How do you ensure continuity when production processes are being scaled up and the demand for technical capacity is growing, whilst the labour market is facing a shortage of qualified professionals? This is a structural challenge facing Dutch industry. The deployment of South African fitters and engineers has proved to be a highly suitable solution. A fine example is our colleague Nashlin, who, as a South African maintenance fitter, makes a valuable contribution to EKK Eagle Simrax.
EKK Eagle Simrax
At EKK Eagle Simrax in Kerkrade, a leading manufacturer of high-quality sealing solutions and precision components for sectors including the automotive and industrial sectors, a staff shortage arose due to a change in production planning. The company switched from day shifts and a three-shift rota to a full five-shift system. This expansion led to a significant need for additional technical capacity.
South Africa as a solution to labour shortages
Together with EKK, we opted for a forward-looking approach, focusing not only on meeting immediate staffing needs, but above all on sustainably securing capacity, flexibility and expertise within the organisation. In this context, Nashlin, a South African maintenance engineer with extensive practical experience and technical skills that align with the Dutch industry, has been successfully deployed. With his expertise in the maintenance of industrial installations, combined with the precision work essential for the production of seals for the automotive industry, amongst others, he is a good fit for EKK.
Sustainable growth
Through our collaboration with our partner CareerScout in Cape Town, we have a local network with access to a large pool of well-educated South African professionals who possess broad technical skills and the motivation to settle in the Netherlands on a long-term basis. Nashlin also stands out for his strong work ethic, reliability and independence. The language barrier proved to be minimal, partly due to the similarity between Afrikaans and Dutch. The collaboration is therefore viewed very positively.
Careful onboarding
Success lies in a careful and comprehensive process. Following his arrival in the Netherlands, a conscious decision was made to implement a careful, phased onboarding process. Nashlin was first able to settle into our company, whilst at the same time we worked towards a permanent placement. Since February 2026, Nashlin has been working within the maintenance team of our client EKK on a secondment basis, now operating on a five-shift rota.
Adapting your staffing levels to changing needs – we’ll take care of it
This case study underlines what People Solutions stands for: not just supplying people, but delivering solutions that work. Through mutual trust and close coordination, a solution has been achieved that goes beyond a temporary fix. Operations are now secure, the team has been strengthened, and EKK looks back with satisfaction on a step taken together.
Are you also curious to find out how South African professionals can strengthen your organisation? We’d be happy to discuss this with you.
