Machine builder by day, tenor by night
Arjans' story
Machine builder by day, tenor by night
Arjan has been with Niverplast for 12.5 years. A machine builder and someone you can count on. But those who think he spends his free time doing more of the same are mistaken: he sings. Seriously. In a choir. With harmonies, concerts—the full package.
During the day it’s all about technology. After hours, it’s all about tone. That’s how it goes for Arjan.
It started at a birthday party
His start at Niverplast wasn’t planned. “I ran into GJ at a birthday. I wasn’t happy in my job. He said: ‘Why don’t you come work with us?’ So I came to take a look. When I saw all those cables coming out of a cabinet, all I could think was: I can’t do this. I come from construction.”
But it stuck with him. “Six months later, I gave it a go anyway. Still with sweaty palms. But you learn as you go. By doing, not by endlessly explaining.”
Stuck in place? Not here
Arjan spent years working on the CombiPlast and is now involved with the seal machines. That’s no coincidence. “We don’t want anyone getting stuck on just one task. You get trained broadly. That helps you grow and keeps the work interesting. Standing still isn’t our thing. If something’s stuck, we loosen it. Literally and figuratively.”
Harmonizing as a team
Outside of work, Arjan is a tenor in the Rijssens Men’s Choir. He rehearses, sings harmonies, works towards performances. “You learn a lot there that you also need on the job. Listening to each other. Paying attention. Creating something together.”
His favourite pieces? Nachtgesang im Walde (“challenging, but beautiful when it works”) and Cantique de Noël, a classic that hits home every year.
With the choir, he’s performed at the Musikverein in Vienna and for the European Parliament in the Notre Dame in Strasbourg. “At the invitation of Annie Schreijer-Pierik, our patroness. That’s something you don’t forget easily. And at Niverplast, they give you the space for that. That’s worth its weight in gold.”
No drama
What does Arjan appreciate most about Niverplast? “There’s no fuss. No endless meetings. If something isn’t working, you talk about it. Older colleagues help keep the atmosphere sharp, younger ones naturally grow into it. We work with buddy systems, but the real culture is in how we treat each other. No drama. Just fix it and move on.”
A place that’s alive
Team Seals doesn’t do grey and boring. Outside, they grow tomatoes, courgettes, and aubergines in homemade pallet bins. Inside, on the mezzanine, houseplants thrive—better cared for than many pets. And it’s a group effort. “Ten minutes of watering, some chatting, and then back to work.”
It makes the space feel lived in. “We don’t just take care of the machines—we look out for each other. And for that one plant that just needs a little extra love.”