Get to know us: Mike de Jong
After eight years, Mike has become a familiar face at Fabrique Invent. He started almost immediately after completing his IPO studies and has since become a senior design engineer. We look back on the past eight years and Mike as a person.
How did you end up at Fabrique Invent?
I was introduced to Fabrique Invent through Niels about eight years ago. Niels and I started studying motion technology at the same time, which is where we met. After completing this program, we enrolled in an accelerated IPO program. This transitional curriculum wasn’t available at the time, and we were among the few students who wanted to pursue IPO. That created a bond. When we both completed the IPO program, Niels started his first job as a designer at Fabrique Invent. I then started working as a mechanical engineer at a company in Woerden. I quickly realized this wasn’t the place for me, but at the time, jobs weren’t easy to come by. Then Niels asked me if I wanted to apply for a job at Fabrique Invent. I then had an interview with former owner Theo, and that’s how I got my job at Fabrique Invent.
I was introduced to Fabrique Invent through Niels about eight years ago. Niels and I started studying motion technology at the same time, which is where we met. After completing this program, we enrolled in an accelerated IPO program. This transitional curriculum wasn’t available at the time, and we were among the few students who wanted to pursue IPO. That created a bond. When we both completed the IPO program, Niels started his first job as a designer at Fabrique Invent. I then started working as a mechanical engineer at a company in Woerden. I quickly realized this wasn’t the place for me, but at the time, jobs weren’t easy to come by. Then Niels asked me if I wanted to apply for a job at Fabrique Invent. I then had an interview with former owner Theo, and that’s how I got my job at Fabrique Invent.
What is the main reason you are still working at Fabrique Invent after 8 years?
So… Good question. I think it’s the people. A lot has changed in the past eight years: colleagues come and go, Fabrique Public Design, which closed three years ago, and Niels, who has now taken over Invent. Besides that, I really enjoy developing concepts. I also like the way of working at a design agency: the diversity of products, the need for broad knowledge of product development, and a strong imagination for how other people will interact with your designs, which can be very different in every sector. As a designer, I prefer this to working on a single product. I think you’re too focused on one thing. At Fabrique Invent, I also have the freedom to work completely independently, which I appreciate. Have you ever made a work blunder? Yes, at my old job. I worked in a drawing office. I drew products, and then they were welded together in the workshop. I had to design a container, which would be fastened together with nuts and bolts. When the entire container, based on my drawings, was welded together downstairs, it turned out I hadn’t corrected the hole pattern on all sides, so they weren’t aligned properly. So they called upstairs and asked, “Who made this thing? And can they come down?” That was a blunder. It did mean I double-check a lot of things.
So… Good question. I think it’s the people. A lot has changed in the past eight years: colleagues come and go, Fabrique Public Design, which closed three years ago, and Niels, who has now taken over Invent. Besides that, I really enjoy developing concepts. I also like the way of working at a design agency: the diversity of products, the need for broad knowledge of product development, and a strong imagination for how other people will interact with your designs, which can be very different in every sector. As a designer, I prefer this to working on a single product. I think you’re too focused on one thing. At Fabrique Invent, I also have the freedom to work completely independently, which I appreciate. Have you ever made a work blunder? Yes, at my old job. I worked in a drawing office. I drew products, and then they were welded together in the workshop. I had to design a container, which would be fastened together with nuts and bolts. When the entire container, based on my drawings, was welded together downstairs, it turned out I hadn’t corrected the hole pattern on all sides, so they weren’t aligned properly. So they called upstairs and asked, “Who made this thing? And can they come down?” That was a blunder. It did mean I double-check a lot of things.
What changes or innovations in the field are you most excited about?
In that sense, we’re quite isolated in our own world. We occasionally attend a trade show, but even there, I haven’t seen anything particularly innovative lately. As a design agency, it also depends heavily on our clients, of course. In that respect, we’re in a fairly conservative corner, primarily focusing on structural products. We’ve positioned ourselves in aluminum design, and our clients are responding to that. Among the developments within Fabrique Invent, I particularly appreciate the closer collaboration with Martijn (QoCreators) and the production is fun. This is really something of the past few years. I really enjoy the collaboration with the client, Martijn, and us as designers, and it’s a great way to work.
In that sense, we’re quite isolated in our own world. We occasionally attend a trade show, but even there, I haven’t seen anything particularly innovative lately. As a design agency, it also depends heavily on our clients, of course. In that respect, we’re in a fairly conservative corner, primarily focusing on structural products. We’ve positioned ourselves in aluminum design, and our clients are responding to that. Among the developments within Fabrique Invent, I particularly appreciate the closer collaboration with Martijn (QoCreators) and the production is fun. This is really something of the past few years. I really enjoy the collaboration with the client, Martijn, and us as designers, and it’s a great way to work.
What do you complain about most?
I can occasionally complain about the communication-related issues. I really appreciate it when our customers are interested. In that respect, I’m a very strong team player; it motivates me. If everyone does their part well in the process, we can create truly great things together. If things don’t run smoothly, I can occasionally complain about that. What work-related skill would you still like to learn?
Coincidentally, Niels and I were just today looking at software for creating flow simulations. This allows you to calculate, for example, the heat distribution within a product or profile. I often work on LED fixtures, where you have to consider the amount of heat released and how to distribute it during the design phase. There’s a lot to be gained in this area, and I’d like to delve into that. I’m also excited that we’re hiring some new people and learning new things about it. How can I get the best out of these people and how can I grow from them? Finally, I’d also like to delve deeper into structural engineering itself. I believe that if you want to be a good designer, you simply have to be able to do it. It’s a highly underestimated skill for designers. You can’t make a part without considering how it might fail. I’d like to delve into even more complex material to improve my ability to assess situations and the associated force dynamics. What is something you would still like to do once in your life?
What a broad question. So many things. I’d love to go to Australia someday, so I’d have visited every continent (except Antarctica) in my life. I think that’s a great goal. My girlfriend is from Spain, and our ultimate dream would be to have a house in the Netherlands and one in Spain, thus combining our lives in these two countries. Right now, I’m also very focused on financial independence. I didn’t learn this at all from my childhood, and I think it’s a great goal to work towards. I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but at least I can pass this knowledge on to my children.
I can occasionally complain about the communication-related issues. I really appreciate it when our customers are interested. In that respect, I’m a very strong team player; it motivates me. If everyone does their part well in the process, we can create truly great things together. If things don’t run smoothly, I can occasionally complain about that. What work-related skill would you still like to learn?
Coincidentally, Niels and I were just today looking at software for creating flow simulations. This allows you to calculate, for example, the heat distribution within a product or profile. I often work on LED fixtures, where you have to consider the amount of heat released and how to distribute it during the design phase. There’s a lot to be gained in this area, and I’d like to delve into that. I’m also excited that we’re hiring some new people and learning new things about it. How can I get the best out of these people and how can I grow from them? Finally, I’d also like to delve deeper into structural engineering itself. I believe that if you want to be a good designer, you simply have to be able to do it. It’s a highly underestimated skill for designers. You can’t make a part without considering how it might fail. I’d like to delve into even more complex material to improve my ability to assess situations and the associated force dynamics. What is something you would still like to do once in your life?
What a broad question. So many things. I’d love to go to Australia someday, so I’d have visited every continent (except Antarctica) in my life. I think that’s a great goal. My girlfriend is from Spain, and our ultimate dream would be to have a house in the Netherlands and one in Spain, thus combining our lives in these two countries. Right now, I’m also very focused on financial independence. I didn’t learn this at all from my childhood, and I think it’s a great goal to work towards. I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but at least I can pass this knowledge on to my children.
Fabrique Invent & Boal Extrusion
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As an alumni, Els was a guest at Saxion University of Applied Sciences to talk about our agency.