About
I am a multi-lingual sales and commercial leader with more than 20 years experience and…
Articles by Dick
-
Mitigating crude feedstock supply disruption in refining operations
Mitigating crude feedstock supply disruption in refining operations
It is just over one year ago that Kevin Clarke wrote our blog post “Changing Crude Diets Opens the Risk of Fouling in…
-
Protecting Uptime by Managing Assets
Protecting Uptime by Managing Assets
Managing aging assets in a cost-effective way is a big challenge today. It’s a constant juggle between the…
Activity
2K followers
-
Dick Van Voorst reposted thisDick Van Voorst reposted this“Debunking the AI Hype: What’s What and What Really Works in Heat Exchangers”. That is the title of the keynote that Hexxcell’s CEO, Dr Francesco Coletti, will present at the Heat Exchanger World Conference & Expo Americas 2026 in Baytown, Texas on October 6–7. With AI becoming ever more part of all aspects of our daily lives, and the industries that we work in, it is important to understand its real capabilities and how it can help us. Francesco and Hexxcell have have a strong track-record of developing industrial digital solutions for Heat Exchangers, focussed on hybrid-AI models for monitoring, optimization, and predictive maintenance of process and energy systems for almost 10 years. Please come and meet Francesco at the conference or contact Hexxcell to explore the topic further. https://lnkd.in/eZp-KZbr #heatexchangerworld #hybridai #heatexchangerai #debunkingtheaihype
-
Dick Van Voorst reposted thisDick Van Voorst reposted thisOn September 16-18 the Computer-Aided Process Engineering (CAPE) Forum will take place in Salamanca, Spain. Hexxcell are a proud sponsor and will be represented by Emilio Diaz Bejarano who is participating in a round table discussion, with companies including P&G, AstraZeneca, Meins, Michelin and Vertex, among others, to discuss the impact of Process System Engineering in the new challenges, including AI, in the Industrial Sector. To learn more about CAPE Forum 2026: https://lnkd.in/eBDVZJrR
-
Dick Van Voorst reposted thisDick Van Voorst reposted thisOn 28-29 October, Hexxcell will be taking part in the Asian Refining and Technology Conference (ARTC) in Singapore. If you are attending ARTC, we would love to understand how you manage the performance of heat transfer systems at your plants. Please come and meet us at stand C12. #ARTC #heattransfer #asianrefining #asianrefiningandtechnologyconference #industrialenergymanagement #meethexxcell
-
Dick Van Voorst shared thisDick Van Voorst shared thisFrequent shutdowns were costing a chemical operator tens of thousands of dollars per day. By using the Hexxcell Studio™ Hybrid-AI predictive analytics solution for thermal systems on their reactor quench exchanger, they were able to avoid shutdowns and unlock over $500,000 in annual savings through smarter heat exchanger cleaning strategies. Discover how @Hexxcell's solutions can help you to optimise the operations and maintenance of your plant by contacting us for an exploratory conversation. https://lnkd.in/dF72Te5R #ReactorOptimization #PredictiveMonitoring #PredictiveMaintenance #HybridAITechnology #heatexchangermaintenance #DigitalTwin #smarterheatexchangercleaning #hexcleaning #avoidunplannedshutdown
-
Dick Van Voorst shared thisDick Van Voorst shared thisThanks to our Hexxcell Studio™ Hybrid-AII Digital Twin solution for Heat Exchangers, one of our customers identified mismatched thermal and hydraulic performance in a welded plate exchanger after maintenance. This enabled proactive replacement, avoiding up to €2.5 million in production losses and the prevention of 2,000 tons of CO₂ emissions over five months. Contact us for a exploratory conversation how Hexxcell can help your organisation with advanced monitoring, predictive analytics and prescriptive maintenance of your heat exchangers. https://lnkd.in/dF72Te5R
-
Dick Van Voorst shared thisDick Van Voorst shared thisFouling in industrial thermal systems is a persistent challenge that affects operational efficiency and usually leads to increased fuel and maintenance costs, higher CO2 emissions and unplanned downtime. Multiple industries are impacted, from the oil & gas sector to (petro)chemical, pulp and paper, food and power generation plants. Recognising this challenge more than 10 years ago, Hexxcell created the Hexxcell Studio™ platform, designed to provide an AI powered Hybrid Digital Twin solution that enables plant personnel to predict, identify, prevent, and mitigate fouling problems as well as other issues in industrial thermal systems. To understand how Hexxcell can help your organisation address the challenges associated with heat exchangers, don’t hesitate to contact us for an exploratory conversation.
-
Dick Van Voorst shared thisCrude feedstock supply disruption is no longer a question if it will happen, but when it will happen next and how well prepared you are to mitigate the effects on your refinery. Because it isn’t just a supply chain change: it’s a technical challenge. How to help mitigate the impact on refining operations.Mitigating crude feedstock supply disruption in refining operationsMitigating crude feedstock supply disruption in refining operations
-
Dick Van Voorst shared thisHexxcell will be a partner of the Global ManuCHEM 2026 conference in Frankfurt on April 27-28. Learn how advanced monitoring and predictive maintenance of heat transfer systems in chemical manufacturing can reduce energy costs, lower ESG emissions, and reduce downtime.Dick Van Voorst shared thisThe Global ManuCHEM 2026 conference will take place in Frankfurt, Germany on 27-28 April. Francesco Coletti, Hexxcell CEO, will be presenting a Solution Study on Enabling Energy Efficient Chemical Manufacturing with Hybrid AI and Digital Twins, turning heat transfer data into actionable insights. We are looking forward to meeting you in Frankfurt! #DigitalTwin #ManuCHEM2026 #ChemicalManufacturing #HeatTransfer #HybridAI #GlobalManufacturingChemicals2026
Dick Van Voorst commented on a post
3w
All the best in the new challenge Martin!
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisI've written about this before, maybe even 10 years back now, but the problems still exist and this journey matters more now in the age of AI than ever before.From reactive to prescriptive: the technology was never the hard partFrom reactive to prescriptive: the technology was never the hard part
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked this“Debunking the AI Hype: What’s What and What Really Works in Heat Exchangers”. That is the title of the keynote that Hexxcell’s CEO, Dr Francesco Coletti, will present at the Heat Exchanger World Conference & Expo Americas 2026 in Baytown, Texas on October 6–7. With AI becoming ever more part of all aspects of our daily lives, and the industries that we work in, it is important to understand its real capabilities and how it can help us. Francesco and Hexxcell have have a strong track-record of developing industrial digital solutions for Heat Exchangers, focussed on hybrid-AI models for monitoring, optimization, and predictive maintenance of process and energy systems for almost 10 years. Please come and meet Francesco at the conference or contact Hexxcell to explore the topic further. https://lnkd.in/eZp-KZbr #heatexchangerworld #hybridai #heatexchangerai #debunkingtheaihype
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisNobody should be asking "should AI be autonomous or not." That's the wrong question. South Korea's cybersecurity agency just started drafting national guidelines for autonomous AI agents — audit trails, human override, limits on autonomy before mandatory reporting kicks in. Not because AI agents don't work. Because "how far can it go before someone has to sign off" turned out to be a question every regulator eventually asks, usually after something's already gone wrong. The real question was never "autonomous or not." It's: autonomous within what boundary? Cruise control is autonomous — within a boundary. It won't drive you off a cliff. An AI agent in a plant should work the same way: fast and free inside limits a human defined, and required to stop and ask the moment it's about to step outside them. That's not a compromise between "AI does everything" and "AI does nothing." It's the only version of autonomy that's ever actually worked in a safety-critical environment — regulators are just starting to catch up to what plants already knew. #IndustrialAI #ProcessManufacturing #AITrust #DataGovernance #OperationalExcellence
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked this“𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹, 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁?” If you do not want the proposal to go into a black hole, consider asking this question. “Send me a proposal” could mean: 😇 I don’t want to say no yet. 🫣 I need to show it to someone. 🤔 I like the idea, but I’m not sure. 😎 There is an internal blocker you haven’t seen. 😊 I’m interested, but not ready to carry this inside the company. And a million more meanings. This is why you need to find the objection before you write the proposal. The question does three useful things: • It slows the process down before you waste time preparing the wrong document. • It moves the client from polite interest to real thinking. • It obviously shows you where the actual resistance may be: budget, timing, priorities, internal politics, risk, authority, previous bad experience, or simple lack of urgency. And now your offer can answer the real concern. A good proposal should eliminate the obstacle that can stop the deal. The strongest proposal takes 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 into account. To detect it just message me and I will be happy to do it for you. If you want to understand who you’re dealing with before you send yours, message me — I’ll be happy to help.
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisI clearly have some catching up to do on my LinkedIn updates! Following a very successful PETRONAS User Symposium, our next major event was Oil And Gas Asia (Official) 2026, held from 2–4 September at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. OGA gave us the opportunity to reconnect with customers, strengthen relationships with partners across the OGSE ecosystem, and introduce Octave and our capabilities to more professionals across the oil and gas industry. I also had the opportunity to present during our daily Octave Talk sessions on “Accelerating Digital Project to Digital Asset with AI.” One of the key messages I shared was that many organisations already have vast amounts of engineering and operational data, but much of it remains complex, fragmented or locked within legacy systems. The real opportunity for AI begins when that data is properly connected and contextualised. With a strong digital backbone, organisations can transform existing data into actionable insights, preserve valuable domain expertise, support faster and more consistent decisions, and automate workflows across projects, operations and maintenance. The conversations throughout OGA reinforced an important point: digital transformation goes beyond implementing new technology. It requires us to connect data, people and industry knowledge to create measurable value throughout the asset lifecycle. Thank you to everyone who visited the Octave booth, attended our Octave Talk sessions and shared valuable perspectives with us. I look forward to continuing these conversations and exploring how we can accelerate the journey from digital project to digital asset together. Better late than never, and there are still more updates to come! #OGA2026 #Octave #OilAndGas #OGSE #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalTransformation #DigitalAsset #AssetLifecycle #Engineering #EnergyIndustry
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisAfter some great meetings and workshops in Calgary this week, tomorrow I'll be in Amsterdam with our CEO, Jagadish Gattu. Jag is speaking at Future Digital Twin & AI Amsterdam 2026, joining industry leaders on a panel exploring the future of AI, Digital Twin technology, and digital transformation in operations. Looking forward to the conversations and the perspectives this brings together. 📍 Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre | Sept 18, 2026 #FutureDigitalTwin #AI #DigitalTwin #IndustrialAI #UptimeAI
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisCHICAGO ! Having worked in the suburbs for many years- I never really spent any time in central town - after almost a week there I was amazed at: The cleanliness of the streets The friendliness of the people The food The wine The local beers My Blues Brothers moments and sights Route 66 & Catching up with friends who we both know ! Awesome almost week - sad to be heading home - highlight ? The Blues Bar last night awesome! Sweet home Chicago! #chicago
-
Dick Van Voorst liked thisDick Van Voorst liked thisIt has been a very busy Q3 for me, but I hope it is not too late to share one of its highlights. I was honoured to be given the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion at the PETRONAS User Symposium 2026, held at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur last August. The event brought together around 200 users and partners representing businesses across PETRONAS. Under the theme “Beyond Projects, Operations and Intelligence,” we explored how connected data, trusted information and digital intelligence can turn data into better decisions, measurable results and shared value across the asset lifecycle. Our conversation also touched on where value may be lost between project delivery and operations, the opportunities presented by AI, and how digitalisation should ultimately be measured through tangible and sustainable business outcomes. My sincere appreciation to our panelists, Zaharuddin Jaafar, Wan Adrie Wan Ahmad and Marcus Haynes, for sharing their valuable perspectives and to everyone who contributed to such an engaging and insightful event. #PETRONAS #Octave #DigitalTransformation #DigitalIntelligence #AssetLifecycle #SharedValue #Collaboration
Experience
Education
-
University of Warwick - Warwick Business School
-
Completed all education modules for the Warwick Business School. Dissertation not completed.
-
-
-
-
Languages
-
English
Native or bilingual proficiency
-
Dutch
Native or bilingual proficiency
-
German
Full professional proficiency
Recommendations received
9 people have recommended Dick
Join now to viewExplore more posts
-
Zipho Nzama
📚 Understanding the Impact of Downtime and How AVEVA APM Can Mitigate It. As industries in Africa and the world continue to evolve, the financial repercussions of operational downtime cannot be overstated. Did you know that unplanned downtime can cost companies millions annually? This is where AVEVA's Asset Performance Management (APM) solutions come into play. 🔍 In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, unexpected downtime isn't just an inconvenience; it’s a major financial risk! Costs can accumulate from: - idle labour, - stalled production, - and delayed market deliveries. Moreover, without a strategy to predict and prevent these interruptions, businesses risk substantial hits to their reputations and bottom lines. AVEVA APM employs state-of-the-art predictive analytics to anticipate potential failures before they occur. 🛠 How? By improving visibility and access to real-time data, companies can enhance MTBF and reduce MTTR, significantly cutting down on unplanned downtime. Implementing APM enables a holistic, data-driven view of asset health and performance. This not only helps reduce downtime costs but also ensures compliance with safety and regulatory standards. For instance, AVEVA's solutions are helping companies globally to save millions by avoiding costly interruptions.📈 🔗Don’t let unplanned downtime dictate your operational efficiency. Discover how AVEVA APM can transform your asset management strategy and drive tangible business outcomes. Connect with our team to learn more! zipho.nzama@is3.co.za #AVEVA #APM #PredictiveMaintenance #OperationalExcellence #IndustryInnovation
Explore collaborative articles
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
Explore More