SPANNINGA welcomes Nynke Kootstra as Operations Director

Spanninga is excited to announce the arrival of Nynke Kootstra as its new Operations Director, per February 1st. With over 34 years of experience at Philips and a wealth of knowledge, Nynke brings a unique perspective to Spanninga's management team.

In her role as Operations Director, Nynke will be tasked with optimizing cooperation between purchasing, logistics, and production. With her background in operations, lean manufacturing and industrial cost engineering, she is well-equipped to help Spanninga streamline its operations and increase efficiency.

Nynke is no stranger to leading global teams and has previously been working together with 27 factories around the world. She brings a hands-on approach to management, having enhanced her skills by working on the shop floor and making plans from both an office and production perspective. This depth of experience is sure to be a valuable asset to Spanninga.

When asked about her tasks at Spanninga, Nynke stated, "I want to contribute to preparing for the future, where we want to achieve growth. Here, I want to look at professionalizing the business process at Spanninga's 3 locations: Joure (Netherlands), Nantua (France) and Shunde (China). When developing products, my focus is on matching quality, price, and deliverability in the best possible way."

When asked what appeals to her about Spanninga, Nynke acknowledged full of enthusiasm, "Lighting is a very beautiful product, and I like how it is part of an important theme: micromobility. And that's the future. It's important to me to work on a product I can get behind and which you use every day. Furthermore, the international aspect of Spanninga really appeals to me. For myself, it is interesting that I can now experience the big picture at Spanninga. I am curious how the process of putting a new light on the market goes. The custom-made aspect is new for me: working together with the customer to develop the best possible product."

Nynke also shared her thoughts on the factory process, saying "The factory is where it happens. My experience allows me to quickly grasp the factory process. The introduction of processes and procedures sometimes causes some resistance, but they actually start working for you if you set them up properly. I find it interesting to see what is applicable there. My motto here is 'Dream big, start small'. You can start today by making small steps and introducing things, working towards the proverbial dot on the horizon."

Aside from her impressive career, Nynke also has a passion for sports and adventure. She loves hiking and long-distance walking, and has even completed the famous Dutch competition, the Elfstedentocht, on her kickbike!

In short, Nynke Kootstra brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm to Spanninga, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the team.

Stay tuned for more updates from Spanninga as we continue to grow and evolve…