🐶 Jacco van der Kooij

Do you know a large Midwest family? Well, if you do, then you know me.  I am the youngest of eight, raised in a small farmers'​ village in the Netherlands. If I picked an apple from the wrong tree on my way home from school, my parents would know about it before I got off my bike.

The family name is like a bank account, and my family has put their savings in it for over 50 years.  We are not rich, but the van der Kooij's are known for our hard work, and willingness to help others. So we never needed a lot of money. For my family, our reputation is the most valued asset and trust is the currency we trade in.  Every day.

Fast forward to today, a time where the subscription (SaaS) business model is impacting organizations big and small.   Why?  Because in the subscription business you MUST make a client successful!  You have to earn an honest word-of-mouth reference by exceeding a client's expectation. You have to work hard and build a reputation. I recognize this as these are the norms and values I was raised on, and I know exactly what to do.

Welcome to my village. Pop. 12,000. Established 2005.

Founder

Winning By Design helps customer to design, build and scale their sales efforts.  With offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, Antwerp, Shanghai and Sydney we help clients big and small with a process driven approach to sales.  The right process executed by trained professional will help you earn more business from the right customers.

Jacco van der Kooij

OPEN LETTER TO LINKEDIN
The growing need for structure and attribution in the knowledge economy

LinkedIn you are the world’s largest professional knowledge network. You've democratized access, but in doing so, have flattened content, blurred provenance, and eroded trust.

Your algorithm appears optimized for engagement, which inadvertently subsidizes noise and punishes original content. You now operate a system that rewards what spreads rather than what stands up to scrutiny. Popularity passes for truth, and noise drowns out knowledge. The loudest ideas rise the fastest — even when they add the least.

Today, a researcher’s 18-month field study sits beside a pundit’s morning take, a recycled quote, and a viral meme, all formatted the same and indistinguishable as users scroll through their feeds. It feels like click-harvesting, and runs counter to your mission to make professionals more productive and successful.

Traditional media solved this long ago:
+ Harvard Business Review separates research from commentary.
+ The Economist distinguishes data from opinion.
+ Fast Company labels features and essays differently.

They did this for one reason, to help readers understand: What am I consuming, and why should I trust it?

On LinkedIn, there’s no way to tell who uncovered an idea, who interpreted it, or who simply repackaged it. Operating the world’s largest knowledge exchange without structure or attribution overlooks the responsibility that comes with shaping how the world learns and works.

How LinkedIn Can Steward a Layered Knowledge Economy?

1. Structure:  Not all creators serve the same function. 

LinkedIn can establish a taxonomy that helps audiences distinguish between research, reaction, analysis, and amplification. This would restore hierarchy and context to the feed — making expertise visible.

To illustrate what a structure could look like, I’ve drafted an outline of five functional archetypes of the Knowledge Economy— Originators, Pundits, Aggregators, Amplifiers, and Synthesizers — complete with examples from the SaaS and AI industry.

2. Attribution: Establish content-protection and attribution standards.

LinkedIn can establish standards that ensure original insights, data, and frameworks are instantly recognized, cited, and credited — not quietly copied or recycled for click harvesting. In a knowledge economy, provenance is protection.

YouTube was forced to do this by the music industry—introducing attribution systems that ultimately benefited podcasters and creators worldwide. LinkedIn now faces a similar crossroads. In a knowledge economy, provenance is protection.

Today, AI is uniquely suited to solve both of these challenges at scale.

IN CLOSING

LinkedIn’s mission has always been to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. What began as a place to find a role in business has become the place to do business. That evolution carries a new responsibility: to steward knowledge.

Working with customers opened my eyes and changed my life | Being kind and assuming positive intent will help you see the world from a different perspective

Taxonomy for the LinkedIn Knowledge Economy

Do you know the probability you will hit your growth target by the end of 2026?
When we ask Execs sitting on tens to hundreds of millions of funding (and revenue), most have no real answer.

In the past, this didn’t matter — all you needed to know was capacity needed to meet demand. But times have changed.

Good news, today we are able to scientifically instrument growth, not only to give an answer with precision to that question — but also to reveal the patterns underneath it. 

Check the dashboard!!!

The growth rate may still be exponential. Yet the growth state is already decelerating.

The system is adding revenue, but it’s no longer self-reinforcing, the second derivative — the compound rate — has gone negative.

GTM Efficiency is rising for all the wrong reasons. It is now spending $3.38 of commercial energy to produce every $1 of growth. Whoa! cost is compounding faster than growth. At that rate, it will take more than a decade to earn it back. 

Then reality sets in: Probability of hitting target: 22%!

Not because the target is wrong — but because the growth architecture underneath is leaking. Lead quality is dropping. Conversion is inconsistent.
But most of all Loop activation (k-factor) is weak, since most effort is spend on growth through inbound!

The internal physics of the system are fighting the goal, not supporting it.

Here’s the good news: the 3x3 GTM growth analysis shows exactly where to look.
• Enterprise Acquisition: massive untapped opportunity
• SMB Retention: underperforming
• Mid-Market Expansion: sub-optimal

“Yes, Jacco, but… it’s just a dashboard.”

Folks — this isn’t.  It’s a reflection of a new mindset, a multi-threaded model of the growth engine, built on a scientific growth architecture:
• S-curve behavior
• The compound rate
• Growth loop activation
• GTM efficiency
• Probability analysis to hit target 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 months out.
• And identify underutilized GTM motions

This is a different way of seeing growth — and a different way of designing it. Its been a missing layer, causing us to model growth against investor metrics instead! 

Richard Feynman once said: “What I cannot create, I do not understand.”

Thus, our job is to understand growth, so we may create it.

We now teach this scientific approach to growth through an online class (6 hours) better yet, opt for an annual subscription to the Growth Institute that includes quarterly case-studies.

Let's Grow!

Wim Dijkgraaf

Quotation Factory

THE REVOLUTION IN METALWORKING QUOTATIONS
We saw in 2018 that the metalworking industry was in need of a radical rethink. Because most estimates and quotations that are made are manual work, performed by the most clever and often expensive employees. Sometimes quoting and requoting for days on end, only to not get the job in the end. What if that could also be done in a few minutes?

THAT IS WHY THERE IS THE QUOTATION FACTORY
Instant metalworking quotations for everyone. Leaving time for customer contact and customization that require real skills, expertise and talents.

Founder & CEO

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company

- Developed real-time, high-volume & resilient document interchange between ERP systems (SAP & UNIT4) and external parties (Customs & Digital Archive)
- Developed web-based application for the worldwide administration of Load Lists & Stowage Plans of large container ships with support of various standards such as BAPLIE and OBL.

Senior Developer .NET

de Cromvoirtse, snel metaal op maat

	Streamlined ordering for medium size sheet metal cutting & pipe laser cutting business, resulting in average delivery turnaround time decreases of 30%.
	Designed and implemented improved software solutions ranging from manufacturing process control and monitoring, integration with ERP, CAD and CAM systems as well as designed an AI-driven self-service and production planning solution. 
	Utilized state-of-the-art technologies like Service bus, MS Orleans, Message Queuing, React, SignalR, .NET Core, and Azure DevOps in support of daily operations.

Interim Manager & Lead Developer Digital Transformation & Innovation

Finventory

	Developed efficient, highly automated IT platform that gives access to relevant data and analyses regarding their collateral via a personalised web-based platform. 
	Provided full real-time insight into actual state of the inventory used as collateral for working capital financing and revealed insights into risk drivers related to the underlying collateral.
	Automated steps for developing and testing this tool, including documentation of best practices for usage.

Senior Software Developer

Eraze Computer Software BV

	Planned, executed, and finalized 2 projects on time and within budget and scope objectives, including acquiring resources and coordinating efforts of 7 team members across 2 departments.
	Performed all phases of Requirement Management, including gathering, analyzing, detailing and tracking requirements.
	Identified, effectively communicated, and resolved project issues and risks.
	Developed an automated web-UI testing framework using Selenium and SpecFlow

Project Coordinator, Senior Developer & ALM Specialist

De Cromvoirtse, snel metaal op maat

	Developed and executed automated sales process via highly-responsive front-end system by utilizing critical elements such as a complex pricing engine and connectivity with web-based client portal and ERP systems.
	Relied on key technologies including .NET, C#, WPF, WCF, Microservices Architecture, Domain Driven Design, Aspect Oriented Programming using PostSharp, Continuous Delivery Pipeline (Visual Studio Online & Octopus Deployment), and Dapper Micro-ORM
	Managed a technology and operations budget of 400k+ EURO and coordinated the efforts of 6 staff members within 2 management teams.

Senior Developer, Architect and ALM Expert

	Developed a web application as part of an international Scrum team for the oil industry to manage compliance of 300 wells in 80 locations around the world.
	Programmed in C#, JavaScript, ExtJs, EF6 and .NET 4.5; automated the Deployment Pipeline fully; Automated Acceptance Testing using Selenium. 
	Configured ALM infrastructure based on MS Team Foundation Server, Octopus Deploy, and GIT.

Web (ExtJs) and .NET Developer, Test Automation Specialist & ALM Expert

Lambda3

	Assisted 3 large clients in implementing Agile practices and continuously improving their Application Lifecycle Management capability, increasing productivity by 70% on average for each client. 
	Provided continuous integration & deployment, automated testing, release management, sub-contracting, systems engineering, and DfSS. 
	Demonstrated specialized knowledge using Microsoft's ALM tooling such as Team Foundation Server to complete tasks effectively.

Agile Change Agent & ALM Specialist

BTG Pactual

	Analyzed 400+ current practices in projects and prepared them for transformations to XP, SCRUM, & SAFe. 
	Inspired teams with concepts like BDD, Continuous Integration & Deployment, and teaching Agile & Product Development Flow principles to streamline processes by at least 75%.
	Led and motivated 8 key management teams to peak levels of performance, consistently developing their coaching and leadership skills to increase overall productivity levels by 40%.

Agile Change Agent

Epesi Creative New Media

	Fulfilled roles of Senior Business Analyst, Application Lifecycle Management Specialist, and Automated Acceptance Testing Specialist for 2 Epesi clients.
	Demonstrated strong leadership skills, the ability to prioritize, delegate tasks and making sound decisions quickly while maintaining focus on the bottom line.
	Cultivated positive relationships with clients and colleagues by communicating with clarity and diplomacy to individuals from diverse backgrounds.

High-Tech Anthropologist & Agilist

🌟 Empowering Metalworking SMEs in the Infinite Game of Industry 4.0 🌟

As the founder of Quotation Factory, my mission is to empower small and medium-sized metalworking companies with cutting-edge digital and AI-driven industrial ecosystems. At Quotation Factory, we believe that these companies deserve to thrive and stay competitive in the infinite game of metalworking, even as large-scale enterprises transition towards Industry 4.0 and Smart Factories. Our platform optimizes conversion rates, automates estimation processes, and significantly enhances efficiency, laying the foundation for a sustainable and innovative future.

🎶 Jazz Musician & Composer 🎶

Beyond my professional endeavors, I am a passionate jazz musician with a rich history of recordings and performances alongside renowned figures in the global jazz scene. As a composer of contemporary music, I merge my programming skills with my love for music, creating orchestral scores from algorithms inspired by natural phenomena.

🚀 Pioneering Change Management 🚀

Prior to Quotation Factory, I founded Synergio, a company dedicated to change management in Systems Engineering across diverse industries, including banking, tunnel building, aerospace components, and nuclear reactor maintenance. My journey in this realm culminated in the authorship of "Start at the End," a practical guide on requirements writing and result-driven project management.

📢 Thought Leader in Manufacturing Estimations 📢

Today, I am frequently invited to deliver online presentations on manufacturing estimations, focusing on closed-loop systems, AI, and Autonomous Agents. My expertise and insights continue to inspire and drive innovation in the manufacturing sector.

🌍 A Global Citizen 🌍

Originally from the Netherlands, I have spent over two decades in Brazil, living near São Paulo, the heart of Latin America's thriving manufacturing and high-tech development. This vibrant environment fuels my passion for innovation and my commitment to supporting the global metalworking community.

Let's connect and explore how we can drive the future of metalworking together! Reach out to me on LinkedIn or join our dynamic community on Discord named Estimating in Industry 4.0.

TNO slaat in zijn nieuwste rapport een harde waarschuwing:
 📉 Nederland loopt achter op innovatie, productiviteit en schaalbare bedrijvigheid.

In de analyse van Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi (TNO) herken ik pijnlijk veel van wat ik als founder van Quotation Factory dagelijks zie in de metaalsector:
- 70% van de tech startups komt niet voorbij pre-seed/seed
- er is structureel tekort aan groeikapitaal, zeker in latere fases
- R&D en innovatie zijn geconcentreerd bij een paar grote spelers, terwijl het innovatieve mkb en startups in de industrie moeite hebben om door te groeien. 
- Praatclubjes en propaganda-machines houden dit in stand.

Met andere woorden: we vragen startups om te vliegen, maar kortwieken eerst hun vleugels.

In een nieuw opiniestuk op LinkedIn leg ik die innovatieparadox naast mijn praktijk in de metaalketen:
- hoe een land dat productiviteit zó hard nodig heeft, het juist de bedrijven moeilijk maakt die deze productiviteit in de fabriek en aan de werkbank realiseren.

🔗 In het artikel:
- verbind ik de kernpunten uit het TNO-rapport met de dagelijkse realiteit van industriële software-startups
- laat ik zien wat dit betekent voor de metaalsector
- en doe ik een aantal concrete voorstellen richting politiek, branche en investeerders

Voor iedereen die iets zegt te willen met innovatie, industrie en brede welvaart: dit gesprek moeten we nu voeren, niet over vijf jaar.

👉 Lees het artikel 
 👉 Laat graag weten hoe jij hier tegenaan kijkt – zeker als je actief bent in beleid, brancheorganisaties of investeringen.

#TNO #innovatie #scaleups #metaalsector #maakindustrie #arbeidsproductiviteit #venturecapital #startups

Mario Draghi en het recente TNO-rapport van Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi zeggen het in keurige beleidstaal: Europa – en Nederland – lopen achter in innovatie en 

We vragen Nederlandse startups om te vliegen – maar kortwieken eerst hun vleugels

10x Faster quotes. 25%+ More sales. 99% Accurate estimates. 100% AI First | Co-founder at Quotation Factory

AI leert 3D ontwerpen … tja, waarom ook niet!?

Driving the AI-powered future of utilities

I just saw this MIT demo of an AI that learns 3D CAD by watching designers work — it observes 40K+ videos and then performs the same modeling steps automatically.

The takeaway: AI-driven CAD isn’t just research anymore — it’s coming to real-world design teams soon.

The paper: https://lnkd.in/gEsvBYJU
The Demo: https://lnkd.in/gYVqhymt

#Substations #PowerEngineering #CAD #GenerativeAI #EngineeringAutomation #substationdesign #digitalTransformation

For everyone working in the high-tech supply chain (such as ASML ) this will sound familiar:
- You’ve spent years hearing about MBD / MBE adoption…
- Yet RFQs still arrive as a mix of STEP + PDF + Excel + email.
- Machines got smarter.
- The information flow didn’t.

That’s exactly the gap I address in a new article I just published on LinkedIn: Unified PMI.

Instead of waiting for the world to magically become 100% MBD-compliant, we’re working with a more realistic approach:
🔹 Unified PMI = one standardized data model for all Product & Manufacturing Information, no matter if it comes from 3D models, 2D drawings, PDFs, emails or spreadsheets.

For ASML suppliers, that means:
- Turning messy RFQs into structured, reusable data
- Automatically extracting things like material, revisions, tap/thread specs, GD&T from drawings
- Rebuilding an MBD-like model on your side, even if the customer only sends “old-school” documentation
- Enabling faster, more consistent quoting and cleaner integration with ERP, CAM and the shop floor

In other words:
- Stop waiting for the perfect MBD world.
- Start building a translation layer that makes today’s reality work at scale.

👉 In the article I walk through what Unified PMI is, how we approach it in Quotation Factory, and why it’s especially relevant for consultants and business owners guiding ASML suppliers through digitalization.

If you’re involved in MBD/MBE programs in the ASML ecosystem and want a practical, not-theoretical lever to move things forward, this one is for you.

Drop a comment or send me a message if you’d like the link or want to see it on your own RFQs and drawings.

Most factories are trying to digitalize their machines. Very few are truly digitalizing their information. That gap is exactly where Unified PMI lives

Unified PMI: The Missing Link in Today's Factory Digitalization

Veel “digitalisering” in de maakindustrie eindigt alleen on-premise of alleen in de cloud. Maar de echte wereld – machines, MES, ERP, CAM, mensen op de vloer – blijft vaak één grote black box.

In mijn vorige Wim’s Metaalminuten liet ik zien hoe we de metaalbewerkingsketen willen laten werken als een gaming engine: fabrieken die in milliseconden met elkaar kunnen samenwerken.

📹 In deze live sessie ga ik een laag dieper:
Hoe verbinden we die cloud-engine real-time met jouw fabriek?

Ik laat o.a. zien:
- waarom we elke metaalbewerker technisch zien als een Industrial IoT device
- hoe onze nieuwe Quotation Factory Edge Connector werkt
- hoe we met MQTT + een grafische workflow engine lokaal kunnen integreren met ERP, MES, CAM en machines
- hoe we met een Unified Namespace één taal creëren voor al je systemen en devices
- waarom dit geen klassiek bedrijfsinformatiesysteem is, maar echt een communicatie- en gaming platform voor de hele keten

Dit is interessant als je serieus bezig bent met:
- koppelingen tussen systemen
- real-time terugkoppeling van de werkvloer
- de basis leggen voor AI in je fabriek

Laat in de comments even weten met welk systeem jij nu het meest “gedoe” hebt (ERP, MES, CAM, machines) – dan neem ik daar voorbeelden van mee in de live demo. 💬⚙️

Wim’s Metaalminuten brengt dagelijks nieuws, inzichten en praktische tips speciaal voor managers en ondernemers in de metaalbewerking.

Een giga versneller voor de metaalbewerkingssector!!!!

We hebben het al jaren over event-driven manufacturing, realtime orkestratie en écht geïntegreerde fabrieken. Maar in veel organisaties blijft die visie steken in slides en strategieën. Bij Quotation Factory hebben we besloten om daar verandering in te brengen.

Een nieuwe generatie Edge Connector
Meer dan 60 fabrieken draaien al op het Quotation Factory-platform met onze Edge Connector als schakel tussen on-premise systemen en de cloud.
Vandaag zetten we een enorme stap vooruit:
- We hebben een workflow engine toegevoegd, inclusief grafische workflow designer
- We hebben een MQTT-client én een UNS-gebaseerde MQTT-server met historian geïntegreerd
- We transformeren ERP- en CAM-integraties naar herbruikbare workflow-bouwblokken

Wat betekent dit concreet?
- On-premise workflowautomatisering en orkestratie in single- en multi-factory omgevingen
- Een moderne event-driven architectuur van cloud tot op de machine
- Flexibele business process automation over alle domeinen: van aanvraag tot levering
- Sterke, uitbreidbare integraties met ERP, MES en CAM systemen

We rollen de eerste nieuwe connectors (waaronder Bystronic API, CADMAN, ...) op dit moment uit bij pilotklanten. Begin volgend jaar worden alle bestaande Edge Connectors geüpgraded.

In één klap beschikken 60+ Quotation Factory-klanten over een state-of-the-art digitale infrastructuur: event-driven, inzichtelijk en workflow-ready.

Waarom dit belangrijk is: Dit is geen “gewone integratie-upgrade”.
Het is een fundament voor:
- Snellere digitale transformatie
- Betere zichtbaarheid van prestaties en historie
- Eenvoudigere veranderingen en continu verbeteren
- Schaalbare multi-factory architecturen

Kortom: het helpt metaalbedrijven om de stap te zetten van praten over smart factories … naar ze daadwerkelijk runnen.

Ben je een metaalbewerkingsbedrijf en wil je ontdekken wat dit voor jouw fabriek (of fabrieken) betekent? Neem gerust contact op.

Dit is nog maar het begin.

Wim’s Metaalminuten brengt dagelijks nieuws, inzichten en praktische tips speciaal voor managers en ondernemers in de metaalbewerking.

ERP is niet “toekomstbestendig”. Het is een businessmodel. En dat model gaat eraan.

In mijn laatste Wim’s Metaal Minuten live stream leg ik uit waarom ik denk dat: commerciële ERP, CRM, PLM en MES zoals we die nu kennen… doomed zijn.

En waarom dat juist fantastisch nieuws is voor metaalbedrijven. 👇

Waar ging de live stream over?
In 15 minuten neem ik je mee langs o.a.: De echte aard van bedrijfsinformatiesystemen.

Onder de motorkap zijn ERP, CRM, PLM en MES allemaal hetzelfde soort systeem:
- een database
- een “businesslaag” met wat regels
- een scherm met velden, lijstjes en rapportjes
We betalen dus gigantische licentie- en consultancykosten voor software die conceptueel heel eenvoudig is.

Domme software vs. echte intelligentie
 ERP & co doen vooral twee dingen:
- data tonen in vooraf bedachte lijstjes en schermen
- invoer valideren zodat de database netjes blijft

Échte intelligentie zit ergens anders:
- nesting in 1D/2D/3D
- planning & scheduling (NP-hard problemen)
- geometrie interpreteren, features herkennen
- maakprocessen optimaliseren
Daar zit de échte waarde.

Wat AI hierin verandert
Met generatieve AI kun je tegenwoordig:
- jouw data-structuur in gewone taal beschrijven
- automatisch een datamodel + database + API laten genereren
- daar bovenop schermen, velden, validaties en dashboards laten bouwen

Dus:
- “Domme” bedrijfsinformatie-software kun je straks gewoon zelf laten genereren
- Een extra veldje? Eenvoudige logica? Kleine aanpassing? Binnen minuten geregeld, zonder consultant
- Het businessmodel rond licenties + implementatiepartners begint hier gewoon te smelten.

De toekomst voor metaalbedrijven?
Ik verwacht dat binnen een paar jaar:
- metaalbewerkers zélf hun bedrijfsinformatiesystemen (laten) genereren
- licentiekosten voor standaard systemen drastisch omlaag gaan
- consultancy voor simpele aanpassingen bijna volledig verdwijnt
- budget en focus verschuiven naar echte productie-intelligentie (nesting, calculatie, planning, feature recognition)

Benieuwd naar de redenering erachter?
- In de live stream loop ik rustig door:
- de architectuur van die systemen
- wat AI nu al kan
- wat dit concreet betekent voor jouw fabriek in de komende 2 jaar

Kijk de uitzending terug en laat in de comments weten:
Denk jij dat je huidige ERP/CRM/PLM/MES-opzet over 3–5 jaar nog logisch is?

Wim’s Metaalminuten brengt dagelijks nieuws, inzichten en praktische tips speciaal voor managers en ondernemers in de metaalbewerking.

Metaalbewerkers: software bedrijven die aan metaalbewerking doen.

𝗛𝗼𝗲 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗩𝗢 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝘇𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗮𝗻
In deze video leggen we uit hoe we samen met Beltar AI een AI-agent hebben ontwikkeld die verkooporders automatisch analyseert, controleert én direct in het ERP-systeem verwerkt.

Denk aan artikelen, revisies, klantinformatie en levertijden, die allemaal foutloos worden uitgelezen en verwerkt.

Wat levert dat op?
·      Orders sneller in het systeem → sneller de fabriek in
·      Hogere betrouwbaarheid door automatische revisiecontrole
·      Minder repeterend werk, meer focus in het team
·      100% veilig in onze eigen Azure-omgeving

Dit is een belangrijke stap in hoe AI onze processen versterkt gecontroleerd, veilig en volledig geïntegreerd in onze high-tech manier van werken.

English:
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗩𝗢 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿
In this video, we explain how we developed an AI agent together with Beltar AI that automatically analyses and validates sales orders and processes them directly into our ERP system.

Think of item numbers, revisions, customer details and delivery dates all accurately extracted and processed without errors.

What does this deliver?
•            Orders enter the system faster → production can start sooner
•            Higher reliability through automatic revision checks
•            Less repetitive work, more focus for our team
•            100% secure within our own Azure environment

This marks an important step in how AI strengthens our processes controlled, secure and fully integrated into our high-tech way of working.

#TogetherWeAreWilvo #OneStopShopSolutions #HighTechIndustrie

Event Storming lijkt op het eerste gezicht een muur vol post-its. In werkelijkheid is het de snelste manier om je echte business-logica bloot te leggen. En daar gaat het mij om. Niet om de workshop, maar om wat je erna kúnt bouwen.

In de meeste bedrijven wordt een proces nog steeds beschreven vanuit systemen: “Dit stuk zit in CRM, dit doet ERP, dit in Excel.”
Maar klanten, werkvoorbereiders en leveranciers denken niet in systemen. Zij denken in gebeurtenissen:
- RFQ is binnen gekomen
- Tekeningen geüpload
- Geometrie geanalyseerd
- Subcontractor gevraagd
- Offerte verstuurd
- Order gewonnen/verloren

Event Storming dwingt je om eerst dát verhaal op te hangen. In de taal van de mensen die het werk doen. Pas daarna ga je praten over services, integraties en automation.

Dat is precies waarom het zo goed past bij een event-driven manier van je bedrijf inrichten (waar ik vaak eerder over schreef):

Wanneer je de gebeurtenissen scherp hebt…
- worden grenzen tussen processen en systemen duidelijk
- kun je events gebruiken als “taal” tussen klant, leverancier, ERP, CAM, portalen
- wordt automatiseren geen project, maar een logisch vervolg

Groot verschil ook tussen gemiddelde en top-teams:
- Gemiddelde teams gebruiken Event Storming één keer als workshop
- Top-teams gebruiken het als fundament voor hun event-driven architectuur en hun hele keten

Dus ja: helemaal eens met het artikel hieronder. Voor mij is Event Storming geen leuk facilitatie-trucje, maar de ontbrekende schakel tussen: “Zo werken wij écht.” en “Zo laten we systemen en keten daarop aansluiten.”

Open article: Before You Digitize: Why Event Storming Matters in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing by G5 Consulting • 2 min read

Before You Digitize: Why Event Storming Matters in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Procesbegeleiding is de grootste verspilling waar niemand het over durft te hebben.

Vandaag zag ik ’m weer langskomen: “Enterprise Architecture doesn’t fail because of technology.” De zoveelste holle frase uit de koker van de kletsende klasse.

Je kent ze wel — de adviseurs, consultants, veranderkundigen die veilig aan de zijlijn staan. Ver weg van de inhoud, want dat is te complex, te spannend, te verantwoordelijk. Maar wel altijd paraat met een oordeel.

En dus krijgen we elke dag weer dezelfde riedel:
- “Projects don’t fail because of technology.”
- “ERP implementations don’t fail because of tooling.”
- “AI adoption doesn’t fail because of algorithms.”
- “Digital transformation doesn’t fail because of systems.”
- “Data governance doesn’t fail because of the platform.”
- “Automation doesn’t fail because of the software.”
- “Security doesn’t fail because of the tech stack.”
- “Innovation doesn’t fail because of engineering.”
- “Compliance doesn’t fail because of documentation.”
- “Product development doesn’t fail because of code.”
- “Agile doesn’t fail because of tools.”
- “DevOps doesn’t fail because of pipelines.”

…en zo kan ik nog een uur doorgaan.

Het refrein is altijd hetzelfde:
 “Het ligt niet aan de technologie — het ligt aan de mensen.”

Een geweldige strategie, trouwens. Want als alles aan “de mensen” ligt, ligt het in ieder geval nooit aan de procesbegeleider zelf.

Vanuit LEAN-perspectief: dit is pure verspilling
In LEAN-termen is dit Muda Type III: werk dat niets toevoegt, maar wel permanent wordt gerechtvaardigd.
- Workshops om workshops te rechtvaardigen.
- Coaches om coaches te begeleiden.
- Procesbegeleiders die processen begeleiden die niemand nodig had.

En ondertussen loopt het echte werk — techniek bouwen, systemen integreren, data ordenen, oplossingen leveren — wél vertraging op.

Omdat er nóg een sessie moet. Nóg een canvas. Nóg een alignment-moment. Nóg een consultant die zijn mening wil geven over iets waar hij inhoudelijk geen kaas van gegeten heeft.

Wat is het alternatief?
Heel simpel:
1) Begin bij de inhoud, niet bij het proces
Laat de mensen die het begrijpen ook de mensen zijn die het beslissen.
 Architecten, engineers, analisten, domeinexperts. Start met feiten, data, techniek — niet met post-its.
2) Minimaliseer proces, maximaliseer flow
Niet nóg een governance-laag. Niet nóg een rol.
 Verwijder bottlenecks. Maak werk zichtbaar. Beweeg snel.
3) Faciliterend leiderschap i.p.v. procespolitie
Leiders die obstakels weghalen, niet obstakels creëren onder het mom van “verandering begeleiden”.
4) Meet waarde, niet aanwezigheid

De vraag is niet: “Hoeveel workshops hebben we gehad?”
De vraag is: “Wat hebben we geleverd?”

Eindboodschap
Technologie faalt niet door gebrek aan procesbegeleiding. Organisaties falen door teveel ervan.

Het is tijd om te stoppen met het pamperen van verandering.
En tijd om te beginnen met het uitvoeren van verandering.

Your machines can run lights-out. But your RFQs still need 3 people, 7 tools and way too much improvisation.

That’s the real bottleneck in most metalworking companies today.
Not capacity on the shop floor – but the inquiry → quote → order flow.
Most teams think they have a software problem: “We just need a better quoting tool.”

But the real issue is a translation problem:
- From customer drawings and PDFs
- To manufacturable parts, routings, materials and operations
- Into ERP and production

Every time a human has to “translate”, you add: delay, risk, and dependency on a few experts. For mid-size (20–100 FTE) metalworking companies, that’s exactly where scalability breaks.

In our new demo video, we show what happens when you remove that translation work. We start with an empty project and in a few simple steps:
- Upload assemblies + PDFs
- Automatically recognize geometries and all work steps
- Resolve a few “to do’s” (materials, manufacturing types, extra operations like powder coating)
- Let the system nest, calculate and build the full cost structure
- Generate the quotation
- And, once accepted, convert it straight into an order in your ERP

One continuous flow. No retyping. No copy-paste. No rebuilding the BOM three times.

This is the core of Quotation Factory’s approach: Turn messy input (files, drawings, PDFs) into a structured, manufacturable project and let the system handle estimation, quoting and ERP creation.

Under the hood that means:
- Automatic recognition of parts and working steps
- A clear BOM overview with guided “to do’s” instead of detective work
- Routing and nesting calculated for you
- Consistent cost build-up across materials, operations and parts
- An order that’s “clean” enough to sync straight into ERP and drive production

And when you structure the front-end like this, the business impact is pretty hard to ignore:
- Structured input → predictable calculations
- Predictable calculations → faster, more reliable quotes
- Faster, reliable quotes → higher win rates & better margins
- Higher win rates → more revenue without adding more estimators

Same team. More RFQs processed. Less chaos.

The contrast is becoming very clear in the market:
- Average teams hire another estimator, add another spreadsheet, and keep patching the process.
- Top teams redesign the flow, standardize input, and automate everything from RFQ to ERP order.

Quotation Factory is built for that second group – the companies that want their commercial process to be as professional and scalable as their machining.

If you want to see what this could look like in your shop:
👉 Go to our website and fill in the 'try it yourself' form. 

https://lnkd.in/eDJswXCV

You’ll get 30 days to try the exact flow from the demo – from empty project to ERP order – in your own environment.

Most manufacturers still treat their supply chain as a linear process. I’m increasingly convinced it’s actually a game. 🎮

Not a game as in “not serious” – but a system of:
- goals
- moves
- feedback
- and learning over time

In my new LinkedIn article I explore:
- Why DeepMind’s use of games like Go and StarCraft is a blueprint for how we can use AI in metalworking
- How events (what actually happens) and expectations (what we think will happen) should be the core data model of a digital factory
- Why swarms of AI agents will become the missing “orchestrator” of the supply chain
- What happens to our industry when lead times collapse, even if demand doesn’t grow

I also share how we at Quotation Factory are designing our architecture more like a game engine than a traditional business application – and what that makes possible for the metalworking ecosystem as a whole.

If you’re curious about where AI, gaming principles and the supply chain meet, I’d love your thoughts.

(And yes, the colourful futuristic image is exactly how I imagine the “game board” of our supply chain starting to look. 😉)

Most manufacturers still talk about their process as if it’s a fixed, linear thing. Inquiry → estimate → order → production → delivery. Neat on a whit

Open article: The Supply Chain Is Not a Process. It’s a Thinking Game. by Wim Dijkgraaf • 6 min read

The Supply Chain Is Not a Process. It’s a Thinking Game.

Today we’re announcing something I believe is a real breakthrough for the metalworking industry.

With our new generation of the Quotation Factory Edge Connector — now including a workflow engine, UNS-based MQTT server with historian, and modular ERP/CAM building blocks — metalworking companies finally get a practical, event-driven foundation for true digital transformation.

I’ve written a short article to explain what this means in practice for factories that want to move from talking about “smart manufacturing” to actually running it.

My ask: if you know any metalworking company that could benefit from stronger integrations, more automation, or better visibility in their factory, please share this post or forward the article to them.

The more companies we reach, the faster we can help the metalworking sector take this major step forward.

Introducing the Next-Generation Edge Connector: Event-Driven, Workflow-Enabled, and Built for the Future of Manufacturing The metalworking industry is

Open article: A Major Leap Forward for Digital Transformation in Metalworking by Wim Dijkgraaf • 4 min read

A Major Leap Forward for Digital Transformation in Metalworking

Still paying serious money for ERP/CRM/PLM/MES licenses and the consultants to keep them alive?

I’m increasingly convinced:
 👉 Most commercial business information systems in metalworking are doomed.

And that’s actually great news.

We’re entering a phase where AI can generate 90% of what today’s ERP/CRM/MES do:
- data model
- screens with fields
- simple logic & validations
- basic reports and dashboards
- …in minutes, without consultants.

That changes everything about:
- what you pay for software
- how fast you can adapt
- where your digital budget should go (hint: not “changing a field” in ERP)

I just published a longer article where I explain:
- why these systems are all the same under the hood
- how generative AI will flip the license + consultancy model
- what this means specifically for metalworking companies

Curious how you see this:
- Do you think your current ERP/CRM/PLM/MES setup will still make sense in 3–5 years?
- Where do you actually get digital value today: licenses, consultants, or real manufacturing intelligence?

Drop your thoughts in the comments – I’d love to hear real stories from the shop floor and the office. 👇

Because the uncomfortable truth is: commercial ERP, CRM, PLM and MES – as you know them today – are doomed. And that’s good news for metalworking comp

Open article: If you still pay six figures a year for ERP/CRM/PLM/MES licenses and “implementation partners”, this is for you. by Wim Dijkgraaf • 4 min read

If you still pay six figures a year for ERP/CRM/PLM/MES licenses and “implementation partners”, this is for you.

Van ruis naar realiteit: de kracht van state machines in de metaalfabriek

Veel metaalbedrijven vertrouwen nog altijd op handmatige lijstjes, Excel-staten en losse opmerkingen van operators om te begrijpen waarom machines stilstaan. Maar als je écht richting Industrie 4.0 wilt, dan heb je iets anders nodig: observeerbaarheid.

In mijn nieuwste Wim’s Metaalminuten laat ik zien waarom state machines dé ontbrekende schakel zijn in elke digitale fabriek.
- Hoe events en state machines samen de basis vormen voor een betrouwbare Digital Twin
- Waarom je zonder state machines geen eerlijke OEE kunt berekenen
- Hoe toestanden (idle, running, ombouw, storing, afkeur) automatisch worden bijgehouden

En hoe dat leidt tot:
- minder stilstand
- betere planning
- hogere productiviteit
- en veel minder discussies op de werkvloer 😉

Ik laat live zien hoe een state machine werkt, waarom het eigenlijk gewoon een graph model is, en hoe onze nieuwe Edge Connector met workflow engine dit in de praktijk toepast — inclusief automatische logging en event-gestuurde processen.

Werk je met CNC’s, lasers, kantbanken of andere machines en wil je jouw OEE eindelijk baseren op feiten in plaats van gevoel?

Bekijk dan zeker de livestream.

Wim’s Metaalminuten brengt dagelijks nieuws, inzichten en praktische tips speciaal voor managers en ondernemers in de metaalbewerking.

Most “digital transformation” in metal still treats the factory like a black box. Nice dashboards in the cloud… but the real conversation between machines, MES, ERP, CAM and people is still slow, brittle and full of workarounds.

In my new article I explain how we’re approaching it completely differently at Quotation Factory:
- treating every factory as an industrial IoT device
- using an Edge Connector with MQTT + a graphical workflow engine on site
modeling assets with state machines and an actor model (from the Halo gaming engine world)
- building a Unified Namespace as the backbone for real-time chain collaboration

The result: a metalworking supply chain that behaves less like a set of isolated systems and more like a gaming engine you can actually orchestrate.

In my previous live session, I shared how we’re building a supply chain integration platform for metalworking that behaves more like a gaming engine t

Open article: Your factory isn’t “just” a factory anymore. It’s a multiplayer world. by Wim Dijkgraaf • 6 min read

Your factory isn’t “just” a factory anymore. It’s a multiplayer world.

“Samen”, “sustainable”, “smart”, “verbinden”, “inclusief”, “extreem”, … bluuurrrpppppp … deze post, recht uit mijn hart.

Zonder betaalde advertenties moeiteloos klanten aantrekken | Instagram groei expert

Ik hoop letterlijk dat iedereen in de wereld stopt met praten als een robot op LinkedIn.

Serieus, als ik nog 1 keer “de kracht van verbinding” zie staan… de tekst “spoiler” of “en eerlijk” of dat iemand zichzelf een “gepassioneerde verbinder” noemt… Dan gooi ik mijn laptop het raam uit (nee grapje, mijn kind speelt tegenwoordig Minecraft en dan krijg ik ruzie denk ik).

Het lijkt wel alsof iedereen dezelfde cursus “Hoe val ik vooral NIET op” heeft gedaan. 

En eerlijk (sorry kon het niet laten😂) je klinkt als iedereen, voel je je dan echt verbonden? Of ga je gewoon braaf je LinkedIn-bingokaart af?

We zijn allemaal mensen, geen wandelende CV’s vol standaard woorden. Waarom niet gewoon zeggen: “Hoi, ik heb zin om vandaag leuke mensen te spreken.” Of: “Ik ben soms rete onzeker, maar doe het toch.” Een flauw grapje tussendoor mag ook gewoon. 

Nee ik zeg niet dat je geen AI mag gebruiken, het is juist goed om te gebruiken maar laat het niet ten koste gaan van je persoonlijkheid. 

Klink als jezelf. Dat is het enige wat mensen echt onthouden.

AI is geen bubbel. Maar heel veel bestaande banen wél.

Gister zat ik RTL Tonight te kijken: “Hoeveel Nederlanders verliezen straks hun baan door AI?” Weer een praattafel vol angst, rapporten en voorspellingen.
Maar… dát is niet de echte vraag.

De échte vraag is:
- Wat gebeurt er als AI + robotisering zorgen voor een intelligentie- én ervarings-explosie?
- Wat als >60% van het werk technisch weg te automatiseren is?
- En wat betekent dat voor een economie die nog steeds is ingericht op schaarste, terwijl we richting overvloed gaan?

In deze livestream (11 minuten) deel ik o.a.:
- waarom “AI is een bubbel” een misleidende discussie is
- waarom banken en klassieke dienstverleners het écht lastig gaan krijgen
- hoe grote delen van onze huidige IT-architectuur (ERP, MES, PLM, CRM) onder druk komen te staan
- waarom AI geen magische oplossing is, maar wél een volgende evolutielaag in automatisering

Bij Quotation Factory zien we dagelijks hoe metaalbedrijven nu nog leunen op menselijk puzzelwerk, spreadsheets en eiland-systemen – en hoe gestructureerde input + algoritmes + AI juist daar voor een doorbraak gaan zorgen.
- Gemiddelde teams proberen de schade te beperken.
- Topteams gebruiken dit moment om hun processen te structureren, standaardiseren en automatiseren.

Mijn uitnodiging aan jou:
Kijk de video en reageer in de comments op één van deze vragen:
- Waar zie jij AI nu al écht werk veranderen (positief of negatief)?
- Maak je je zorgen over werkgelegenheid, of zie je vooral kansen?
- Met welke uitspraak uit de video ben je het helemaal niet eens?

Ik lees en beantwoord graag je reactie.

Wim’s Metaalminuten brengt dagelijks nieuws, inzichten en praktische tips speciaal voor managers en ondernemers in de metaalbewerking.

I’ve just published a new article on LinkedIn about a topic that, in my view, is absolutely foundational for any digital-first metalworking company: state machines.

In the article I explain why state machines are not just a software concept, but the hidden engine behind reliable OEE, trustworthy digital twins, and truly event-driven factories. If you’re working with CNCs, lasers, press brakes or other equipment and you’re serious about using data instead of gut feeling, this is directly relevant to you.

I’m very interested in your perspective:
- Do you already model machine or product states in your factory?
- How do you currently capture downtime and OEE?
- Where do you still run into “data versus reality” issues?

Have a read and let me know your thoughts or experiences in the comments. I’d really value the discussion.

In the metalworking industry, digitalization often gets associated with buzzwords like IoT, Industry 4.0, AI, or Smart Factory. But beneath all those 

Open article: State Machines - the Hidden Engine of Every Digital-First Metalworking Company by Wim Dijkgraaf • 3 min read

State Machines - the Hidden Engine of Every Digital-First Metalworking Company

Most metal companies still introduce themselves like this: “We’re a metal company. We use some software here and there.”

But if your factory stops when “the system” is down… you’re already much closer to a software company that does metalworking than you think.

In my new article I explore that shift:
- From metal company using software → to software company doing metal.

I walk through what I see in many shops today – no real overview of systems, consultants changing scripts on a fileshare, changes made directly in production, backups nobody has ever tested…

…and then I outline 4 boring but essential foundations if you want to become truly software-first:
- Software asset management (know what you actually run).
- Version control + OTAP environments (stop hacking in production).
- Observability (see where things break before the shop floor feels it).
- Automated deployment / CI-CD (change without fear).

If you’re responsible for operations, IT or commercial at a metalworking company, I think you’ll recognize a lot of it.

👉 You can read the full article below: From Metal Company Using Software → To Software Company Doing Metal
 
Curious what you recognize from your own factory – feel free to share or message me.

Most metalworking companies I speak do describe themselves the same way: “We’re a metal company. We use some software here and there.” But if you look

From Metal Company Using Software → To Software Company Doing Metal

Today I’m sharing something a bit bigger than “just another post” – it’s the core vision behind what we’re building at Quotation Factory.

In rowing there’s a magical moment called “swing” – when every rower moves in perfect sync and the boat suddenly feels light, fast, effortless.

I believe an industrial ecosystem – OEMs, machine builders, contract manufacturers (MaaS), surface treaters, and raw material suppliers – can achieve the same kind of swing with swarms of AI agents working together with a shared intent.

In my new article, I explore:
- Why manufacturing today feels “out of rhythm”
- How AI agents can create a shared pulse across the whole supply chain
- What it looks like when quoting, planning, capacity, and sourcing truly flow
- Why coordination (not just automation) is the next big productivity leap

If you’re interested in the future of manufacturing, AI in industry, or how ecosystems can work as one instead of as silos, I’d love for you to read it and share your thoughts.

Curious to hear: what would “swing” look like in your part of the value chain?

By Wim Dijkgraaf, CEO & Founder of Quotation Factory In competitive rowing, there is a rare and almost mystical moment athletes call “swing.” It’s whe

Open article: “Swing in Steel” — How AI Swarms Will Transform Manufacturing by Wim Dijkgraaf • 3 min read

“Swing in Steel” — How AI Swarms Will Transform Manufacturing

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