Kor Visscher royally decorated
News | 15 May 2018
Visscher is retiring and not only saying goodbye to Philips. He will also step down as chairman of our business cluster in June.
In a full house at Philips in Drachten, Tuesday afternoon 15 May, thanks Visscher to the guests. Representatives from, among others, the University of Groningen, Stenden/NHL, VNO-NCW, FME, Region of Smart Factory, International Welcome Center North, ROC Friese Poort and administrators of municipalities and the three northern provinces. ,,It was a privilege and usually a pleasure to work for Philips.'' The best part of his job? ,,That I have always been involved at the forefront of technological development.'' He all witnessed the arrival of the first computer, robots and 3D printers. His experience teaches him that the best people no longer only work at Philips, but also outside of it. ,,The time of independent innovation is over'', he tells his guests one last time. His conviction; sharing knowledge is the only chance for new techniques and innovations. A thank you to Philips is in order, for the space he was given to put energy into a network in which education and business work together in a unique way. "Apparently I was regarded as 'loosely trusted', as we say here at Philips about people who are allowed to represent the company in the outside world."
green heart
That is also the reason for the royal appreciation, his social involvement. Described by our program manager Joost Krebbekx as his 'green heart'. ,,Innovation between the cows is not possible? Kor forged a 'coalition of the willing' with six companies and just started working with Philips, Neopost, BD, Norma, Variass and today's FMI. Organic growth in four sprints of two years and no municipal and provincial boundaries as obstacles.'' Visscher took the lead as secretary and association president. ,,But that was only the administrative side. Kor, you love the idea and sold the idea with gusto, inside and outside Philips, because you believe in it and, as you say, have fun with it."
Heritage
Mayor Tom van Mourik outlines the endless possibilities for high-tech companies, but also the challenges. “Every reason for Innovatiecluster Drachten to open its own Shared Facility Center in 2016. Of course in Drachten and here on the Philips site.” A personal achievement of Kor Visscher, for which he has stuck his neck out both inside and outside Philips. The first industrial building in Drachten, the AA building, dates from 1949 and was built by local entrepreneurs at the time to accommodate starting entrepreneurs. “Now it is industrial heritage and innovations for the future are taking place there. Because it's not just the companies that work together there, students from universities, HBO and MBO come here to work on assignments that were not part of the curriculum until recently."
To trust
From the municipality of Smallingerland and the province of Fryslân, Visscher received not only 16 million euros when it was founded, but according to him above all an "above average confidence" to "make something beautiful" of Innovatiecluster Drachten. “Now our cluster is providing the impulse that the northern provinces need. Not a top-down employment program, but the need of companies and knowledge institutions themselves to work together.”
In the media
Read the story about Kor Visscher's award in several media here.
Drachtster Courant, May 16, 2018
Province of Fryslân, 15 May 2018
Balkster Courant, May 16, 2018