From Sales versus Operations to Sales & OperationsTension between Sales and Operations is a familiar phenomenon about which much has been said and written. But when it comes to this subject, it’s still worthwhile to share experiences and inspire each other. And so we recently organized an Experience Workshop on the topic. There was plenty of sparring and debate, as well as consideration of where interests clash and how things could be improved. An inspiring gathering for the experienced participants and for us as well.

We would like to introduce to you: Bastiaan BoersTo ensure that companies are able to realize their full potential in the area of Supply Chain & Operations, that is my abiding aim. Would you like to get to know Bastiaan? Click here.

Mola opts for structured growth and 5SMola B.V. delivers hundreds of thousands of products to customers every single day from its modern production facility in the North Brabant town of Beugen. From puff pastry products and croissants to Danish pastries. And demand continues to grow. After management, in cooperation with ARV, had worked out a growth strategy and created the organization to pursue the strategy, it implemented 5S on its production lines. Production manager William Kums and quality officer Renske van de Lockant reflect on the 5S project.

Please meet: Matthijs PlatHelping people to take a few steps in the right direction, and in so doing, improving their processes – that’s what drives me. Would you like to get to know Matthijs? Click here.

It was time..... March was drawing to a close and...

Supply Chain Management: First the common objective, then the team spirit, and then the toolEvery process and every activity in the supply chain is triggered by customer demand. If you are to provide the best possible service to the customer at all times, and still achieve the organizational goals you aspire to, you need an extremely efficiently organized and precisely synchronized series of processes and activities. It only makes sense that businesses working in the process industry — whether they are large or small — will focus on optimizing the supply chain. But where do you begin? Just what approach should you take? And what are the pitfalls? ARV Group partner Stephan Verboom provides some insights in his new blog.

i4o: meeting the demand for interim management in operationsARV Group introduces i4o: interim for operations. As Bartelt Blankenberg explains in his most recent blog, "i4o is a logical step in the expansion of our services for the process industry, based on the most important market trends and developments. It's our way of responding to the growing demand for interim management in operations.

The challenge of fresh food production: applying Formula 1 precision to the food industryKnowing what you are supposed to deliver. Fully focused on unexpected twists and turns along the way. Giving just a little more gas, or tapping on the brakes. Shifting gears in an instant, adjusting your course, and then full speed ahead. In the world of fresh food production, every day is a bit like a Formula 1 race. According to ARV Group Partner Ronald Visser, it's hard to imagine it could be any more hectic or dynamic.

The search for effective relief from growing pains in operationsARV Group recently organized an "Experience Workshop" for a group of twenty participants including operations directors, supply chain directors and plant managers. The theme: Growing pains in the wake of an economic boom. The provocative questions raised during the session: Why do they arise and what are the consequences for operations? And what can you do about them? The participants compared their experiences and shared valuable insights during a collective exploration of the possible approaches and solutions.

Interim meetings at ARV Group in 2019On a quarterly basis, our interim managers meet to share their knowledge and practical experiences. During these "interim meetings", they discuss timely issues impacting the process industry.

The road from unexpected downtime to preventive maintenanceOnce you start down the path towards preventive maintenance, you'll find great opportunities and encouraging prospects for the future. Senior Consultant Ted Abrahamsen of ARV Group explains what you need to do to make the transition from putting out fires to implementing a preventive maintenance system.

Impartial observationImpartial observation: What is it, how do you apply it, and why is it so essential in change processes?

On a lovely summer eveningmid-September...

Organizational development: Putting together the entire puzzleWhen we recently conducted our Experience Workshop, there was little disagreement among the participants on the do's and don'ts of organizational development. So if it seems so obvious, why is it that change and improvement processes in organizations do not always lead to the hoped for success? It was an afternoon with lively discussions and familiar dilemmas. Arianne van Tongeren of Ontwikkelingspartners and Bartelt Blankenberg recall the workshop in their most recent blog.

ARV Group outingThe annual ARV outing with the whole team was held this year on Friday, June 29, 2018. This year we took part in a clinic and duel fending course, held in the gardens of mediaeval Doddendael Castle in the eastern Netherlands. Click here for a photographic impression of our fanatical team of fencers!

ARV Golf EventAnnual ARV Group Golf event

New at ARV Group, we're pleased to introduce: Stephan Verboom "Implementing change and thereby improvement within the supply chain, by means of a people-focused approach, is what I enjoy doing." Click here and get to know Stephan.

CI-Community workshopCI-facilitators from a number of food companies meet regularly at ARV Group’s invitation, to share their knowledge and experiences in the field of Change Management and Continuous Improvement. On Thursday, March 8, 2018, the members of this CI-Community applied themselves to the question: “How and when does one apply interactive working formats in the course of change processes?” Here you can read about how they inspired each other in their exploration of this fascinating and challenging theme.

Operations and private equity: from prejudice to nuance and shared interestsWhat changes are in store for operations when a private equity party takes over the organization? Individuals from both sides talked about this during one of ARV Group's Experience Workshops. In his blog, Roelant van Herwaarden looks back on a successful workshop, during which prejudices made way for nuance and mutual understanding: investor, owner or manager, the interests are virtually always the same.