Meet Mesude, Lead Operator Fill & Pack at Yakult Factory

I was recently promoted from the position of all-round operator to my new position of lead operator. I started at Yakult as an operator. In this position I learned how to work in the filling and packing department. Then, after a number of years, I grew to become an all-round operator. As an all-round operator you can work independently with all machines in the filling and packing department and you have knowledge of identifying and solving malfunctions.

In addition to my work as an all-round operator, I have been given the responsibility at Yakult to guide new colleagues at their start. This is an incredibly fun task, in which you will receive a lot of appreciation from your new colleagues.

And now I work as lead operator. I monitor the work process of production, filling and packaging. This is a position with a lot of responsibility, where you and your team are responsible for your own production line. I have to ensure safety, quality and effectiveness. Supporting and motivating the team and achieving our goal together gives me a lot of energy and makes me a satisfied team member. In this new position I will continue to develop in the coming years, you never stop learning at Yakult!

I have been working at Yakult for 25 years now, because I enjoy it every day. The work is never boring or standard, it requires commitment and motivation every day, which in turn contributes to job satisfaction. In addition, you learn something new every day in the work process, which you take with you to the next working day.

Yakult gives a lot of space for personal development and initiative. This allows you to make a difference and contribute to the quality of production. It is special that the Yakult product is produced from start to finish in the factory in Almere. We naturally have fixed working methods and protocols for the production process, but these have been created and are improved through input from our own employees. This applies not only to the standard production process, but also to unexpected bumps that you occasionally have to solve. Self-reflection and continuous improvement have contributed to where we are now.

What your day looks like depends on your shift.

During the morning shift we have the task of first preparing the machines for start-up, so that we can start working immediately. We briefly go through the production list, which line must produce which quantity for which country. In addition, we look at the staffing of the team that is required, and during the day we monitor the quality and quantity of production. We take regular breaks in between so that you have time for a coffee break and lunch break. When changing from the morning shift to the evening shift, we pass on all the information to the next team.

During the evening shift we have a brief consultation with the morning shift about the malfunctions that have occurred and the amount of production that still needs to be run. We look at the staffing we have available and discuss details. Once the planned production quantities have been made, the cleaning process of the machines that have been running starts. This process is important because after cleaning, the sterilization process starts with steaming. After steaming, all machines are closed so that they are ready for the next morning.