This is the year we, CSi palletising, exist 60 years. In honour of the occasion we’ve spoken to people who have been with us for considerable time. They’ll take us with them on their journeys to and in the company. This time we speak with Arjan Kuipers, Field Support Specialist at CSi.

Please introduce yourself and tell us how you started at CSi?

“I’m Arjan Kuipers, I started at CSi in 1994. I applied for a job at Biviator (which later merged with CSi) through someone I knew from my studies. I joined the new construction department as the 8th employee, with my tools numbered 8. The company was quite small back then, there were only 10 employees. For a new project, I would receive an A4 sheet with customer information and the scope, that was all available information. The product was software for a robot, and I did a lot of different things for the projects. From writing the manual to programming based on my own manual, and then integrating it at the customer’s site.

You knew exactly what you had agreed upon with the customer, as it was in the scope, and the lines of communication were short. We also handled transport and unloading. Each project included one day of training, but often additional days of training were needed. On-site at the customer, I had many roles, including forklift driver, installer, programmer, and performing the FAT (Factory Acceptance Test). You ensured everything was well-prepared, as you would otherwise encounter your own shortcomings later on.

I also started doing service work and eventually fully transitioned to the service department about 20 years ago. I made the switch to service to be home with my family. This way, I was usually home on weekends and away during the weekdays. Before that, it was three months here, three months there.”

How have you grown with CSi?

“You adapt with the organisation. I have seen different departments and found my place in the Service department. With service work, you really build a customer relationship, you visit more regularly but for shorter periods. My goal is always to ensure the customer is happy and comfortable with CSi equipment, even when we’re not there. Working in the Service department is always good. Your visits are short, so if it’s not enjoyable, it’s not too bad. And if it is enjoyable, it’s nice when you can return.

Technology hasn’t stood still, and I haven’t kept up with everything, but I know a bit about a lot of things. When a new service request comes in, I can frame and diagnose it, so we know where to look to solve it. The person assigned to the task is a specialist in that area.”

What kind of people work at CSi?

“There’s a wide variety of people, each with their own specialisations. The people are approachable, and they have a high likability factor. It’s interesting to see what excites or motivates others and nice to see people with passion.

Some people have left but the often return. Others have been here for a long time, and they’re here for a reason. It can seem like the grass is greener on the other side, but that’s usually not the case.”

What is the memory that stands out the most to you?

“I was at a customer in Africa, and a man approached me saying there was a request for me to call the office (in the Netherlands). This was in the days before mobile phones, and you had little contact when you were with the customer. I got my Dutch colleague Theo Vogelaar on the line, who had specially called to ask if everything was going well. Something like that never happened and I still remember it to this day.

I also witnessed the development of the CE certification, which are European safety rules. In the past, a red line was painted around a machine that you were not allowed to cross, then a ribbon was put around it, then fences. Later, it became mandatory to have guidelines regarding safety, and now it is required that you comply with the regulations.

What I learned back then is that you must consider the guidelines and rules during the design phase. You are responsible for yourself and others. I learned a valuable lesson from one of my colleagues, Jaap van Houwelingen, that as a designer, you must be able to explain why you made the choices you made. Being responsible for you work is very important, but also for situations that aren’t your work. If you see something, it is your responsibility. You can’t ignore it, you must do something if it’s not right. These are all rules, and if you comply with them, that’s good, but there is also a moral obligation attached to it.”