Smarter together, stronger together

An experience that brings people together 
Najmo has been working at APK Group since 2022 and knows the ins and outs of the shipyard inside out. Nour joined in 2024 and brings with her a strong organisational and administrative profile. Since October, they have been working closely together on the same project. Although their roles differ, they complement each other perfectly. While Najmo is mainly present outside the office, Nour takes care of coordination and follow-up from the office and helps out where necessary. “We really work hand in hand,” says Najmo. “If there are any questions, we help each other straight away. And if one of us is needed elsewhere, the other takes over.”  

This mutual support is crucial on a construction site where unexpected situations can arise every day. “If I have to go to another site, Nour stays here,” says Najmo. “And when he’s away, I’m here from morning till night. We never let go of the project.” Even in the event of illness or holidays, they ensure that continuity is guaranteed. This allows work to continue — without one person having to bear all the pressure. 

Although they work closely together, they each have their own strengths. Najmo enjoys being outdoors among people and machines, while Nour excels at planning, administration and figures. ‘I always call him the Excel master,’ laughs Najmo. ‘He can do absolutely anything.’ Conversely, Nour has a lot of respect for the work on the construction site. “Construction management isn't easy,” he says. “There's always pressure: planning, technology, residents, complaints. You have to constantly find solutions and keep everyone happy.” This combination of office and implementation ensures that decisions are made quickly and thoughtfully. 

Learning from each other, every day 
Since they started working together, they have also learned a lot from each other in terms of content. Najmo learned about administrative follow-up, budgets and reporting, while Nour further expanded his technical knowledge on the construction site. “If I have questions at the office, I can always go to him,” says Najmo. 
“And outside, I learn from him how we practically solve problems,” Nour adds. “For example, how we carry out certain tasks or tackle obstacles.” 

Taking responsibility together 
Working in public spaces also means taking residents and local authorities into account. Avoiding complaints is essential to ensuring that projects run smoothly. “We speak to local residents every day,” explains Nour. “If there are any problems, we have to resolve them immediately. Otherwise, a project could be shut down.” Thanks to their excellent cooperation, that has never happened. ‘The work is progressing,’ he says. ‘That's the most important thing.’ 

Teamwork above all else 
Of the core values of APK Group — respect, cooperation, customer focus, results orientation and team orientation — one clearly stands out for them. ‘Teamwork,’ says Najmo without hesitation. ‘When everyone works together, everything moves forward. But if one person doesn't participate, it can slow down the entire project.’ That is why they attach great importance to a good atmosphere and care for the team, even in difficult circumstances such as bad weather or high work pressure. Their collaboration is characterised by calmness, mutual respect and reliability. No big words, just doing what is necessary for the project and for each other. And that is precisely what characterises working at APK Group: taking responsibility together, strengthening each other and building results you can be proud of. 

If the collaboration is good, you will enjoy coming to work twice as much.

Nico Vleugels has been working as a crane operator in the road construction sector for 22 years. For the past six years, he has been doing so with a smile for APK Group. His colleague Thijs Soors has also been working at APK Wegenbouw for six years, as a surveyor and draughtsman.  

How do Thijs and Nico work together? Thijs and I actually communicate about the yard plans via our GPS system in the crane., says Nico. Thijs adds: “I work mostly with our site managers and operators. If they have a problem with the crane on site, I can monitor it remotely thanks to our GPS-controlled systems. I can take over the screen and provide support from the office.”  

Thijs clearly enjoys this supportive role for his drivers and talks passionately about their innovative collaboration. How does Nico experience their collaboration? “It's fantastic, isn't it! When we call, we always have a laugh and joke around, but above all we make sure that everyone is helped very quickly.” Both the drivers and Thijs realise the value of their strong interaction. Thijs provides useful plans, which makes the drivers' work easier. Conversely, the drivers provide Thijs with sufficiently accurate measurements and the necessary descriptions, enabling him to draw up good plans. 

What does collaboration as an APK engineer mean to Nico personally? “Ultimately, we all come to earn a living. So if the team spirit is good, the day goes well and you enjoy coming to work.” 

Growing together by strengthening each other

At APK J. Daniëls, it is never about one person. Strong projects arise when colleagues complement, seek out and trust each other. You see this every day with Myrthe (environmental coordinator) and Dimitri (work manager). Two different roles, one shared mission: to ensure that projects run smoothly for residents, clients and colleagues. When Myrthe started six months ago, she entered a world full of new terms and techniques. ‘The more projects I get, the more fun it becomes,’ she says. ‘You learn something new every day. Because we work so closely together, I am gaining a better understanding of what is needed for the environment and for the team.’ Dimitri has been working at APK J. Daniëls since 2022 and built the new PILS workflow from scratch. ‘We built a lot from scratch,’ he says. ‘That means you depend on each other. And that's where trust comes from.’ 

Collaboration that feels natural 

The PILS projects bring together technology, the environment, engineering, planning, and implementation. The works have a significant impact on the environment: roads are dug up, local residents have questions, and APK inspectors follow strict schedules. That is why Myrthe and Dimitri schedule regular meetings. ‘Sometimes you need that mandatory moment,’ says Myrthe. ‘Sitting down together, putting everything on the table, and everyone knows where we stand again.’ And when things get tense? ‘Difficult situations are tackled together,’ says Dimitri. ‘No one has to do it alone.’ 

PILS' activities are growing rapidly: more projects, more customers, more interests. This calls for new habits and even tighter coordination. ‘We already have five to ten independent projects,’ says Dimitri. ‘Many customers, many interests. So it's nice to have someone who thinks along with you and grows with you.’ 

Why does their collaboration work? 
They click. They communicate openly, take each other's worlds into account and take joint responsibility for the whole. Or as Dimitri puts it: ‘We really can't do without each other anymore. The environment and the technical aspects are closely intertwined. We really do this together.’ What is striking is how natural their collaboration feels. No complicated lines of communication, but short lines, trust and humour. This makes projects run more smoothly and allows everyone to grow.  That is precisely what APK Group stands for: finding your way together and continuing to find it. 

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