Since last fall, the sauces, breakfast cereals, and beverages manufactured by Kraft Heinz have been making their way from AG Logistics’ brand-new distribution center in Ede to retailers across the entire Benelux region.
Collaborating with sheltered workshops: a natural choice
We work with specialized local employment agencies at a number of locations. For example, Vetipak Zeewolde makes use of group secondment services provided by Amfors. “Each day, we employ seven people who are distanced from the labor market”, says production manager Ynno van Erp. “We are completely satisfied with how this is going – the enthusiasm of these employees is so infectious that everyone else here is happy too.”
Together we can make a real difference
Amfors employees are full-fledged members of the Zeewolde production team. They perform specific tasks on the production lines and work alongside other temporary workers. In addition to making a contribution with their agreeable work ethic and enriching humor, the ‘Amfors group’ regularly comes up with useful ideas.
“A good example is Wim Deenhart, who came up with the idea for using flexible partitions”, says Ynno. He is full of praise about Wim's input. “The partitions enable us to divide a table into compartments so that different products don't get mixed up. We now have a number of them in use. To me, this is a great example of how we can make a difference together.”
“I enjoy going to work every day””
Atea in Breda
At Vetipak Breda, we work with employees from the Atea work training company for a market leader in electronic products. Just as in Zeewolde, this arrangement is proving effective in terms of performance, and there is a good rapport between the permanent staff and the temporary employees distanced from the labor market. Ynno: “The other day, my colleague in Breda asked one of these employees what he thinks of his job. His response: 'Vetipak is a very nice place. I enjoy going to work every day'. That's exactly what it's all about.”
A blend of humans and machines
This is what we like to see: happy employees, an effective contribution being made to society, and high-quality co-pack activities for our customers. “A healthy blend of humans and machines is one of the key ingredients for successful collaborations”, Ynno concludes. “I hope we can continue to work this way for the foreseeable future. It’s a perfect match!"
