'To achieve the highest possible product quality in an extremely efficient manner. That is our goal for our customers!'

From the moment the contact with the client becomes more substantive, involving a product technologist in the discussions is a valuable addition. Govert Hamoen, product technologist at Gpi De Gouwe, is eager to explain how his expertise contributes to optimizing product processes and production lines in the food industry.

‘It’s an art to determine early on what the exact customer’s needs are and what results they want to achieve with the process equipment in the short term and in the future’

An initial customer contact often starts with an introductory meeting with the Sales Manager or one of the sales engineers at Gpi De Gouwe. In such a conversation, the client’s requirements are discussed and the customer explains the process. We often ask additional questions and sometimes discover that what customers are looking for doesn’t always align optimally with the existing process equipment, or that there is much more efficiency to be gained in the process. In this, Gpi plays an advisory role.

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‘Our sales engineers are primarily specialized in the mechanical engineering side of a project, while a product technologist understands the language of those who develop and prepare the product in the process equipment’ 

Multidisciplinary knowledge for optimal results
Govert adds, ‘A customer’s problem often involves different disciplines. It requires not only knowledge of products and processes but also mechanical insight. Each of these fields has its own jargon, which is not always fully understood by other disciplines. By involving ‘experts’ in the right fields, such as in my case, product technology , in progress meetings, we prevent potential miscommunication or problems at a later stage. We always aim together for one goal: achieving the highest possible product quality in an extremely efficient way’ Govert explains.

The importance of a product technologist in product or process optimization
A product technologist comes from a different background and looks at the customer’s issue from a unique perspective. Govert analyzes how ingredients react in the process equipment and throughout the entire process under specific conditions. Govert; ‘Every product has a base of ingredients. The unique structure or flavour of a product is created by adding extra ingredients or additives on one hand and by the preparation process on the other. Th way a product is prepared in the process equipment also affects the product’s composition.’ Govert enjoys delving into this aspect for the customer and applying his expertise to it. He informs them about the advantages and disadvantages of specific production processes and provides possible solutions. In this way, he hopes to contribute to making the right choice for the purchase of stainless steel process equipment, both for the current and future needs of the customer. 

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‘By observing the existing preparation processes at the customer’s location, I can provide well-founded recommendation’

Service for guaranteed success
Gpi goes even further to convince its customers that the recommended tanks and/or process equipment are the right choice. ‘We offer the possibility to test the product in our special test equipment. This testing can take place on-site at the customers’s location or at Gpi De Gouwe in Gouda. Additionally, I like to observe the customer’s existing preparation process at their own location. This enables me to provide well-founded recommendation’ says Govert.

Get to know Govert better; a specialist in product technology
Govert has had an interest in  food from a young age. After completing high school, he decided to pursue a 1-year culinary school program. There, he learned food preparation techniques, but he was particularly interested in the ‘why’ behind these processes. So, he chose to study Food Technology at Wageningen University. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he went to Copenhagen for a master’s degree in Food Innovation & Health.

‘The combination of machinery and food, how they come together in various applications, is very interesting to me’ 

Once he returned to the Netherlands, Govert began his career as a process technologist at a company specialized in designing and manufacturing process equipment for the potato processing industry. There he gained valuable knowledge and experience, particularly in the versatility of potato processing. This knowledge is also useful at Gpi, but in a different context. Gpi De Gouwe manufactures related process equipment for the potato processing industry (the Batterline and the Additives line) where other challenges apply. ‘I look back with great pleasure on my time with this employer, during which I learned a lot about potatoes. But the desire to expand my knowledge to various types of foods, and how they come together in different applications, is what I find so interesting’ Govert says enthusiastically.

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And that’s how Gpi De Gouwe came into his life. Gpi designs and manufactures a wide range of process equipment for various types of food. From cooking vessels to storage tanks to fully integrated process solutions and automated process lines. “At Gpi I can indulge my interests for the foreseeable future!” he says with a smile.

Curious about what Govert can do for your product process? Feel free to contact him! In a personal conversation he is happy to discuss your needs & questions.

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