Mister Van Wees Waalwijk

Jan Kroot started working as a 16-year-old machinist at Van Wees Waalwijk in 1967.
After 59 years, he is retiring at the age of 76.

On Thursday, September 24, 2026, Jan Kroot celebrated his farewell party in the Van Wees Waalwijk cafeteria. Colleagues, management, and family gathered to honor him. Owner-manager Andries van der Werf put it bluntly in his speech: “Without you, Van Wees Waalwijk would never have become what it is today.”

From Bench Worker to Jack-of-All-Trades

Jan started out as a machinist in 1967. He was 16 years old at the time. After that, he did just about everything there is to do at Van Wees Waalwijk. He worked the milling machine and the lathe. He helped out in the warehouse and went out on the road as a service technician. “You name it, I’ve done it,” says Jan.

For years, he worked full-time and put in long days. It never got boring. “I never got tired of it. There’s so much variety in the work. That’s always been the reason I’ve stayed.”

In 2017, Jan celebrated his 50th work anniversary and reached retirement age. He wasn’t ready to retire just yet. He stayed on for another nine years, simply because he enjoys his work so much.

Always smiling, always hard at work

Anyone who knows Jan has seen him smile. He is an energetic man with a positive outlook on life. For 59 years, he radiated that energy to his colleagues.

Jan is a hard worker who doesn’t complain. He tackles everything and actually enjoys just about anything. No job is beneath him. For years, he worked full-time and put in long days, giving it his all. Or as Andries put it in his speech, “59 years of hard work.”

Whenever something got stuck, his coworkers would call on Jan. He’s a whiz at solving practical problems. If he sees someone struggling, he says, “Step aside, I’ll take care of it.”

150 kilograms on one shoulder

At the party, Andries told a story from Jan’s early days. When he was 16, Jan hoisted a solid steel pipe weighing 150 kilos onto his shoulder. That’s how he carried it from one spot to another in the workshop. During the party, a similar pipe was sitting on a factory cart on the patio—for anyone who dared to try it…

Jan worked the same way with customers. For many of them, he was the face of Van Wees Waalwijk. He was always there for them and made sure things got resolved. According to Andries, that’s a key reason why those customers are still with the company today. “For these customers, Jan was truly ‘Mister Van Wees Waalwijk.’”

Andries has known Jan for a long time. “Jan had already been with the company for about 30 years when I took it over. To me, he is the living embodiment of the character and spirit of Van Wees Waalwijk.”

More time for Jannie and the grandchildren

After much deliberation, Jan has now decided to enjoy his well-deserved retirement. Andries also thanked his wife, Jannie. She supported Jan all those years, even when work sometimes took precedence. Together, they received flowers and a gift card to treat themselves to something special. Their children and grandchildren were also at the party, and they were visibly proud of their dad and grandpa.

Jan and Jannie are always welcome at Van Wees Waalwijk—whether it’s just a casual visit during the week or at the summer barbecue. Jan, thank you for 59 years. You’ve been a “Waarmaker” from the very beginning.