At the 1st of April 1985, Mr. Jan van der Zande, together with his wife, started his own Job Shop Company ZANTECH, in the heart of Holland. It was just a single punching machine operation in a garage. Now, 24 years later, the ZANTECH factory covers 10.000m2 (107,600 ft2), employs 25 people with 26 sophisticated machines including 14 lasercutting machines.
- Entering the market with laser
The first laser machine was a Mazak’s Turbo X 510 (1500 Watt) with a pallet changer in 1989, A few months later ZANTECH, ordered the 6 axes machine Laser Path 50100 3D FMS and started a profitable business in 3D parts cutting. It was very unique in Holland since there is no strong national automotive industry, which is normally the traditional market for 3D parts.
- Additional productivity = FMS
However, ZANTECH was even more ambitious by purchasing in 1991 a complete FMS with 2 Mazak Super Turbo 48 in line. “It was very successful and the output very impressive” said Mr. van der Zande.
- New concept developed by customer’s opinion. A few years later, ZANTECH wanted to buy another FMS with a sorting robot. After an extensive discussion with Mazak engineers, a new concept sheet metal sorting robot, was developed, the Opto-Path, which overcomes all limitations of comparable systems. It can automatically select varieties of cut workpieces and stack them individually on pallets. This is an unique fully automatic system, which is very versatile and easy to program.
- A new business with new Mazak product
During 1999 ZANTECH started the laser cutting of pipe. Just as in the case of the Opto-Path, ZANTECH and our Design Department had long discussions to establish the specifications of the Fabri Gear 300, the world’s first laser machine with 25- axes (11 simultaneous) and the ability to cut pipe and structural steel with a cross-section up to 267mm. They have been receiving so many orders, far more than they were expecting, that a plant was built to install up to 8 of these innovative machines.
- Mr. Bart van der Zande joins ZANTECH (son of Mr. Jan van der Zande)
In 1996 Mr. Van der Zande persuaded his eldest son to strengthen the ZANTECH team.
After 4 years of working on several places in the factory and at the office Bart little by little started to take over the business. In 2001 he bought his first Mazak Space Gear 510 4kw and after that many machines followed.
Unfortunately in 2003 Mr. Jan van der Zande died and Bart had to take over the company more rapid than expected.
Together with his mother they were successful in running ZANTECH
Bart bought 3 Mazak laser machines during his visit in Japan 2006.
2 machines for the FMS (1998) and a new Champ.
The FMS was refreshed with the latest technology and software and ready for another 10 years of production.
Mr. Jan Van der Zande
For Mr. Jan van der Zande as well as for Bart van der Zande the policy has always been to purchase the most advanced machines in order to escape from traditional severe competition and to maintain good profitability.
- Mazak Machinelist:
| LP50100 3D | 1989 |
| FG300 | 2000 |
| Space Gear 510 | 2001 |
| FMS- 2 HTX510 | 2007 |
| Champ | 2007 |