THREE-PIN PLUG TO TWO

[BIZ: Roosteren, March 22]
Eddy Zijlstra (46) gave up his job at Philips and spent one and a half years and EUR 15,000 to develop a new type of universal plug. This plug can be converted from a two-pin plug to a three-pin plug at a press of a button, which will be a boon for British expatriates who seem to be the only ones to specialize in the three-pin variety. American manufacturers of electronic equipment are also enthusiastic, and now when they export to Europe they can provide one plug rather than two.

Mr Zijlstra, having made this discovery, is now taking advantage of LiOF’s Techstart program to set up a business producing these plugs. The plugs will be manufactured in Taiwan and marketed by Mr Zijlstra. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has already made a subsidy of EUR 1m available to projects of this kind and LIOF, the Province of Limburg, the Acceleration Agenda, Syntens, Fontys Hogeschool, Hogeschool Zuyd, Chemelot and Océ are taking an interest.
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