Online platforms are making Hitma more efficient. 'But for customers we continue to answer the phone'

Hitma 's instrumentation branch consists of three blood groups. The head office is in Uithoorn and there has traditionally been a branch in Antwerp. There are also the branches in Almere and Purmerend that were taken over years ago. Until a year ago, these still carried their old names MW Instruments and ATAL, but since January 1, 2024, they have all been called Hitma. Ronald Blewanus, who was appointed at the time, had the clean task of forging the instrumentation division into a single recognizable Hitma discipline while improving service. He has taken a year to prepare and now it is time to really take steps to make it one team with one vision and one strategy.

'My job is to figure out how to take this Hitma unit to market,' Blewanus says. 'I'm in the middle of that now. The plans have been forged, we are moving on to action.'

Knowledge is worth the most

Traditionally, the Hitma instrumentation team works in complex environments, such as hospitals and industry. They provide measurement solutions for their clients. 'They have their environment in order themselves, but they need help in a very specific area. For example, measuring differential pressure with a certain accuracy in an operating room or isolation room in a hospital. Or when measuring airflow in a particular process in a factory. We have the equipment for this, but above all the knowledge to apply those measuring instruments correctly. That application knowledge is worth the most, and that is also something that will remain. That sets us apart.

Data loggers and in-house laboratory

The Purmerend branch was originally ATAL. 'Among other things, they sold data loggers of their own brand ATAL there, and that brand continues to exist within Hitma,' says Blewanus. These are data loggers for temperature, air humidity and CO2, for example, that are used in daycare centers and in elderly care, where a healthy indoor climate is important. 'But they will also be hanging in the Arena, because they want to log the climate at concerts,' he continues.

Furthermore, Hitma has similar solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, where it is important that data is validated. The data from the sensors comes into an online solution developed by the company itself, and the reports can be viewed via PC or in the app.

'It is also important that in Purmerend, as in Almere, we have a laboratory for (re)calibration, adjustment and repair. The equipment comes back every year for that service.'

Handmeters

Finally, in Almere - the old MW Instruments - the staff specializes in hand-held meters and gas detection solutions for refrigeration systems and boiler rooms. They manage packages of measuring equipment for the installer. Examples include climate measurement systems and flue gas analysis meters. They also supply and maintain gas detection systems for large installers. For example, central heating installers have to comply with the Gas Boiler Act and so they have to take flue gas measurements. They use those meters several times a day. We supply them with certificates and they also come back annually for calibration.'

Service

"At the same time, I see a lot of operations everywhere, and we need to make strides in that. Bewanus points to the process of order processing and arranging recalls for calibration. That can be done more efficiently. 'That's why we are developing an online platform where customers can see the instruments they have under management with us, with the certificates and all the other information they need.

With such a portal, for example, customers themselves can smoothly choose a time slot when they can return the meters for calibration. This reduces the lead time for calibrations. 'Especially with hand meters and data loggers, this is of great importance,' Blewanus believes. 'That is a lot of work and this way we make it much easier for ourselves. We also keep more time to proactively support customers. Moreover, I believe that the new generation of customers wants insight and is very self-sufficient. We have to respond to that.'

In B2C, such a portal is the most normal thing in the world, he continues. "But the number of portals in B2B is very disappointing.

Insights and labels

So Hitma is investing in online platforms, not only the portal, but also the online platform with dashboard for reporting the data loggers. 'We are also going to make a move in the presentation of the measurement data. That should not just be flat data in graphs, but we are going to indicate predictively what is going on. We want to provide insight, with information that is readable not only for the technician but also for the director. For example, we're going to indicate what with the current indoor climate is the risk of infections. That's how we want to get further on board with end customers.'

Blewanus points out that labels are already being issued for a healthy indoor climate, at nurseries and in elderly care, for example. 'The client can use such a label that year to improve its competitive position. So we help with that.'