Meet Nick
"Very cool to see your improved product in the stores."
Nick de Geus, junior product techologistHi! Please introduce yourself!
My name is Nick de Geus. I’m 23 years old and I’m a product technologist at Action. From my home town of Winkel, it is only a 25-minute drive to the headquarters in Zwaagdijk. I’ve been here for 2.5 years.
What is it you do as a Junior Product Technologist?
I am responsible for the quality and safety of products in the Sports, Household, Office and Hobby categories. Together with my colleagues, we check that products comply with European and country-specific legislation and investigate products that are frequently returned and broken. I also check whether a product can be made more sustainable. We do this, among other things, by looking at whether we can reduce the packaging material. We also pay attention to recyclability. For example, a recycling plant doesn’t detect black plastic, so it can’t be recycled. That’s why we don't process black plastic in our private label packaging.
Why did you join Action?
During my studies I worked for an event agency in Amsterdam. At one of the events I saw a presentation from Action’s Head of Quality & Sustainability. His presentation encouraged me to apply, even though it had little to do with my studies, as I was studying sports science at the time. It was a good choice, because at this point, I don't want to leave here.
What surprised you most about working at Action?
I didn't expect the Quality team to be so big. We work with 30 colleagues, divided into Regulatory, Sustainability and Quality. It’s an incredibly international team, with colleagues from Pakistan, India, Greece, Germany, the UK and even a colleague working from Hong Kong.
You’ll be given a lot of responsibility and freedom.
What's the best part of your job?
That I’m always busy. You’ll be given a lot of responsibility and freedom. Want to improve something? Then you can. What’s so great about my work is that Quality is never done; we’re always innovating. In addition, regulations also keep changing. So it’s important to invest in your knowledge development.
What achievements are you proud of?
It’s great to see your improved product in the stores. For example, we replaced a shower head in our range. It’s now packed in cardboard instead of plastic and by changing the handle, much less packaging material is needed now. More shower heads are now also fitting on a pallet, which can lower the price for the customer. Seeing the product become better quality, more sustainable and cheaper is a great achievement.
What's the atmosphere like?
The atmosphere is good. It’s a great team, and we can always come together. Everyone has their own expertise. It’s great, because you can consult with the expert in that field on some issues. For example, because dietary supplements in the sports category also interface with experts in the personal care and nutrition category.
Any tips for future colleagues?
Take the time to get used to the atmosphere. Ask questions and take in as much info as you can. That will help you a lot!