Project support from A to Z

As an example of our proven “project support from A to Z”, we’d like to introduce to you Peter Reumkens from Reumkens, Voet & Zorg in Venlo, a small city on the border between Germany and the Netherlands

Peter took over the company from his father in 2009. Although he grew up in the orthopaedic footwear environment, it wasn’t initially a given that he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Today Peter is glad that he chose to be trained as an orthopaedic technician and can now make well-informed decisions for his own company himself. Despite his enthusiasm for the profession, the son didn’t want to simply rely on his family’s reputation and the tried-and-tested Flexam production machines from Ottobock Planning and Equipping when he took over. His desire to modernise his father’s workshop first led him to other manufacturers. “Having made some comparisons, I’m now certain that I have the best machines in the world in my workshop,” says Peter, discussing his decision to pursue the highest quality and “project support from A to Z” service.

Peter was full of ideas for his dream workshop and eager to move forward when he contacted Ottobock Planning and Equipping in 2012. At the suggestion of the workshop consultant an extensive list of ideas was compiled, which Peter finally headed with the title, “I have a dream”. Various suggestions and sketches prompted him to steer away from a redesign of the company’s existing premises and instead move into a new, larger building on the edge of Venlo near the local hospital. Intensive consultations between Peter, Ottobock Planning and Equipping and an architecture firm resulted in a completely new division of the available space.

The new health centre would have an attractive entryway with a back office where Peter’s wife Ingrid could take care of the accounting side of the business. Behind this would be a professionally furnished treatment block with rooms for physiotherapy, nutritional counselling and podiatric therapy. The central workshop with various adjacent rooms for embroidering and material stretching machines, as well as a machine room and rooms for plastering and moulding work, would be connected to the treatment block.

All of these rooms would extend across the entire back side of the building, while still remaining connected to its front via the warehouse. Then it was time to move the concept from the drawing board and into reality

No sooner said than done. The fact that the workplace’s design was extremely sophisticated was apparent to everyone involved not least due to the efficient use of every last centimetre of space and numerous details such as custommade storage options between the Flexam grinding, milling and polishing machines, a built-in grate in the floor of the plastering room, automatic doors and convenient storage compartments at every workstation. Finally, mobile trolleys for employees were the highlight in terms of efficient workplace design. Employees can move their individual trolleys from one process step or workstation to the next. The use of both windows and LED lighting create comfortable and efficient working conditions as well.

Only a full-service provider with expert knowledge in ventilation technology can provide the right advice when it comes to extraction systems.
As specialists in dust and vapour extraction, the experts from Ottobock Planning and Equipping installed not only a Vacuum V80 dust extraction unit, but also an extraction system with a return air function. The extraction unit replaces the air in the adhesives processing room at a rate of six times per hour. Adhesive vapours are drawn outdoors and the room is supplied with fresh air. The other rooms in the building, in cooperation with an external specialist, were also fitted with a climate control system. The lasts, which serve as an orthopaedic technician’s primary workingmaterial, are now stored in a fireproof safe.

Although the redesign of the workshop caused Peter a few sleepless nights, within a week of its completion it was already clear that his dream of a perfect working environment had been accomplished — with the help of the right partner.