Emiel is part of the expert team within Quooker’s Research & Design department. But his desk chair is often empty. That’s because he frequently visits other departments or works on developments in the workshop. “I regularly stand on the production line to see how things are going. I ask the operators if they have any wishes or suggestions.” He noticed that it took 20 seconds to fold the cardboard inlay used to package the Flex tap. “I thought it was a shame that so much time was being lost. It would also become a bottleneck if we wanted to scale up production. So I designed a new inlay made of paper pulp that doesn’t need to be folded.” The development of the paper pulp tray involved quite a process: researching the material, designing and testing the tray, visiting the supplier in Austria, and coordinating with colleagues about usage, delivery, and storage. All of this is part of Emiel’s role as a packaging engineer.

One product, two packages The need for faster packaging is becoming more urgent as Quooker continues to grow. We need to produce and package more Quookers each day. Expansion into other countries—and even continents—means that we have to adapt our packaging. “A new EU law is coming that will encourage the use of sustainable materials, but for now each country still has its own regulations,” says Emiel. “And if we start transporting our products overseas—by air or by sea—we’ll need to adapt our packaging for that as well. So it’s possible that in the future, the same product in our range will have multiple types of packaging.”

Busy times Internationalization is keeping Emiel very busy at Quooker. In fact, there is now room for a second packaging engineer. “In many companies, packaging is an afterthought—like, oh yes, we still need to put something around it. At Quooker, the topic is getting more and more attention,” says Emiel. “Also in the minds of colleagues from other departments. That’s a good thing.”

The fact that he goes to work with a smile every day also has to do with his colleagues. “The atmosphere is simply very good. People are willing to help and eager to learn. If I need to leave early because something comes up with one of my young children, there’s understanding. It really makes me feel at home at Quooker.”

Published on 20-04-2026