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Voortman remote and local service.
Voortman Experience Days in September
From 25-26 September 2025, over 250 international professionals participated in the Voortman Experience Days. The event was centred around four key themes:
Above: Voortman launched a new VB Standard Sawing System earlier this year.
Voortman Fabricator.
customers. So, we are transforming into a solutions partner, not just a machinery partner. This means that we can deliver the right machine with the right software to our customers( not just the control software on the machine itself, but also the software around the machine) and, of course, reliable and prompt service. Service is a core pillar of our company and is very important for us and our customers,” he added.
Into the future
In view of current geopolitical tensions, tariffs that are distorting global trade flows and territorial conflicts, Thomas Krone laid out his views on the global business climate for sheetmetal professionals in 2025 and 2026.
“ We are very optimistic in general, for 2026. However, we do acknowledge the tariff tensions and various geopolitical issues. China is investing a lot into technology and machinery to enter the European market. We believe that we should stick to our strategy of supplying high-end machinery to our customers by ensuring the highest safety standards as well as strong local service and software solutions that help our customers to automate and improve efficiency over the complete production process,” he told ISMR.
“ We planned to be more local to our U. S. customers by building a factory in the USA. Of course, now with the tariff situation, this very timely decision will help us to be closer to our customers in the U. S. and Europe, be more agile and offer customers the right levels of service and support. We will keep investing to ensure that we are local. Despite the political and trade tensions today, which do affect the market, this will help us to adapt more quickly to changing situations,” he continued.
Thomas Krone also sees more opportunities for both Voortman and its customers to invest.
“ For 2026, despite the geopolitical and tariff tensions, Europe has a chance to invest at scale. The same applies to the U. S. market. We are optimistic for next year and see further opportunities in plate-processing markets, in particular, for our technologies,” added Krone.
“ We also see clear trends for more automation, multi-capability activity around machines and the need to improve productivity and efficiency( reducing costs and time). This goes alongside our strategy of making our machines smarter over time, with AI and software, and improving our service offering. We are ready for the future and can really add value for our customers. Our commercial team is much larger, more local and more diversified now. We aim to launch more great new products, as well as new software features, in 2026 and 2027,” concluded Stef Rohaan. n
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■ Increasing machine productivity.
■ Optimising the entire production flow.
■ Laser cutting for thick steel.
■ Welding and assembly automation.
Visitors explored the Voortman campus in Rijssen in small groups, each guided by a representative who spoke their language. The tour included stops at Manufacturing Centres 1 and 2, the Assembling Centre, the Engineering Centre and the Experience Centre. At each location, specialist talks covered various topics.
On the first day, visitors saw machines like the V342, V623, and V310 in action. A special highlight was the visit to Severfield Steel Construction, where a fully automated Voortman production line was on display.
After lunch at the company restaurant, the tour continued with a demonstration of thick steel lasercutting on the V353.
In the Experience Centre, welding and assembly automation took the spotlight, including demonstrations of the Voortman Fabricator and XR-based quality control. The evening ended with dinner and live demonstrations, surrounded by food stalls and interactive machine presentations.
On the second day, visitors left Voortman in Rijssen by car and visited three customers in Barneveld: Van Ee Staalspecialisten, EeStairs and Brink Staalbouwin in the Netherlands. They were able to speak directly with companies who use Voortman machines and software daily. After lunch, the event concluded.
EDITOR’ S NOTE
Meet Voortman at SteelFab 2026( 12-15 January 2026 in Sharjah, UAE) on stand 3440 in Hall 5.
The company will be highlighting automation with its Multi System Integration( MSI) approach. It will also demonstrate automated welding with the Voortman Fabricator and showcase its new LogicSteel software.
ISMR December 2025 / January 2026 | ismr. net | 23