There’s a Dutch expression that says ‘stilstaan is achteruitgaan’, or: standing still is going backwards. It’s a saying that defines the entrepreneurial spirit of Dimitri and David Hemelings perfectly. These two cousins run window manufacturers Hemmar (PVC) and Aluneo (aluminium) together. Automation, digitization and specially developed software have always had a prominent place in their business strategy. “Our focus has been on the automation of our production processes right from the very start”, says Dimitri, who is the PVC expert of the two. “We continuously invested in state-of-the-art machinery. Even today we continue to focus on innovation. Automation is synonymous with efficiency. Without investing in fully automatic lines, it’s impossible to be competitive.”