Spark Holland has restructured its production unit for manufacture of OEM autosamplers and Symbiosis online SPE-LC-MS systems, in order to maintainoperations in the Netherlands
Spark Holland says the streamlining will enable it to further improve its product quality and maintain its high level of on-time deliveries.
President Rob Castien: "One of Spark's biggest strengths has always been our flexibility in manufacturing, resulting in on-time deliveries and high quality products.
"While other companies are outsourcing their manufacturing to eastern Europe or Asia, we have focussed on streamlining our production internally.
"This will guarantee our customers the same quality and flexibility they are used to from Spark.
"At the same time the increased efficiency will position Spark to remain financially independent and healthy corporation, while maintaining market competitive pricing". The restructure will result in new manufacturing procedures, reduced inventory and increased production efficiency. "Today, Spark Holland is a healthy and profitable company, however we need to secure our long term profitability and competitive advantage as well.
"We are convinced that this restructure will not only increase our efficiency, it will also result in a shorter time to market and introduce competitive products in the future.
"This has already started with several new concepts on the drawing board.", adds Rob van der Knaap, Spark's OEM products business unit manager. Spark's decision to keep production in the Netherlands is in sharp contrast with the market trend to bring jobs offshore. Sonja van der Laan, VP operations and support: "As the project leader I evaluated several scenario's, including outsourcing offshore, together with Berenschot our consulting firm for this project.
"In our specific situation the achievable efficiency improvements were approximately the same between off shoring and keeping it in-house.
"We decided to keep it in the Netherlands because we believe we will have better control over the process, resulting in being a better supplier for our customers.
"We also believe this is a very significant message to our people.
"We can keep jobs in the Netherlands but need to work harder and smarter to do so". Joop van Hasselt - project manager Berenschot Consultants: "As a consulting firm we see the trend of bringing production offshore.
"In many cases management teams don't even try to see what they can achieve locally. "Spark's decision is a breach of that trend and we will use their project as a case study for other customers, to show what can be done".
The restructure fits Spark's ambition to be a leader in front- end sample handling technology, says the company.
