Team Lead Engineering Luuk: “Everything we design comes to life in our factory”
Last month, Luuk Boere celebrated his 5-year anniversary at Gpi. He started as an engineer at Gpi Tanks five years ago and has since grown into the role of manager of the engineering department. He shares more about his education, his development, and why he enjoys working at Gpi.
Luuk’s journey at Gpi actually started ten years ago, when he did an internship in production as part of his MBO (Dutch secondary vocational education) programme in Middenkader Engineering (a Dutch vocational engineering programme). During this period, he discovered his interest in engineering. Luuk explains: “During my MBO, I worked on designs and quickly realised that this was what I wanted to do. I also decided that I wanted to continue studying, but in combination with working. When this was not possible with my employer at the time, I contacted Gpi to explore the options.”
“During my MBO, I worked on designs and quickly realised that this was what I wanted to do”
Mechanical Engineering
Gpi responded positively. “Gpi was open to it. I started working as an engineer while also following a part-time HBO (Dutch higher professional education) programme in Mechanical Engineering. For four years, I went to school every Wednesday afternoon and evening. I completed the programme last year. It was challenging to combine work and study, but I am proud that I finished it,” says Luuk.
What does the engineering department do?
The engineering department is involved during the quotation phase to assess project risks and review proposals. Once a customer places an order, the department takes over. Luuk explains: “After the handover from the sales department, we contact the customer to discuss the design details. We translate the customer’s request into a technical and feasible design. We prepare the technical calculations and drawings. Each tank is custom-made, so every tank has its own specifications. We work closely with the customer to design the best possible solution. We also work closely with production to ensure the design can be built in an efficient way.”
Role and development
Luuk started as an engineer, focusing on technical drawings and design, and within one year became a lead engineer, responsible for several projects. Since last year, he has been the team lead of the department. In this role, he is responsible for managing the engineers and the planning. He also focuses on improvements within the department and the organisation. As a manager, he remains involved in projects by joining reviews and customer meetings.
Luuk enjoys the challenges of his role: “Our department has a lot of responsibility and there are many tasks to manage. Every day is different. One day I focus on planning, and the next day I have many meetings. I like that the work is both technical and focused on people.”
Working at Gpi
“Gpi is a great company. I see it as a large family business. All departments work closely together, and it is easy to connect with colleagues. Everything we design comes to life in our factory. First, you see a design on paper, and later you stand next to a large tank. The entire production process takes place at our location in Lopik. This is quite unique, and I think it is great that this is still possible in the Netherlands.”
“I enjoy working with both people and technology. It is the best of both worlds.”
Future
In the coming years, Luuk wants to continue developing in his role: “I have gained solid experience in tank construction, but leadership is still new to me. I want to improve in this area. I think it is important to support people and show appreciation. At the same time, I like to think about how we can improve the organisation. I enjoy working with both people and technology. It is the best of both worlds.”
