Teamwork at its best

Interview
5 questions, 5 answers

An interview with Thomas Pöll, Head of Maintenance at the St. Pölten-Unterradlberg plant

Why did you decide to invest in modernizing the press and what were your main objectives?
“The starting point was defective heating plates. So something had to be done because it wasn't clear how long stable production would still be possible. As a result, we decided to modernize not only the heating plates, but the entire press. This was also supported by the management.”

What challenges did you face and what did you think went particularly well?
“Basically, the modernization went very well. However, the teamwork, the absolute cooperation between everyone involved, was particularly valuable. This was the only way we could keep to the schedule, which was very strict. It would not have been possible otherwise. Of course there are sticking points on a construction site like this, but the interaction between the EGGER team and all the external service providers was first class. One thing that sticks in my mind was sandblasting and repainting the system while the assembly work continued all around. That was certainly the biggest challenge.”

What are the benefits of the modernized system?
“First of all, a much more stable production operation, which is definitely a huge advantage. Then the upgrade has given us many more options, which of course we first have to explore during operation. Especially with regard to energy savings. Many features have been installed for this, such as an Ecomode and frequency-controlled heating pumps. Another important benefit is the automation. This means that the system controls the quality parameters within the tolerances virtually by itself. In principle, the operator only has to confirm with a click. An extreme increase in productivity!”

How would you rate the collaboration with SLS on this project?
“Basically, everything went very, very smoothly. It was an extremely well-rehearsed assembly team that was here on site. That was fascinating to experience during the conversion, because it meant that the critical schedule could be implemented. And this well-coordinated teamwork runs through the entire project, starting with the preparation with Siempelkamp, the preliminary discussions with project managers and site managers. If I can name anything that was a bit bumpy, it was the coordination of the heating panel delivery. Sometimes it was 8 o'clock, sometimes 11 o'clock, and a crane had to be on site. But apart from that? Nothing to complain about. The whole collaboration worked very well.”

How would you summarize this project in one sentence and what happens now?
“Summarize it in one sentence? It was one of the most exhausting, the most beautiful, the most instructive challenges since I started working. Now it's production's turn to explore all the technical possibilities that have been created, to meticulously test and verify all the options and to look after and maintain the system with the utmost care and according to EGGER standards.”

Further information

EGGER has been one of the customers with whom we have been working very closely for 20 years. Here you can read more about how this cooperation has developed and the benefits it brings: