From mechanical engineering to the automotive and solar technology sectors to control engineering—and from there to Leidel & Kracht in May 2023: Oliver Hähn has seen a lot in his career. Two things have always been a recurring theme: automation and foam materials.
The first five months at Leidel & Kracht have flown by for Oliver Hähn. Because there is a lot to do! "It became clear that the company had to change in order to remain at the forefront of the competitive market and not end up bringing up the rear," explains Hähn. "But to keep up with the times, it's not enough to just do automation and digitalization 'on the side.' That's why I was able to take over the work that Managing Director Rainer Arndt and Operations Manager Tuncer Bilgin had started in May in the newly created position of Technical Manager."In addition to new strategies and measures, however, there was something else on the agenda first – I had to get to know the company and its foam products. "Foam materials of all kinds have been part of my professional life for over 30 years: from seat foam and fittings in the automotive sector to structural glazing in facades and polyurethane-coated solar modules. Nevertheless, after just under six months, I now see foam packaging in a different light. The packaging material is almost more interesting than the new camera it contains, for example," says the technical manager.
There is a need for action in digitization and automation
Thanks to his many years of experience in various positions and areas, Oliver Hähn has a completely different focus on the processes within the company. Working in a team with two engineers, Toni Duspara and Moetez Jabri, the technical manager deals with a wide range of questions: How can we integrate a new automated system into the process? How can an already automated system be further optimized? How can we improve cycle times or processes? According to Oliver Hähn, it is important not to focus on just one aspect: "Of course, implementing a new system in the manufacturing process is just as much a part of digitalization as touchscreens, which display all the information needed for system maintenance, for example. But that's not all there is to it," says Oliver Hähn, describing his new everyday work. "When I say 'technical manager' or 'automation,' it means much, much more. For example, we have to find and implement a new ERP system, i.e., a merchandise management system, that is suitable for the company. And, of course, my responsibilities also include managing employees." This is an important aspect, because the success of automation also depends on the employees. "It's like soccer: I want to work out my strategy on the bench, and my job is to kick off the ball. But the others have to play the ball. And the team is excited about the game; they've made that very clear to me. It's really fun."
Welcome to the team, Oliver Hähn! We look forward to playing "football" together.
