13-06-2023

In touch with our customers; Klever!

As a machine builder, we believe it is important to often meet up with our customers. Online, offline, at the office, but preferably at the place where our machines are being used, at the jobsite! Last week we visited the drilling crew of the company Klever from Benschop; an inspiring visit in South-Holland.

Klever has lots of jobs throughout the Netherlands, this week in Zoetermeer, next week in Drachten. I visited their jobsite in Zoetermeer, where a short but complex drilling is being carried out. A length of 200 meters at only 4 meters deep through dikes and under a road; all in the middle of a residential area. The drilling crew of Klever has thought carefully about the set-up in this tight working space, it looks well organized! After the pilot and reaming stage have been completed, the pipes are installed. Given that Klever always delivers the construction site as how they find it, the team is ready within 9 days. The hard paving bricks are back on the road and apart from a swept street and some crushed grass, there is nothing left to see from the jobsite. I think it’s impressive! The preparation and the delivery to the customer of the jobsite take more time than the drilling itself, but it does mean the entire job is completely done.

The future of the drilling crew

During a nice and open conversation with Bart van der Perk we talk about the shortage of staff, but more importantly, having the right people in the team. The atmosphere, mutual respect, professionalism and mentality must be of a high level. He proudly explains that this is now the case with his crew! After a car accident, he realized that the company cannot rely on one person. Because with illness, leave or absence, the work must continue. At Klever they take safety on-site very serious, a good foreman is crucial to merge practice and theory. That is why Bart himself trains the boys on-site. This way he can pass on his experience, expertise and enthusiasm for the HDD branche to the new generation. This Klever drilling crew consists of almost all young guys, the driller on their 150 ton drilling machine is only 23 years old. On their recycler is a boy who has just started, but is increasingly able to make decisions for himself. But on-site there are also 2 men with a mechanic background, all qualities are available so that this team can run independently and super efficiently. Seeing the smiles on the faces of all the guys working together, makes me realize it is a great team! They laugh together, but work together until the job is done.