use to people who want to learn more about our work. As a supplier to the photonics industry in Benelux, with a team of passionate, experienced, well-trained photonics engineers, our mission is to find the best photonics solution for all our customers. Whether for research & development or industry. We are happy to talk to anyone about that!"
MTA Group
For 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, industrialisation and series production of high-tech mechatronic systems. "We work for renowned OEMs from various markets. Whether it's producing to customer specifications, or developing first in co-creation and then producing, it's in our DNA that we strive for the most optimal and cost-efficient production process."
MTA can join many other exhibitors under the main theme Mechatronic Engineering & Systems. But that is not to say that Noten will only be found at the companies that are also related to it "Besides being present at our own stand, we always take ample time to walk around, gather information and meet up with relations. This year, colleague Richard van Lieshout will give a keynote presentation, together with one of our customers, VSParticle. All in all, the Precision Fair is a great time for us every year to get and bring knowledge. But also to network and meet relations and also show our knowledge and competences with an interesting customer case at our own exhibition stand."
All in all, the Precision Fair is a great time for us to get and bring knowledge every year - Jean-Pierre Noten, Corporate Communication Manager of MTA Group
Catalyst
According to Kooijmans, it is precisely this sector-wide presence of top professionals from the high-tech sector, knowledge institutions, government agencies, technical universities and incubator programmes that makes the Precision Fair so inteerssant. "They gather here to work together for the future. The increasing demand for precision is what binds all these professionals, as well as their efforts to meet that demand."
The increasing demand for precision is what binds all these professionals, as well as their efforts to meet that demand - Bart Kooijmans, Precision Fair programme manager
For the same reason, this year there is also extra space for the industry associations and non-profits that play such an important role behind the industry itself. Thus, there are more than 25 parties in the 'networking arena', including the technical universities, colleges and mbo's, the industry associations, knowledge institutions, government agencies that all together make a visit to the fair even more interesting. "This again contributes to our big goal: the Precision Fair as a catalyst for the high-tech industry. It shows that we are widely recognised as the moment in the year everyone wants to attend."
Free entry and registration
The Precision Fair is free to visit in the Brabanthallen, 's-Hertogenbosch (NL) on 15 and 16 November. Register your visit via the button below.