PSC is Marcel Pennings, a seasoned Dutch professional with over 25 years of experience in servicing high-tech equipment for the semiconductor and solar industry.
After studying General Operational Technique at the University of Applied Science in Utrecht, The Netherlands, I worked for a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer in various roles, from field service engineer, customer support manager to worldwide service manager for the product group Plating. In 2010, I obtained a degree in Business Engineering from Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven.
25 years in the international semiconductor and solar industry included assignments and projects in different parts of the world, giving me the opportunity to collaborate and interact with professionals from diverse cultures and backgrounds, from Tokyo, Japan, via Richmond, USA, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Some professional highlights:
Gain customer trust: Upon joining the company, I found the relationship between company and key customers was strained, with little trust. When discussing new projects, the actual amount of work required often exceeded what was initially agreed upon, leading to increased workload for production and mutual stressful situations.
I initiated discussions with these key customers. An important aspect was to reassure the customers that if they were open and honest with us, we would be able to provide a fair delivery time. After a few months, trust was re-established, and there was a better understanding between the two parties. This resulted in stressless on-time delivery, and even in cases of rush jobs, we were able to assist them effectively.
Tackle complex process problems: A customer ordered a machine based on their own developed process. Products were transported through various chemical processes using a carrier belt. However, the belt was deteriorating much faster than expected – lasting only a few weeks instead of the usual six month lifetime.
The problem was complex, and I was appointed leader of a taskforce team, including the customer. We used the Ishikawa (8D report) to identify several possible causes for the issue and conducted tests to confirm the root cause. This determined that a process and machine upgrade was needed.
Since our engineering team was overloaded with work the service department decided to do it, to ensure the customer didn’t experience further delays. In three weeks we were able to engineer, install, and test the upgrade, which resulted in several repeat orders from the customer.
Turn a thread into an opportunity: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult to dispatch our team to the customer site for the installation and commissioning of new equipment. Although most customers were initially accommodating, eventually it became the norm to face such challenges.
This prompted us to think creatively and find alternative solutions to overcome the manpower issue. Through the use of locally hired personnel and remote support from our service team, we were able to successfully install and start up multiple machines, thereby fulfilling our obligations to our customers.