Connecting
Another of our aims is to forge strong and durable contacts with our clients. This translates into local partnerships for instance with cheese-producing farmers, but also at an international level by sharing our knowledge about dairy products and processes. We also create networks between specialists with strong reputations that they earned in the dairy industry.
Allow us to introduce…
MAAZ’s dairy experts are the driving force behind our organisation. These professionals are a powerhouse of knowledge and experience in the Dutch and international dairy industry. Each and every one of them has at least 40 years experience in the industry. And they all complement and enhance each other’s areas of expert knowledge.
Their mission is to share this knowledge and experience with you. You can call on their services on a project by project basis. They will be happy to assist you to set up production processes for HYMP (High Yield Milk Powder), to construct a new production unit, to optimise existing production lines and answer lots of other questions relating to the dairy industry that require specialist knowledge.
We are pleased to introduce you to our dairy experts:
Hans Wammes – Project Manager Production
Hans Wammes is the son of a farmer and with several decades of experience is one of the captains of MAAZ with a wide range of expertise.
Expertise:
- Running production and ripening production locations.
- Starting up new production locations
- Total cheese making production processes
- Technology
- Ripening processes, cheese processing
- Laboratory experience
Awards:
- 10 x World Champion Cheese Maker in Wisconsin
- 2 x World Champion in all categories
- High-quality Dutch Gouda named after him: ‘Hans Wammes Kaas’
Experience:
- 1989 – 2001: Production Manager at different NCZ-Frico cheese factories
- 2001- 2003: Started up new speciality cheese factory in Dronrijp with an assortment of 40 different varieties of cheese
- 2004 – 2012: Production Manager Friesland -Campina – Steenderen
- 2012 – 2016: Driving force behind the start-up of new cheese factory in Heerenveen
Jan Wijermars
Jan Wijermars has worked in the dairy industry since 1967 and has won a number of different awards. Jan Wijermars is one of MAAZ’s dairy experts.
Expertise:
- Process technology
- Product development
- Automation
- Low-fat cheeses
- Process optimisation
- Knowledge sharing
- Marketing
- Implementing recipes at the cheese factory
Awards:
- Overall World Champion with Cantenaar in 2012
- Best of Class during World Championships in the US
Experience:
- 1968-1975: Laboratory Worker at CZ Juliana
- 1975-1990: Laboratory Head at HOVO
- 1990-2001: Team Leader – cheese maker and technologist at Coberco
- 2001-2014: Process Technician at Friesland Campina
- 2014: Process optimiser and product developer at Rouveen Speciality Cheeses
Manus Mous – Production Manager
Manus Mous is the name behind the innovation of a number of leading cheeses such as Maaslander, Westlite and Proosdij and he is closely involved on different juries in his role as judge.
Expertise:
- Innovation
- Quality assessments and production adjustments
- Identifying cheese shortages
- Optimisation quality
- Expert in production of Dutch cheese
- Starting up and monitoring production
Awards:
- Winner ZILVEREN SNIJRAAM [see leaflet]
- Different gold medals for best cheese maker
Experience:
- 1972 – 1982: Cheese maker at the Novac cheese factory
- 1982 – 1989: Company technology auditor at NOVAC
- 1990 – 2002: Head of the cheese factory and head of cheese ripening
- 2003 – 2015: Head of the cheese factory and head of cheese ripening at Friesland Campina Workum, production: capacity 180 million kilos per year
- 2015 – 2016: Head quality control for cheese production: capacity 180 million kilos per year
Ben Wevers – Project Manager Preparations
Ben Wevers has more than 40 years’ experience in the food sector. To give you just one example, it was under his leadership that Rouveen Speciality Cheeses grew from an average village cooperative into the most innovative company dedicated to speciality cheeses in Europe.
Expertise:
- Innovation (product and technology)
- Sustainability
- Robotics
- Partnership structures
- Specialisation
- Organisation
- Management
Experience:
- 1984 – 1986 Joint Director Rouveen Speciality Cheeses
- 1987 – 2015 Director Rouveen Speciality Cheeses
- 2013 – 2015 Construction of new factory for Rouveen Speciality Cheeses
- Turnover: €160 million
- Volume of milk processed: 200 million kilos
- Staff: 180
- Total production of 80 different speciality cheeses
Education:
- Higher Vocational Education in Food technology
- Technology
- Sustainability
- Organisation
Bert Willigenburg – Project Manager
Bert Willigenburg has more than earned his spurs. He has managed a range of major building projects for new cheese factories both at home and abroad, and has turned around several loss-making production companies in the matter of a few years.
Expertise:
- Management capacity – construction of cheese factories
- Analytical capacity
- Ability to build strong teams
- Production
- Management
- Laboratory experience
Achievements:
- Growth of Leerdammer Kaas
- Turned around several loss-making companies
- Construction of two major cheese production companies
Experience:
- 1957-1960 : Dairy farmer
- 1960 – 1985: Laboratory worker/production manager/assistant director at the Schoonerword cheese factory
- 1985 – 1990: General manager of two production units of Leerdammer Cheese, growth of Leerdammer Cheese
- 1990-2005: General Manager DOC cheese factory. During this time, responsible for building a new factory with a capacity of 130 million kilos per year
- 2006 – 2012 Dozens of international missions: small diary factories in Asia, Africa, Europe
- 2012-2015 Management of construction of a cheese factory in Heerenveen with a capacity of 130 million kilos per year
Gerhard Hup – Project Development Manager
Gerhard Hup (1940) is the mastermind behind world-famous cheese brands such as Old Amsterdam and Slankie 20+ and has impressive experience in R&D and product development.