When others say something is impossible, Ron Koorn sees a challenge. In tight spaces, difficult conditions or heavy-duty piling work, the Ilpendam native is in his element. On 10 August this year, he will celebrate 25 years of service at Vroom Funderingstechnieken. But on 29 August, he will officially take early retirement. That means the team will have to continue the work without this quiet force.
After working for Vroom for 13 years via a contracting company, Ron officially joined the team on 10 August 2000. Ron: ‘The construction sector collective labour agreement is better than the agricultural one, and I had already been working for Vroom for so long that it was a logical step. Since then, I’ve been operating the wheeled loader. It’s a great job that I really have a feel for. Thanks to my experience, I never shy away from a challenge. I enjoy my work the most when things get difficult. I love the toughest jobs. Back when Vroom still handled inner-city piling work, I was always there. It took a lot of improvisation and deviating from the standard approach. But that’s something our team always managed well: creating a plan of action together, executing it, and bringing it to a successful conclusion. Real teamwork.’
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Teamwork
Over the 38 years that Ron has worked for Vroom in total, he has closely collaborated with a small group of colleagues. ‘I started on the wheeled loader with crane operator Gerrit Meester, and later I worked for around ten years with operator Fred Klaver. Now I’ve already been working with Niels Veerman for 24 years. He’s on the crane, I’m still on the loader. We understand each other completely. If he makes a certain movement from the crane, I immediately know what he wants and how. Words were never necessary. But since half a year we’ve been using an electric crane, which is much larger, so we can’t see each other as well anymore. A 27MC radio now helps. At first, I didn’t want anything to do with it—just like with mobile phones—but thanks to Niels, I gave it a try, and now I see the benefits.’
Eemshaven
When asked about memorable projects, the Eemshaven in Groningen stands out. ‘Niels and I worked there longer than anyone else—about a year and a half. We stayed on site during that time. It was tough work with long days, but a fantastic time. I absolutely loved it, although I wouldn’t want to do it again now due to my age. That project was also notable for another reason: I twisted my knee, and scans at the hospital revealed cancer in my thigh. I was out for a year because of that, but it was a blessing in disguise that it was discovered early. It could have ended much worse. Thankfully, after a year, I was able to return to work and I’ve now been cancer-free for ten years. I received a lot of support from the company during that time. In that respect, Vroom is truly a socially minded family business that takes care of its people.’
Many of the projects Ron contributed to were in and around Rotterdam, such as the major works at Rotterdam Central. ‘The aqueduct in Muiden was also a big and heavy project. These three projects are definitely in my top three. We usually work in vibro piles and are a close-knit team of three. I’m quite particular when it comes to working together. I prefer working in a certain way, and we’re well attuned to each other. I’ve grown very attached to that and I will certainly miss it. Vroom understands this very well, and that’s something I really appreciate: you can speak your mind, and they take your input seriously.’
Early retirement
When Ron heard about the early retirement scheme for heavy-duty jobs, he didn’t have to think twice. ‘If I add up all my working hours, I’ve practically worked sixty years already—I could have retired ten years ago!’ he says, laughing. ‘Although I’ve grown attached to my wheeled loader, I’m glad this scheme exists, because the years are starting to catch up with me. What’s special is that my colleague Niels joined the meetings about my early retirement. He was incredibly supportive and happy to help me through the process. That says a lot about the bond we have. I’ll definitely miss that collegiality, but I think it will also take some getting used to for him once I’m gone.’
The future
It doesn’t happen often, but Ron is currently working close to home. ‘We’re now working in Amsterdam-Noord, just seven minutes from my house by car. That’s a real treat after years of long-distance projects and overnight stays—especially with all the current roadworks. We’ll wrap up this project just before the summer break. After that, I’ll help start one more new project for a week, and then I’ll finish on 29 August. I don’t have any concrete plans for the period after that. I do a lot of volunteer work, but I’ll just go with the flow and see what comes my way. I mainly want to enjoy my free time!’ Ron concludes.
