Aster has been a stable factor for years
Whether it’s meetings, TV programmes, theatre productions or large international conferences, Bourgonje provides top-tier sound, lighting, conference technology and video. Zoetermeer’s audiovisual artists must be able to rely on a professional ICT system to achieve this. “Aster functions almost as an internal department.”
It’s unlikely that Fred Bourgonje’s teachers would be surprised by the field he ended up in; after all, as a child, Fred was the handy kid who took care of the technology for school musicals. Lighting effects, sound quality – teachers were more than happy to leave the audiovisual side of the plays to the techie in the making.
A complete picture
It turned out to be a sign of things to come. Fred Bourgonje has now been the owner of Bourgonje BV for 36 years, the highly successful facilities company he founded, specialising in lighting, sound and video technology. As before, Fred doesn’t need to be in the spotlight himself; he prefers to work behind it – literally. In talk shows, theatre productions and conferences, Fred and his team ensure that everything behind the scenes is perfectly in place.
“It’s a fantastic profession because you’re always working with people who are passionate about their craft,” Fred says. “One day, you’re working on a lighthearted TV show, the next on a solemn gathering.” He laughs, “For me, Bourgonje is a hobby that got out of hand.”
Aster has been a stable factor for years
Bourgonje has seventy employees across four locations in Zoetermeer, Rotterdam, The Hague and Hilversum. Due to ongoing organisational and logistical challenges, ICT plays a crucial role in the company. “A lot depends on that,” Fred explains. “Planning, production, everything runs through our ICT system.”
No stranger
Until a few years ago, Bourgonje worked with a small, permanent team of ICT employees. But when someone was sick, it left us shorthanded, and Fred felt the risk was too high. During the move from the main location to Zoetermeer, Fred decided to completely redesign the ICT system. Aster built a new ICT system from scratch and Bourgonje entrusted the Alphen-based ICT company with the responsibility for ICT management and maintenance.
“Although they’re an external party, I never feel like there are strangers in the company,” Fred says. “Aster functions almost as an internal department.” For ICT-related questions or problems, Aster’s specialists are the first point of contact. “Let’s face it,” Fred says, “you never hear people say, ‘Wow, the ICT is working great today.’ You only hear about ICT when there are problems. And I rarely hear those. Aster has been a stable factor in our company for years.”