Meet the Buroform crew: Jade Ooms
Variety abounds within the Buroform crew. Wondering what it’s like to work with us? Then take a look behind the scenes.
Jade Ooms
I’m Jade Ooms, passionate about letterpress and foil printing, and the only woman standing my ground within our type printing company.
![](https://www.buroform.be/buroform/assets/media/Buroform_JadeOoms_07_348cc9380ecd21a7477259a2fda58969_800.jpg)
At Buroform, I am responsible for…
Letterpress, foil printing and everything that comes with it such as die-cutting, creasing and perforating. I work as a type printer and operate the Heidelberg Degel, an artisan machine some sixty years old that is back burning hot today.
I got my job at Buroform through…
About a year and a half ago, I applied for a job here. I was then working at another printing company, doing exactly the same thing. But I was curious to see more. My eye fell on a job opening at Buroform, which even then was known as a growing and ambitious company within the industry. After a good conversation with Karel Marynen, it didn’t take long for me to start at Buroform.
![](https://www.buroform.be/buroform/assets/media/Buroform_JadeOoms_05_4dbc8ed9c6090096a4e983497585b2a2_800.jpg)
My morning ritual is…
I get up, prepare my granola and leave for Mechelen at leisure. I usually eat my breakfast in the car, oops. 😊
What people don’t know about my position is….
The machine I am working on dates from the 1960s. Letterpress printing is still a truly artisanal technique. Although today, of course, it is combined with digital capabilities. But nothing is automatic. Everything has to be set up manually, which can sometimes take a long time. Mounting the printing plate accurately on the press, stirring ink, placing film: these are jobs that require a lot of dexterity. The fact that I am one of the few women doing this makes the job extra special. Type printing is primarily a man’s craft anyway. Those at the controls today often have decades of experience. With me, it’s different. I am the new guard. The future. And a woman!
![](https://www.buroform.be/buroform/assets/media/Buroform_JadeOoms_10_07263dea192db9ec9ea0641b3fde58d0_800.jpg)
My proudest moment at Buroform is….
A while ago, we had a booth with Buroform at a wedding fair. There we presented the old Heidelberg degel that you still have to keep going with a pedal pedal. It is a unique machine, and apparently many visitors agreed. A lot of people were raving about our printing press. That I get to serve those does make me proud. When people look up to what you do day in and day out, you shine for a moment.
As a woman, I am proud to stand behind such an iconic aircraft.
What I like most about working at Buroform is….
The printing press itself. As a woman, I am proud to stand behind such an iconic aircraft. In addition, I particularly like the atmosphere in the group. Everyone goes for it, but that seriousness and commitment is also coupled with laughter and swag.
![](https://www.buroform.be/buroform/assets/media/Buroform_JadeOoms_09_98a5b7ec87ef394958f5749e852da505_800.jpg)
On weekends you’ll find me…
Not uncommon at a flea market! Not that I’m so into old stuff, but I do love the atmosphere at those markets immensely. Furthermore, the weekend is the time for me to be free: go out on a terrace, have a drink with friends… Just clear my head and enjoy.
If I wasn’t a “typewriter,” I’d be…
Teacher typo! A while ago I had to train someone as a type printer and that experience has stayed with me. Transferring your own skills to another person: I loved that. So look, who knows, maybe there is a teacher lurking in me somewhere 😉.
The best career advice I have ever received….
Career advice is not really it, but people have often pointed out to me how handy I am. I have always had technical understanding, the feeling to put things together. Ét voilà, I made that dexterity my job!
![](https://www.buroform.be/buroform/assets/media/Buroform_JadeOoms_01_0fe1bd495dee443235e17b2c7368df87_800.jpg)