Gevasol and Provalu on the cover of INTO Business Duin- en Bollenstreek

Work organised around the person, not the other way around

Provalu is a social employment organisation that brings people with a distance to the labour market into meaningful, skilled work. A substantial part of Gevasol's fluid control components, including parts that end up in dairy robots used around the world, are assembled, tested, and packaged by Provalu's team.

The work is organised around the individual. Complex tasks are structured into defined, sequential steps. Fixed instructions and quality checks ensure that Gevasol's technical standards are consistently met.

As René Beuving describes in the magazine, the approach is not about lowering the bar, but about thinking alongside each person. A table painted half red and half blue, for someone who has difficulty distinguishing electrical wires by colour, is one example. “By thinking along with someone, you ensure that they feel understood and discover that more is possible than they initially thought.”

Fifteen years growing in both directions

When the collaboration began, Gevasol had no employees of its own and relied entirely on Provalu's workforce. As Gevasol grew into an international organisation, the partnership evolved accordingly. Today, Provalu employees work in several arrangements: within Provalu's facilities, seconded directly to Gevasol, or in mixed teams at dedicated workspaces where Gevasol and Provalu work side by side.

The magazine feature includes the stories of two employees whose paths reflect what this looks like in practice. Kevin came to Provalu via an internship after studying at the Leo Kanner College in Oegstgeest and has grown, over three years, into an all-round production worker on the milking robot line. Mr. Ratchavej has worked at Gevasol for five and a half years and now trains and mentors new colleagues. “There are no surprises,” he says of what makes the work right for him. “That works very well for me.”

Rinco Knoop puts it directly: a distance to the labour market does not prevent someone from contributing fully to a high-tech production process. “If you organise the work well and look at strengths, people can develop and do high-tech work here.”

René Beuving points to an effect that reaches further still. “People get the chance to be a relevant part of society. That creates a gratitude and engagement you rarely find elsewhere. We are inspired by it ourselves.”

Summer magazine introduced at today's networking event

The summer edition of INTO Business Duin- en Bollenstreek carries the theme De kracht van relaties: the power of relationships. The cover reads Provalu en Gevasol versterken elkaar (Provalu and Gevasol strengthen each other). The magazine was introduced today at a regional networking event hosted by INTO Business Duin- en Bollenstreek, where Gevasol was present.