PAN OSTON WINS NEXT ICON 2024 AWARD!

It is our great honour to have been awarded the Novel-T Next Icon award for 2024! As a market leader in checkout systems, Pan Oston BV is committed to technological advances and a greener future. It is great to see our efforts recognised with the Next Icon award; this strengthens our conviction that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand in the quest for a more sustainable world. An interview with our innovation manager Corné van Braak appeared in Next Icon 2024 Magazine as part of the Next Icon award.

Whether you put your groceries on a belted checkout or prefer to scan your items yourself at the self-checkout, chances are your products have passed over a checkout solution from Pan Oston at some point. This manufacturing company has been producing these solutions for 55 years. Innovation manager Corné van Braak explains what innovation and sustainability mean to them.

You produce belted checkouts, self-service checkout solutions and kiosk solutions. How innovative are you in this field?

Corné: "We have an extensive portfolio of solutions we can customise for the customer. We also develop fully tailor-made solutions for customers who want something different. But we also develop proactively. For instance, 17 years ago, we developed a modular structure for belted checkouts and ten years ago, we started a family line in which self-service solutions are an important part. This is very much current, and installations are starting across Europe. We have our own R&D department. We continue to develop existing products, but we also allocate time to develop and test new things, such as an unmanned shop or a smart vending solution. Some of our R&D people also dedicate at least 10% of their time to research. Whether that is desk research or visiting a conference is irrelevant in this respect. By structurally gathering new insights, we determine our innovations and adjustments to our product portfolio. That's how we remain engaged in innovation."

" SOME OF OUR R&D PEOPLE ALSO DEDICATE AT LEAST 10% OF THEIR TIME TO RESEARCH."

Consumers are experiencing many changes now, such as the shift towards self-checkouts. What role do you play in that?

Corné: "We have a solution for every type of shop and, therefore, also want to facilitate this transition. You will find that some countries are further ahead than others, but we are able to share that knowledge because we operate in several countries. In doing so, we always keep the human aspect in mind. For many people struggling with loneliness, having a chat at the checkout is the only contact moment in a day, so that should be retained in any event. But we are also thinking about preserving that social aspect at self-checkouts, for instance, in the form of hosts or a realistic digital assistant. Another important aspect of this transition is sustainability. These days, for instance, something we already take into consideration in the design phase is what happens to the product when it reaches the end of its life cycle. Since last year, we have been very conscious of that sustainability aspect and are going beyond just installing solar panels on our roof."

"YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE PROACTIVE, THAT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN VISION, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT BETTING ON A SINGLE HORSE."

Do you see a pioneering role for Pan Oston in this?

Corné: "Absolutely. Not only do we want to be innovative in the products we make, but we also want those products to be sustainable. In the past year, we were able to set a clear vision for the future on that. We have expressed a certain ambition and said to each other: 'This is what we are going to do.' That is why a Sustainability Manager will start soon. We also desperately need one with the CSRD coming up, because these regulations are an big stick to get serious about sustainability."

It is indisputable that you are innovative. However, is it challenging to carve out time for innovation?

Corné: "On the one hand it is, because the day-to-day operation of helping customers also continues. We really are an organisation that likes to go the extra mile for our customers. If they have a problem today, we’ve already solved it yesterday. On the other hand, you also want to solve the problems that have not arisen yet and give them sufficient priority. That remains a challenge, but on the other hand, innovation is really in our DNA. That is how customers perceive us and how we are known in the market. Incidentally, that market itself can be very innovative but is also still traditional in many areas. So that means it is extra important to keep innovating and to show that you are good at it. For us, it is, therefore, essential to be solution-oriented, both for the problems that already exist and for the problems in the future. If you only move along, you are reactive. You have to show that you are proactive, that you have your own vision, and that you are not betting on a single horse. Experimentation is very important to us in this. Our innovative nature keeps us relevant."

Source: Novel-T Next Icons 2024 Magazine

Author: Vera Boertien

Photography: Shotmaniacs

About Novel-T

Novel-T is a non-profit organisation that challenges entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to start, innovate and grow. Novel-T is the spider in the web within Twente's innovation ecosystem and offers various programmes, 1-on-1 coaching, and inspiring events for startups, spin-offs, scale-ups and SMEs.