Michel Grootenboer, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Gouda Refractories B.V., shared valuable insights in an enlightening interview for the 7th edition of AL Circle’s LeaderSpeak 2025 e-magazine. He discussed Gouda's history, current state, and future prospects, as well as his views on the industry, drawing from over 30 years of experience. Here are some key highlights from the detailed interview.

AL Circle: From a leadership perspective, how are you aligning Gouda’s legacy with the brand’s global vision while ensuring continuity and innovation? How do you strike the right balance between tradition and transformation?

Michel Grootenboer: As explained, Gouda Refractories and Gouda Refractories Group as a whole, including our service companies, will continue to operate as an independent company within the One Shinagawa initiative. With the support of the larger Shinagawa organisation and its successful track record, Gouda Refractories will be able to build on its heritage and brand and serve its customers even better.

AL Circle: Automation often sparks discussions about workforce evolution. How is Gouda approaching talent development and upskilling in light of these technological advancements? What’s been your approach to balancing human expertise with robotic efficiency?

Michel Grootenboer: Robots can do a lot, never get sick and don’t need a vacation. But at the moment, the human eye is still the best tool for checking the outer surfaces of bricks. The human ear can hear if a brick has a consistent density by tapping on it, and human hands can feel whether the surface is smooth. That said, with the current state of technology combined with the stringent demands of our customers, the human factor cannot yet be ruled out.

Further robotisation in labour-intensive activities such as unloading and packaging is next on the agenda, but when series are smaller or the shapes of bricks are more complex, well-trained and educated humans are still required on the shop floor. The robots are the workhorses pulling the wagon, and the people, our colleagues, drive the wagon and tell them which way to go and how to get there. On the other hand, the bagging and packaging of castables at our plant in Geldermalsen has already been fully automated as a result of major investments.

AL Circle: The global aluminium industry is constantly evolving. How is Gouda positioning itself to stay ahead of material innovations, regulatory shifts, and customer expectations in this space? Anything you can share about what’s next for Gouda in 2025 and beyond?

Michel Grootenboer: Being based in Europe, and more specifically the Netherlands, Gouda Refractories is already used to coping with strict environmental regulations, often stricter than in other countries, for example Germany. While some see such regulations as a threat, Gouda Refractories has continued to see this as an opportunity, a chance to improve, to distinguish itself and to excel.

Although customers often look at the commercial aspect first, being innovative in an increasingly strict environmental climate does not necessarily come at a price, but offers much more, not only in the short term, but also during the extended life cycle of the refractory lining. And that is exactly where Gouda Refractories’ focus is: innovation for ultimate customer satisfaction.

To explore the full interview and gain deeper insights on the global aluminium market and how Gouda Refractory is contributing to its growth, click here.