“It feels good to work at Willpro”

Willpro in Ommen makes machine parts from high-quality steel grades. “The quality is high,” says Amber Vos, responsible for marketing at the company.

Amber continues: “The father of the current owner Chris Willering founded the company in 1995. In the beginning, the work mainly consisted of general machining work, but gradually the company specialized in precision machining and industrial knives. The company has an excellent reputation and therefore has a regular customer base. “Willpro has its own production facilities and continues to invest in new machines and robots. The company wants to be at the forefront and is always innovating.”

Amber Vos says that it is also difficult to find employees in this sector. “This is particularly true for this field in this industry. For example, we now need an all-round production employee who can also saw and take on logistical work. You really need some experience in the metal sector.”

Contributing to development

Work is done in day shifts. If it is really too busy, we consult together. “We are a family business. Our ten employees can always drop by the office with questions. They ensure that we can perform. That is why we want to contribute to their development. The fact that it is nice to work in this company is evident from the long employment relationships that we have here.”

Fun

Harry Stoeten is a grinder and has been working at Willpro for almost four years now. “I have been in the metal industry as a grinder for 42 years. I worked for thirty years for a large company that was going to centralise in Germany. I didn’t really feel like travelling back and forth. I worked for a company in Emmen for a while. They had a vacancy at Willpro. That’s how I ended up here. Moreover, it is close to my home town of Hardenberg.” Harry likes the fact that it is small and familiar. “I like that much better than working for a large company. It is important to

enjoy your work and I have definitely done that here.” Over the years, Harry has seized the opportunities for development.

Technology continues to attract

Alet van der Weide has been a CNC operator at Willpro for six months now. She followed a rather unusual path. “After high school, I really wanted to become a car mechanic. However, I was at an age at that time when I didn’t dare. I then went into retail and worked in a pet shop.” In the end, retail turned out not to be the right choice for Alet.

Technology continued to fascinate her. “I ended up in the metal industry through the employment agency. A friend drew my attention to a vacancy at Willpro. I had a job interview and then I was asked to shadow them for a day. It felt good right away.” That feeling has remained. “We are a real team and everyone helps each other. I also have the opportunity to take courses. When I was asked if I wanted to get the forklift certificate, I immediately said yes enthusiastically.”