Dick Pijselman: it is all chemistry

摘要

@@Times have changed. Today, I dare to write Mr. Pijselman's first name. Twenty years ago he was the boss, THE BOSS of the Philips Glass Division, and with big bosses you rarely knew their first name. He hired me because he wanted to bring more chemistry into the ‘art of glass-production’ at the Philips glass factories. This was done in a highly empiric way. Experience and memory of best practice played a major role in the past. When he hired me he said, “Stevels, I believe that you are a good chemical engineer and scientist, but before I give you any responsibility in this organization I want you to work for a year in our factories first. You will have to learn the practicalities of production and what is even more important is that you have to get rid of the mindset of a researcher. You should become a much more practical guy.”