Tesla would have landed in the northern Netherlands just before NOM's 50th anniversary. Such an acquisition would have radically changed the near future of the Northern Netherlands, because there would hardly have been any discussion about Groningen Airport Eelde afterwards, for example.
At the suggestion about Eelde, opinions diverge considerably for a while. Arie van der Hek, former member of the airport's Supervisory Board: ,,The question is whether Eelde is an essential part of the infrastructure of the Northern Netherlands. Whether it really contributes to the development of the Northern Netherlands.''
Siem Jansen and Frits Migchelbrink are unanimous: ''Eelde is contributing.'' After which Jansen explains: ,,A number of companies have come to the Northern Netherlands, where the big boss of those companies has stated that there should be an airport nearby.'' Van der Hek waved it away: ''Oh well. I've never seen an analysis showing that the economic impact exceeds the negative result of the airport.''
Put the money into that bridge over the Ems and into a good connection with Airport Bremen. Then you will have things much better organized.''
Arie van het HEK
Then Dina Boonstra turns fierce: "Really. The last big acquisition, Shine of the isotopes coming to Veendam, well, those isotopes have to go all over the world. The presence of Eelde was an issue in a positive sense.'' Van der Hek is not convinced: ''Put the money into that bridge over the Ems and into a good connection with Airport Bremen. Then you will have things much better organized.''
Frits Migchelbrink wants to say something: ,,You always keep talking about infrastructure here, the usefulness of infra is always presented too small, while the effects are gigantic. With the arrival of a factory for a few thousand people, it gets built automatically and then it is suddenly next. But infrastructure should always be leading.''
Acquisitions include disappointed provinces
Acquisitions are moments when NOM comes full circle. They are high points, but in the past they often produced lopsided faces even in the two provinces that have passed. After all, it is difficult to please everyone.
Ruud Bouwman asks: ''In an acquisition, the entrepreneur decides where he or she wants to go, right?'' To which Siem Jansen says: ''It's always about the specifications of a company. A number of things are demanded. I said to directors: you know the emphases that matter. Get them in order. Right now, for example, it's about labor.''
Emmen seriously in the picture with Tesla
Emmen was very seriously in Tesla's sights, while Eemshaven was also high profile. The labor market was the deciding factor in favor of Germany. The TopDutch campaign played a big role. Siem Jansen: ,,That helped us a lot. We finally stood up for ourselves; it was about time we were biting instead of barking.''
Nevertheless, Siem Jansen confesses that he never had the illusion ("others did, mind you") that Tesla would come to the Northern Netherlands. The size and manpower were too big, according to him. ''But it did provide a slipstream of things that are much more interesting and relevant,'' he believes. ''Tesla is just manufacturing. We've been focusing more on niches since then.''
Jansen then mentions the Wetsus research institute that has led to all kinds of water-related businesses in Friesland. ''The production capacity has increased enormously and especially in the production of stainless steel,'' he knows. Jansen has already suggested to the Frisian deputy that there is a deputy of agriculture but that it is also time for a deputy of stainless steel.
I once predicted the "Golden Age" for the Northern Netherlands. Now I foresee the 'Golden Neighborhood,' Northern Netherlands becoming the ideal place to live
frits migchelbrink
Once Frits Migchelbrink predicted the "Golden Age" for the Northern Netherlands. Now he foresees the "Golden Neighborhood," Northern Netherlands becoming the ideal place to live. You may not need NOM for that, he argues, but NOM could direct a new focus on welfare, for example.
He does caution that this development must be driven independently: "We follow too much national logic reasoning here. Take housing construction. We are building on small plots here, while there is plenty of space. We also have a good base here to improve healthcare. NOM will have to make a move, just as it has gone from a conducting to a networking organization.''
Bouwman is less optimistic. ''People don't move to Amsterdam because it's nice to live there,'' he notes. ''It's about the knowledge, the people and the companies there. And I wonder if those companies want to come to the northern Netherlands. You have to start from the strengths here. And those are space, recreation, active entrepreneurs.''
One does not go to Amsterdam because it is pleasant to live there. It is about the knowledge, the people and the companies there.
ruud bouwman
The agricultural sector and biodiversity score high with Arie van der Hek: ,,Cooperatives of Avebe and Friesland Campina have to make a huge effort to meet the requirements for biodiversity. The NOM could help finance that. What do the provincial shareholders think about that? Interesting, because the provinces have a task in the transition of agriculture and animal husbandry.''
Siem Jansen does agree with Van der Hek's story. The Northern Netherlands is protein and carbohydrates, it just wasn't called that because we called it milk, butter, cheese and eggs, he says. ''Proteins and carbohydrates are the metaphors of the future,'' he echoes.
Proteins and carbohydrates are the metaphors of the future
siem jansen
It's about healthy food, but also biopolymers and circularity. ,,I hope to live to see the next agricultural revolution, a grain revolution, in twenty years. I am convinced that that will happen from the Northern Netherlands.''
Today's high-tech is tomorrow's mid-tech
dina boonstra
Dina Boonstra has high hopes for energy developments. The University of the North - "actually a partnership" - is going to help with that. Knowledge of electrons and molecules is driving new developments. She tells of a Frisian entrepreneur who sees Friesland as a mid-tech province. ,,He said: all that high-tech, whatever. I told him that today's high-tech is tomorrow's mid-tech. With all those big programs like Fascinating, Smart Industry, Chemport Europe, AI Hub you make our region a lot smarter. It's much more about the smaller companies.''
NOM's incumbent director closed with an example of how change brings new horizons. It concerns Nedmag, in which NOM has participated for decades. That makes refractory products from magnesium salt. ,,I wanted to have a discussion about our role as a shareholder and it soon became clear that we are badly needed,'' Boonstra explains. ''In my opinion, Nedmag could make more value-added products in the health and food sector with less salt.''
Major role nedmag in transitions
But to make that turn, the other shareholder has to go along too. That will only happen if NOM stays on. Boonstra: ,,Nedmag's products can play a role in farmers' nitrogen problems. That is currently being investigated.
Nedmag could even play a major role in transitions. And that's why we have to invest more riskily on the earning capacity of say twenty years from now.''
This article is part of a series of articles following a meeting between former NOM directors and current director Dina Boonstra. They look back on 50 years of NOM and philosophize about the future.