50 years of Mifa: interview Jeroen

The heart of Surface Treatment: the story of a true Mifa precision hero

In recent years, much has changed in the way we work at Mifa Surface Treatment. Since the merger of Mifa and the former AHC, we have continued to develop further. Collaboration with other departments has become much more intensive. This has led to a better flow, increased mutual support, faster communication, and ultimately a higher level of quality along with a reliable delivery performance.

Further professionalisation of Mifa Aluminium and Mifa Surface Treatment

Thanks to the joint growth of Mifa and Mifa Surface Treatment, we’ve been able to invest even more in our ongoing professionalisation. As our colleague Jeroen puts it: “In a short space of time, we’ve managed to realise a fantastic new building for Mifa Surface Treatment, with upgraded offices, canteen, meeting rooms and changing facilities – all in line with Mifa’s overall look and feel.”

Another key development has been the implementation of the new ERP system, D365. A major change for both Mifa and especially Surface Treatment. It represented a real shift, with increased workloads, “but,” Jeroen explains, “the ultimate goal is to take the right steps toward the future. With this system, we can make valuable data accessible and improve ourselves to further optimise the organisation.”

The integration of Mifa Surface Treatment within Mifa has also become more evident. The department now operates fully within the organisation. In the early stages of the acquisition, there were several systems that differed from those used by Mifa corporate, for instance. “We still serve external clients, whose structure and setup are different. But since the implementation of Dynamics, we’ve been fully integrated. Of course, we still have our own approach for Surface Treatment clients, but the big advantage now is that customers can complete an entire process within one organisation at Mifa.”

mifa aluminium · Podcast Jeroen En Fons - Mifa Surface Treatment

Changes in the market

The market is evolving rapidly, and customers are demanding more and more from us. Take, for example, the various standards and specifications we must meet in sectors such as the aerospace and aviation industries. The documentation we are required to provide is at least as important as the product itself. Jeroen sees this mainly as a positive development: “It challenges us to continuously elevate our service and product standards, striving to reach the highest and best levels of quality.”

“We also see,” Jeroen continues, “that as an organisation, we are becoming increasingly professional. Key areas such as safety and the 7S principle are being taken seriously and actively implemented. This is reflected in a visibly tidy and well-organised factory and office space – something we frequently hear from customers when they visit Mifa. They often comment on how clean and structured the production environment looks. A real compliment to all of us. Because with every one of these steps, we contribute to a well-organised workplace and a pleasant working environment for everyone.”

The future of Mifa and Mifa Surface Treatment

When we look to the future, there are of course still plenty of steps we can take to further improve our processes. “It’s mostly about taking small steps – that’s how you make progress. Every day we look at how we can perform even better. And that starts with being critical at the front end: what do we offer, and what don’t we? Co-engineering is extremely important for our customers, and thanks in part to the merger with Mifa, we can establish a robust process together with them – right from the early stages. Collaborating with the right suppliers for tools and chemicals is also key. By sharing knowledge with one another, we can continue to grow together.”

One of the most important upcoming phases is the planned new construction and the introduction of updated production lines. This marks the first phase of our new logistics plan, where we aim for a smart and logical layout of departments along our internal highway.

“In short: we are constantly evolving, always looking for improvements. And it’s precisely that sense of dynamism that makes working at Mifa (Surface Treatment) both challenging and rewarding.”

Take a look at our journey