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The Atsma family: an early head swap, generating energy on their own farm and trusting Rengineers.
For father Wilco and son Erwin Atsma running a business isn’t just about the here and now but also about being prepared for the future. On their poultry farm, they have almost 140,000 chickens spread across seven sheds. It's an intensive poultry-farming business with a focus on healthy birds and reliable operations.
Wilco joined the business in 1999 and Erwin took charge of it in 2025. Together, they are continuing to explore ways to develop the business further. Energy is becoming more and more important.
“As a poultry farm, we try to keep up with the times. Rengineers is a good fit with our energy ambitions."
First things first: gain an understanding of energy consumption
Our contact with Rengineers didn’t start with the wind turbines. Before this, it had been involved in the registration and monitoring of our business’s solar panels.
Rengineers looked at how much energy the business was generating and consuming. Measurements were taken at various places to gain a better understanding of the farm’s energy needs.
This information made it possible to broaden the focus and look at the business’s energy supply and consider possible next steps.
“So, it all started with establishing yields, monitoring what happens at the business and identifying which needs there are.”
A head swap before it was really necessary
There are two wind turbines on the farm. Technically, they could have lasted a few more years, but a head swap still became an option. The Atsma family considered various options and looked into companies that could provide this solution. It turned out that Rengineers could.
“The funny thing was that a head swap wasn't strictly necessary yet. But sometimes you just have to go with your gut. That’s why we asked Rengineers to go ahead with the head swap anyway.”
The Atsma family says that the turbine has been running better and the maintenance situation has improved since the head swap too. They expect greater continuity in strong winds as well.
“The old turbine probably could probably have carried on for a while, but this one is better.”
Doing what you promise
Wilco and Erwin’s expectations of Rengineers were actually very simple: to do what it had promised to do and make sure that everything was organised properly from a technical point of view.
“It had to deliver what I’d asked for and keep its word. I didn’t expect much else. "Just a proper job."
The family has even noticed a difference in response when something goes wrong. There was a problem after the head swap, but Rengineers set to work on it almost straight away and solved it very quickly.
The Atsma family believes that this is what good cooperation is all about.
“If things are going well at a business, we won't try to change it.”
We don't sell solutions for the sake of selling them
Another factor in Rengineers’ favour was the way it advises Wilco and Erwin. They say that Rengineers doesn’t try to sell solutions regardless of the cost.
This became clear, for example, during discussions about energy storage. Rengineers helped us explore the possibilities offered by a battery and also consider what would be technically and financially possible for the business.
“They’re not pushy at all. If something isn’t viable, they’ll say."
It’s exactly this openness that Wilco and Erwin appreciate. Not every idea needs to involve an investment straight away. It has to be a good fit for the business and add value.
Keep as much energy as possible on the farm
The next step is on the agenda now: a battery.
The Atsma family hopes a battery will enable them to make better use of the energy they generate on their farm. The battery can also help improve the business’s energy security and possibly be used as a back-up.
“If you are generating more energy than you need at a particular that time, you want to try to keep it on your farm.”
With solar panels, wind power and - soon - a battery too, the farm’s ability to generate and store energy for its own consumption will soon be a reality. The Atsma family hopes that the various systems will help them become less dependent on the grid.
The Rengineers’ approach is a good fit with Erwin’s view on the future of the business: not jumping on every new development straight away but keeping an eye on which next step makes sense.
Sometimes, a gut feeling is the deciding factor
Figures and yields are still important. The Atsma family is looking around, comparing solutions and attending information evenings to keep up to date with developments.
Haven't said that, some business decisions aren’t possible to pin down with calculations.
“You do the maths and see what makes sense from a technical point of view. But sometimes you just have to go with your gut."
The same principle applied when they chose Rengineers: they looked at what made sense from a technical and financial point of view but ultimately also had to have confidence in the company they would be working with.
“It’s just good and that’s what matters most at the end of the day.”
