Bart Theunissen, Manager Production Technology & Innovation

Impressive dimensions with the precision of a Swiss timepiece

Bart Theunissen writes in his blog - At Sif, we are looking for things to improve every day, whether in our products, processes, or partnerships. Our ambition – to become better, smarter, and more sustainable each day – has been ingrained in all members of staff for a long time. One new development is that I have been coordinating the larger innovations as the manager of innovation & maintenance since the spring of 2018. My job is to connect, encourage, focus, and contribute, because if everyone only works on their own little innovations, then the connections between them and the larger overall success will remain elusive.’

18 January 2019: ’Today we are going to work on induction tests. We are investigating whether the preheating of our welding seams, for which we currently use gas torches, can be done in a quicker and more environmentally-friendly way with the use of induction. In addition to testing the speed of the work and the environmental impact, we are testing the quality and the costs involved. We do this together with colleagues from the welding office, hall staff, our engineers, third parties, and suppliers that specialize in inductive preheating.

‘In addition to inductive preheating, our project teams are currently working on another eighteen innovations. We do this not simply because of our inner drive; within the rapidly-changing wind energy market, it is a necessity. Ever-stricter demands are being placed on our products each and every day. That is why we are investigating areas such as how we can prepare our infrastructure and equipment for further growth in the size of the required foundations.

‘We are also working on a number of other innovations, such as improving the roundness of our cylinders and cones, and we are investigating the potential for using soft roller racks and working with clients on the possibilities of floating foundations. In all cases, craftsmanship is the leading factor. After all, if there is one thing that has become clear to me over the past few months, it is the fact that Sif delivers foundations with extremely precise tolerances. They almost have the precision of a Swiss timepiece, and that is even more impressive given the dimensions involved. Sif wants to be prepared for tomorrow and play an important role in the future. I am really excited about making a contribution to this.’

Bart Theunissen's role at Sif is innovation & maintenance manager.