Dennis Yang – Project Manager – VDL Steelweld Suzhou

A colleague of Dennis' had been working for VDL in Suzhou for several years when Dennis made the switch to VDL Steelweld. He heard so many good stories from this colleague that he decided to apply a few months later. At that time it was still a small office with only a few employees, including four colleagues from the Netherlands. Dennis immediately felt at home with his new team.

How did you like the transition to a Dutch company?

"From my former colleague I already heard that VDL is a very nice company to work for. I noticed that right away. From the first moment it felt like a family and the atmosphere is very friendly. We take on challenges together, we look for solutions together and everyone feels responsible. That makes us learn a lot from each other but we also debate a lot with each other. So we share in the challenges but also in the successes. Together with our coworkers and the client we achieve the ultimate goal.

What are the development opportunities within VDL Steelweld?

"I have been working for VDL Steelweld in Suzhou for almost four years now and we have grown rapidly. Despite this rapid growth, the atmosphere remains very good. We learn a lot from each other and from VDL Steelweld's past experience. Over the past four years I have grown in my role as project manager and I am still learning every day. If I don't know the answer, I can always ask my colleagues within VDL Steelweld for help. There is always someone who wants to help, and if they can't help directly, they will find the right colleague. I really want to improve myself in theoretical skills and in soft skills. I would also really like to get an opportunity to explore other VDL Groep companies and in other countries."

Do the different VDL Steelweld companies work together frequently/often?

"With all the locations we are really one group of companies. We have a lot of contact and everyone is proud to be part of it. When I visit customers or suppliers, you also notice that they really appreciate VDL Steelweld's background. VDL Steelweld has a lot of experience and worldwide contacts. In fact, we can support you in everything. No question or restriction from a customer is too crazy. We can meet even the strictest standards. That makes it challenging.

What was the most impressive project you worked on?

“We got the opportunity to work on a very impressive and technologically complex project for a complete car body. It was a global collaboration within all continents. That made it very interesting to cooperate on this project. The timeline was tight and the standards were high. So more complex in less time. There was never a thought to give up. Right from the start we all put our shoulders under it and made it work.”