Project leader Jo Derie ended third in the contest for the Creativity Award 2009 during the Dutch Day of Ideas (Nationale IdeeënDag) on 19 November. Jo Derie is a project leader at the Belgian branch of Strukton Rail in Merelbeke. He ended third with a software package that he devised for a track measurement method. He developed and wrote software for the analysis and management of measuring data.
The annual Creativity Price is an initiative of the Dutch Ideas Centre (Ideeëncentrum). The award is meant to compliment the winners upon their idea. The Ideas Centre aims to call for attention to the benefit and necessity of ideas and to the value of good possibilities for staff members to make their ideas known. Hundreds of ideas are submitted every year by staff members of companies that are members of the Ideas Centre.
Jo Derie’s idea was one of the six ideas nominated for the Creativity Award 2009. The Groningen Water Company ended first with an idea for the reuse of rinse water. Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.V. in Tilburg ended second with an energy-saving idea for air treatment. The six nominated ideas only are already worth savings running into six figures..
Jo Derie developed software for the analysis and management of measuring data. It is a kind of software tool box, a flexible instrument that can continuously be adjusted to user demands. The software is already being used by Strukton Rail in Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. The Swedish colleagues are also enthusiastic.
Strukton Rail introduced the Strukton Rail Ideas Management (SIM) in 2000. SIM encourages all staff members within Strukton Rail to show their creativity in finding problem solutions, proposals for improvement, new products and services, or just bright ideas. Ideas that are submitted to SIM are judged on their value for the company: net revenues in terms of money, improved working conditions, improved quality, but also positive effects for the environment and the image of the company. Staff members who submit a good or original idea receive an award in return. Jo Derie received an award of EUR 11,500 for his idea.