'I don't remember much about my first day at Stienen. I had my job interview the afternoon before. Michel Stienen wasn't there yet, but after a short wait, he came in. He proudly showed me the new automatic stripping and etching machine. It wasn't working quite right yet, but he was confident it would be fine.
Michel asked me what training I had done and then whether I could start the next day. That's what happened. The next day at 8 a.m., I was welcomed by Jan Beerens and assigned the front workbench in the workshop, with a few tools.
I then started installing circuit boards. I started as a production worker. After that, I started doing repairs and service. Gradually, telephone support was added to my duties. In the beginning, I had to walk from the workshop to the office. When the workload increased, Michel and Corrie gave me an old cordless phone to use at home—you know, the kind with a retractable antenna, like the B100 from Bassie and Adriaan.
I then managed production and have been working as a service coordinator for the last 20 years. This year, I took a step back and some of my tasks have been taken over by Guus Gommans.
The biggest change in the past 40 years has been the opportunities that arose after we moved to our new (current) premises in 2005. There was no longer a shortage of space, and everything could be redesigned to suit everyone's wishes. A year later, we expanded. And that wasn't the end of it: we expanded, renovated, and redesigned again. We have now outgrown our premises once more, and preparations are underway for the next expansion.
I always say: I could write a book about my years at Stienen. There are many moments of pride. I'll mention a few: back then on Hulsenweg, when I was asked if I wanted to do the programming for the Litescans (bestückmachines). A new technique that made it possible to print faster and ‘error-free’. I was also proud of the company video that Michel and I made for the 12.5-year anniversary of Stienen BE. I am proud of everything I have been able to do at Stienen and what has brought me to where I am today. Especially the many problems and malfunctions I have solved for customers, and the trips I have been able to take.
Hilarious moments: a boisterous staff party in Schinnen where we danced on the tables and the plates cracked under our feet. And the moments that Jan Beerens and I had at staff parties on the way back in the bus with the driver behind the microphone: it was about nothing, but we had the greatest fun.
I also once received a phone call from a German end customer. He had been struck by lightning and his installer was on vacation. His PCS-9000 was no longer working and he asked what he could do.
“Well, first check the fuses.”“Aber die sehe ich keine.”“Yes, they're in black holders about 1 cm in diameter and 3 cm high. Press down on the top of the holder and then turn it a quarter turn.”“Ich kann drücken, drehen und ziehen, so viel ich will, aber nichts passiert. Ah, da tut sich etwas.”“What does it say on it?” I asked him.He said, “Zwei zwei null null.”Then I couldn't stop laughing.“What's wrong?” asked Theo, who was sitting next to me.“Well, the customer pulled a 2200 μF electrolytic capacitor out of the circuit board instead of opening the fuse holder.”I said to the customer, “Now you have a bigger problem.”“Und jetz?”“This needs to be soldered.”“Und wie?”“It's best to go to a computer store for this.”
A special moment was a service visit to Mexico, which my wife was allowed to accompany me on. We left a few days early at our own expense to experience some of Mexico's culture. Between the two customer visits, we had to spend a few days in quarantine, and the dealer took us downtown and to the Mariachi parties in the evening.
An unforgettable moment that will always stay with me was the visit to Saudi Arabia. It was the opposite of the stay in Mexico: I was closer to crying than laughing.
Also unforgettable: the first week I was on call. On Friday evening, the pager went off: lightning had struck a customer's property in Oss. Because it was my first time, Jan Beerens offered to come with me. When we got there, it turned out that the controllers in two barns were defective. We spent the whole night replacing all the semiconductors. At 4 a.m., the farmer brought us some frikandellen. We really appreciated that. When I got home the next morning at 8:30 a.m., my wife was already at work and it turned out I didn't have my keys with me. Fortunately, I was able to open the front door through the letterbox with the help of a coat hanger from the neighbors.
A valuable lesson I have learned in my career is: Share knowledge and experience with others. Don't keep everything to yourself. When your work or department grows and expands, there will come a point when you can no longer do everything on your own. Make sure you document procedures and knowledge so that you can transfer them if necessary.'
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