The power of simplicity: more efficiency in steel construction

Projects in steel construction are becoming increasingly complex. Deadlines are under pressure, experienced professionals are scarce and expectations are increasing. Many companies respond by working harder, making tighter schedules and controlling more. But that rarely produces the desired results. “The profit is not in working harder, but in simplicity,” says Niels Oudenaarden, commercial director at Liemar.

According to him, the power of improvement lies not in new rules or controls, but in reducing processes to their essence. “Once you really see where value is created and where it is not, everything changes. You get peace in your planning, peace in management and peace on the shop floor. And that calmness is exactly what makes profitability possible.”

Simplicity as a lever for growth

Those who learn to look at where value really arises quickly discover that it is often not about making big changes, but about taking small, consistent steps. Instead of pulling harder at the process, it is about removing the blockages that slow it down.

“In many companies you see that the main focus is on control,” says Oudenaarden. “But control does not provide grip, insight does. Once people understand why something is stalling, they can improve it themselves. That's the power of simplicity: it puts responsibility back where it belongs.”

Those who get started with this find that the real gain is not in numbers or dashboards, but in behavior. Companies that learn to look from value build stability step by step. Lead times shorten, failure costs drop. And that is no coincidence. Once processes are clear, decisions become purer and improvements more sustainable. “The best moment,” says Oudenaarden, “is when a team itself sees that it is working better. Then the results start working for you and you no longer need controls, then the system has become self-learning.”