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New Perspectives / Robin

“Imagine designing something which you see in front of you on the quay side, a few years later. That’s great, isn’t it?” Robin van Boven is - in his own words - a hard-core engineer, and makes no secret of his enthusiasm for the trade. If it’s up to him, he will stay at Huisman until he retires."

“If a product already exists, we’ll come up with something to make it even better.”

Robin van Boven, Principal Engineer



Retirement is still a long way off. What drives you?
“I graduated at Huisman and stayed on. I’m not saying this to promote the company, but it’s a great place to work.” He looks through the window and points at a ninety-meter high test drilling rig: “See that HIT, the Huisman Innovation Tower? I contributed to that, not bad, don’t you think?”

Impressive product. What does it do exactly?
“It enables us to simulate dynamic vessel movements. We can also test our equipment and demonstrate it to our clients. It’s a kind of showroom, so to speak. Right now, I’m involved in the development of a so-called motion-compensated monopole gripper. With this, we can pile from a floating vessel. The gripper steadies the pile while the vessel moves up and down. Storm or otherwise. ”

Proud?
“At Huisman we’re not the bragging kind, but it’s certainly cool. We make small products, but also huge towers. It’s difficult to put into words what it means to me. Maybe you can put it this way: the fact that it has never been done before makes it extra special.”

And what if something already exists?
Robin chuckles. “Well, I’m sure we can come up with something to make it even better!”

What makes your work challenging?
“Next to the huge complexity, pressure of time is another factor. Developments come in rapid succession, and our clients want delivery of a product faster. We need to respond to that, which is challenging.”

You have to keep a cool head…
“I enjoy problems. They are the most rewarding and fun. After all, problems always call for smart solutions. That is what I’m good at and where I get ample opportunity for at Huisman.”

How would you describe the Huisman mentality?
“Ambitious. We will not settle for a marginal pass, not even for a solid pass. We are always looking for improvements. At the same time, we are also one big family here. Everyone is always available to help. This kind of work is something you do together.”

And once you’re finished, then...
“We go to the in-house bar on Friday (once the Corona circumstances allow for it again). To relax and have a laugh. Another thing we’re good at!”

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