Niek van den Berge
Supplier Quality Manager
"Fantastic to be trusted with so much responsibility from the very start.”
Niek van den Berge graduated with a Master diploma in Innovation Management and is now busy building a career for himself. Niek did his final project at DAF Trucks on sustainability and C02. ‘It was terrific to be able to study the truck up close,’ says Niek with no shortage of enthusiasm. ‘I was able to identify exactly what the Purchasing department can contribute in the future to new innovations in the area of C02 reduction. And the technical expertise that I gained during my HTS Automotive Engineering course was invaluable during the project, too.'
Niek is now working as a Supplier Quality Manager at the DAF Purchasing department. Niek: ‘The position of Supplier Quality Manager is the perfect match for me both in terms of the technical and operational demands.’
The Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) department is responsible for safeguarding the quality of all products and processes that are bought in. Niek operates as the link between the factory, the external supplier and the Purchasing department. Whenever a defect shows up in a product, Niek contacts the supplier to get to the bottom of the problem. The aim is always to arrive at a mutually agreed solution.
‘I think it’s fantastic that a graduate like me is trusted with so much responsibility from the very start. I am busy every day monitoring the quality of our suppliers’ products and processes. When visiting suppliers to check out new products, it is important to know that the supplier can guarantee the highest possible quality and that they are in possession of the required certification and systems to support their quality control. I am proud of the fact that my feedback and assessments are used when compiling quality reports. In my position as Supplier Quality Manager, I get to deal with a lot of clients, both internal and external. And it is this combination that makes my work so interesting and challenging.’
Niek continues: ‘I have really enjoyed my time at DAF up to now. My colleagues are extremely helpful and I am afforded all the time and space I need to adjust. I also get plenty of opportunities to work on my own development. For example, I will be starting a Six Sigma training programme.’
