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A new building where all stock is stored, a complete redesign of the production hall, and major steps in the field of digitization. In a nutshell, these are the challenges that Vera Venray has faced and continues to face. Michèl Willemse, owner of Vera Venray and ByMichèl, talks to Z&R. “Ultimately, we do all this for our customers,” he says. “We have a large group of loyal customers who have helped us grow. No one should be a victim of growing pains when sales increase. That's why we are constantly changing course to ensure that we continue to deliver quality with high delivery reliability.”
Anyone who hasn't visited Vera Venray for a while will be surprised to see a ‘new’ flag flying when they arrive. Directly opposite the old building, the Vera Venray and ByMichèl flags fly proudly at a recently acquired hall. The large hall also features eye-catching billboards bearing the same names. “It's not every day that your neighbor's land becomes available,” laughs Willemse. “When the opportunity arose to acquire the building across the street, we didn't have to think twice. Due to our growth, we were facing a capacity problem in our old building and already had drawings ready for expanding the space. However, this solution is much more ideal, as it also gives us room for the future.”
“The entire stock has now been moved to the new premises. This has given us the space to reorganize the production facility in the old premises and implement changes in the work process. These adjustments make everything run even more smoothly from a logistical point of view. And given the enormous increase in turnover compared to last year, that was no luxury.”
Not only has the necessary physical optimization been achieved, but steps have also been taken in the digital realm. “Our automation is now fully integrated internally, which means that the office and factory work in digital synergy,” says Willemse. “But it doesn't stop there, because our customers and suppliers are also linked to our systems wherever possible. This means that a customer can enter an order directly into the system. That prevents errors and speeds up the process.”
During a tour of the production facility, scanners connected to the charger catch the eye. Vera has made an impact there too. “We scan the order forms in production and register or deregister products. This works from the first saw cut, through assembly, to dispatch,” explains Willemse. “We have segmented the production and assembly process. Saw optimization is now also part of our daily routine. Ultimately, business optimization must also mean working in a more sustainable way.”
Increased digitization is fulfilling the desire to work paperless. “We are well on our way to achieving this,” explains Willemse. “For example, by immediately scanning incoming fabrics and assigning them a location code. This means searching is a thing of the past. Production works in batches that are tailored to what fits on a transport trolley. This way, you know exactly that what appears on the screen is also 100% on that one trolley.”
Mark Wijs joins the conversation and provides further explanation: “The entire system was set up with input from everyone, including some of our best customers. Together we know more, that's the motto. Customers also notice that we have gone digital. When we scan the first barcode on an assembly slip, a sticker is immediately printed for the inside of the cover, showing the CE data and a QR code for the engine. That QR code can be scanned by a technician on site to call up an instructional video about the motor. The second barcode is for the sticker on the box. Speaking of packaging, we have invested in new and highly efficient packaging materials. That part of logistics is also important.”
Looking at the distribution between Vera and ByMichèl, we see that the latter in particular has experienced a growth spurt. “Both names are separate from each other, for several reasons and in several areas,” explains Michèl Willemse. “This was necessary because both brand names serve different markets. Vera is really for the local market, with a focus on the mid-range and high-end segments. These are the more luxurious products. ByMichèl now stands for quality in large quantities.”
Internally, the teams for Vera and ByMichèl have also been split up. “With ByMichèl, we want to go even broader and deeper in supplying roller shutters and screens,” Willemse concludes. “That is definitely our focus. It goes without saying that solar products, which have taken off enormously, now also occupy an important position in our order book.”
