Dave van Kats
Crane operator
Dave completed the apprenticeship/work program and is now a full member of the group.
Around the age of 17, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do. That's when I started doing holiday work at Jan van Dam, and I actually liked it. So, afterwards, I enrolled in the apprenticeship program through STL at Jan van Dam Machine Transport. I would work four days a week and attend school for one day. During this training, I also obtained my truck driver's license, so I could start working as a driver right after finishing my apprenticeship. After my internship, I briefly worked for a telecrane company, but eventually returned and have been working at Jan van Dam for 3 years now.
During my internship, I spent a lot of time on the road and had the opportunity to explore what I enjoyed doing. I often accompanied crane operators, which I found interesting, so I decided to obtain my truck-mounted crane qualifications. Eventually, I got my own vehicle with an 85-ton meter crane, and now I operate the truck with a 300-ton meter crane.
'Even though the company has grown you notice that there is still personal attention for everyone. '
Every day is different, and there's a lot of challenge in this line of work. Sometimes you can easily position the machine, while other times you have to move the machine internally on wheels, which requires more effort. Recently, we were somewhere where the customer had measured the door but forgot to consider the narrower points. We had to figure out on the spot how to make it work. It was a bit of a puzzle to get the machine in place, but we managed!
That would be the project in Hagenau. I went there with a colleague to replace a drum. It wasn't as straightforward as it sounds; to reach the drum with the crane, we had to lift the truck-mounted crane to a height of 1.5 meters. That's not something you experience every day!
I don't know any different, to be honest. You can tell it's truly a family-run business, and everyone is committed to it. Even though the company has grown, you still sense that there's personal attention for everyone.
The Jan van Dam Group is represented in two companies:
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Assembly/disassembly and anchoring
Relocating and installing machines
Machine storage
Industrial relocation
National and international road transport
Truck-mounted cranes
Tractors and trucks
Forklifts and aerial platforms
Lifting portals
Wilgenweg 20
3421 TV Oudewater
The Netherlands
Dolfijnweg 4
3199 MD Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Industrieweg 44
4538 AJ Terneuzen
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)348 - 564 540
info@janvandamtransport.nl
info@janvandamgml.com