Bad Windsheim (er) Due to the low turnover in staff at HEUNISCH foundry, many employees could be honoured for their 40 or 25 years of service at HEUNISCH GUSS this year too.

The two managing partners Dr. Christiane Heunisch-Grotz and Dipl. Ing. Christian Gerhäuser together with Technical Director Dietmar Eckl and HR Manager Ulrike Stahl welcomed the long-serving employees to a small ceremony. Works council chairman Markus Herger also joined the well-wishers. The direct line managers were also present.

In her speech, Dr. Christiane Heunisch-Grotz emphasised that “you, my dear co-workers, are the most important asset in our company.”  Huge changes in the world of work, for example, digitalisation, which is currently on everyone's lips, she elaborates, was introduced to the HEUNISCH foundry a long time ago to make work easier for the employees or to illustrate processes. Modern grinding machines, assembly sites in the core shop or visualised work instructions can no longer do without digitalised data. “Nevertheless, we will always need you with your great experience and commitment,” the speaker emphasised.

Herbert Schröder is looking back on four decades of working life. The electrician passed his master’s examination in 1981. As a training master for electrical operations, he has introduced many young employees to this profession. Controls exist on all units, from the moulding line to core shooters, cleaning robots or electric furnaces. The guest of honour knows everyone. He has acquired vast specialist knowledge attending several courses and training events and through his many years of professional experience. Young masters and qualified electricians reinforce his team. The team is out and about proactively to prevent any problems from even arising. If they should arise, he and his colleagues are on the spot in no time at all to tackle the issue. Aurelio Tomasi is looking back on the same number of years at work. He feels most at home at the smelting furnace. He has been supplying this equipment with raw materials for decades. Whether it’s scrap that is melted down, or coke, which provides the necessary heat during the melting process in the cupola. It’s the accuracy for the amount of charge that distinguishes the deserving employee when the lift for the cupola is loaded with the so-called aggregates.

All of the following employees have been loyal to the company for 25 years. Hans-Torsten Arndt works in maintenance. The cupola is his speciality in terms of preventive maintenance. The sand for the moulding lines is transported to the machines by up to 50 m long conveyor belts. The guest of honour also ensures that this runs smoothly. Karl Scheiermann has worked his way through several departments over the years. When he started working at HEUNISCH GUSS, he still cleaned the parts by hand, later he was given responsibility on the grinding machines. He was also a reliable employee drilling special holes in the housing. The forklift training course qualifies him to drive industrial trucks. With the installation of the new colouring shop, he was transferred to this department and has guaranteed cleanly primed cast parts since then. His colleague Ercan Bingöl is based in the same department. The guest of honour has always been inspired by colour. He has worked in various positions there for 25 years now. Ergun Can also started in the colouring shop in 1993 where he has stood his ground for 15 years. He has completed further qualifications over time and now ensures that the cast parts are delivered to customers in an immaculate condition. Simone Chiarello started working in the blow room a quarter of a century ago and switched to the GREY moulding line later on. He is a conscientious worker here placing the complicated cores into the mould. Karlheinz Melzer started his work at the cupola and switched to output control after various courses. He performs his work here on the assembly line preserving the cast parts meticulously. Johann Szabados-Kraus started as a fettler at the Westheimerstraße site at the same time. He has made a good name for himself with his reliable work on the small moulding line for many years.

At the end of the ceremony, the speaker presenting the honours thanked everyone for their many years of dedication and continued efforts to develop the company.

Bad Windsheim in november 2018

Text: Ernst Ripka

Photo: Ernst Ripka