Customer experience in conversation with RVS-Finish

“Our way of working is in a real friendly way, openness and accessibility with a smile.”

February 2023

At ProCleanroom, we are proud of the products and services we offer – but we take even greater pride in our customer relationships. This series of blogs focusses on testimonials by customers from various sectors. What is important to entrepreneurs in these industries, and how to cleanroom solutions play a role in their business? On this occasion we have a conversation with Driek Brouwers (director) of RVS Finish and RVS Clean. A dialogue about the challenges for both companies, where it comes to stay ahead in the area of cleanroom purification and packaging.

Ever since 1980, treatment of metal surfaces has been a central thread within RVS-Finish. For Driek Brouwers it soon became clear, during the continuous search for optimal result, that post-treatment of products involves a lot more than simply blowing off shavings by use of (compressed) air. The entire team is constantly on the lookout for innovation and improvement of the current work methods and processes.

From just grinding to inclusive cleaning
Around 1980, RVS-Finish was but a small company, with a 2 man staff and a blasting cabin, but after that the growth accelerated for the Bergeijk based company. RVS-Finish employed more staff, obtained more space, more expertise, various blasting methods and performed certified measurements. Gradually, demands came for grinding products in advance. Extremely meticulous grinding makes it possible to also, for instance, hone surfaces in terms of roughness, for the food industry or polish them to high-gloss for the yacht building industry. Today, the grinding division of RVS-Finish involves more than 1,500m² with robots, among others, that quite meticulously perform the activities. As more and more High Tech companies, and thus specialism, arrive in the region, also the requirements and specifications set to surfaces, become more strict.

In addition to grinding, there was also a demand to deliver the products somewhat ‘cleaner’. In the early days, this was done by use of a dry cloth and dry-cleaning naphtha, but it soon became apparent that this would not suffice. It was decided to rinse the products with demi-water and to clean them in a small ultrasonic bath. Based on these initial steps, the expertise in the area of product-cleaning swiftly developed at RVS-Finish, which the subsidiary RVS-Clean arose from. At RVS-Clean, products are purified, assembled and packed for third parties, in accordance with the client’s wishes and specifications.

Short lines and trust
We ask Driek about the collaboration with ProCleanroom and why mainly our accessories and consumables department (web shop) have been of added value, over the last few years.

Driek explains: “There has been contact with ProCleanroom ever since 2015, and it has always been good. From the first moment, the lines have been short and there is specific support in terms of the wishes and demands of RVS-Finish and of RVS-Clean at a later stage. The personal contact with Niels (director of ProCleanroom) and the other colleagues, at a later stage, was always based on mutual respect and granting each other success”.

Driek reveals that RVS-Finish started their activities in a flow cabinet, after which they scaled up in terms of space and capacity. Initially, ProCleanroom provided RVS-Finish with advice and supplied the materials to build the cleanrooms. ProCleanroom also periodically takes care of the validation of the different cleanrooms and flow cabinets.

Regular supplier of cleanroom consumables
ProCleanroom is the regular supplier of RVS-Clean, for cleanroom consumables, such as cleanroom workwear, cleaning products (IPA, Cloths, Swabs etc..), as well as inspection equipment. Longer delivery periods and minimal stock at previous suppliers caused the lead times at RVC-Clean to get more and more under pressure. Also accessibility and advice quality from customer service sometimes didn’t equal the level required by RVS-Finish.

Driek explains: “Feeling comfortable with a supplier comes first, being able to trust each other and use short, accessible lines for deliveries and specific questions has been the decisive factor for RVS-Clean to assign all deliveries and issues regarding consumables and measurements to ProCleanroom”.

As a total supplier in the area of cleanroom-technology, at ProCleanroom, we ensure a complete assortment and comprehensible advice, based on our knowledge and experience. As a supplier of a total solution, we are the first point of contact for many of our relations, with respect to everything that has to do with cleanroom-products and technology.

The effect of ASML on the supply-chain.
For many years, RVS-Finish and RVS-Clean have been familiar with purifying and clean packaging of products. A lot has changed in this respect and mainly the purification requirements have gradually become stricter. We ask Driek to give an example how this was experienced at RVS-Clean and to indicate the difference with a number of years before. Driek: “Certainly there has been a lot of change over the last few years, due to the influence of ASML on the full supply-chain. The increased requirements have forced suppliers to execute the entire process using a cleaner process. Nowadays, 95% of the products cleaned, assembled and packed in our cleanroom will eventually go to ASML. RVS-Clean therefore performs the cleaning strictly in accordance with the standards (Grade 4 and Grade 2), set up by ASML, to ensure that purified products meet the strictest requirements”.

Driek expects a lot will change in the area of process control and regulations, over the next few years. An example of this is RGA’s (Residual gas-analyses) imposed by ASML. He believes that performing the RGA’s can be done more efficiently in the future, mainly by controlling the process as opposed to every individual action. Driek states that this however applies mainly to mechanical cleaning.

Future challenges
RVS-Finish and RVS-Clean wish to be able to deliver more work, but with the same number of staff. Due to the large demand and scarcity in the labour market, currently it is virtually impossible to scale up in terms of staff in the short term, as well as the long term, to subsequently shorten lead times. The strength of RVS-Clean thus is the high degree of efficiency within their work processes.

One of the challenges is the most efficient way of organising the process within the established regulations of end customers, such as ASML. As the demand for Cleanroom-activities (assembly, cleaning, packaging) keeps increasing, the lead times must be kept shorter, to be able to reduce costs. In this instance, not only does RVS-Clean look at optimisation of machines, but also, for instance, at the use of the correct cleaning products, to prevent being busy with one single action too long. This investment in staff know-how, by use of internal training and the use of the right products, will reflect in a short lead time of 3 working days on average and thus lower costs for customers.

Happy?
“Yes, certainly!” Driek says wholeheartedly. He considers himself an ambassador of ProCleanroom. “The quality, the advice and delivery reliability are decisive for our pleasant collaboration, while the last thing we consider is the price. We would therefore emphatically recommend collaborating with ProCleanroom..”

A satisfied customer: that is what we do it for. We like to build on the expertise of our customers. ProCleanroom: Build your expertise.

Curious about the products purchased by RVS Finish and RVS-Clean? View our wide range of cleanroom consumables and accessories in the webshop: Shop.procleanroom.com

Would you like to know more about the possibilities, cleanroom solutions for your company? Then contact us and let us inform you. Call 040 40 02 874 or email info@procleanroom.com.