I began my career with an open-die forging apprenticeship in 1984 at ThyssenKrupp Gerlach in Homburg.

After completing the varied and very practically oriented apprenticeship, I worked in production, as a fitter and foreman manufacturing forged crankshafts, connecting rods and safety parts. At the same time, I completed an apprenticeship to become a foreman in the metalworking field.

After completing a multi-faceted and very practical apprenticeship, I worked in production as a fitter and foreman manufacturing forged crankshafts, connecting rods and safety parts. At the same time, I completed an apprenticeship to become a foreman in the metalworking field.

From 1994 to 2000 I worked as a foreman on various forging lines that produce car crankshafts. Managing up to 50 employees and ensuring product quality were challenges I really enjoyed. I feel that having taken on these responsibilities as a young person enabled me to mature personally. ThyssenKrupp Gerlach supported me in this by sending me to a number of external training courses including seminars dealing with moderation, presentation, and management skills. Having sole responsibility for the implementation of 4K, Kaizen and optimization projects together with my staff, required a high level of commitment. However, the friendly working atmosphere more than compensated for this.

In January 2000, I was appointed manager of a production line and took on far greater responsibilities as the account manager for crankshaft machining customers. Being able to visit the production facilities Danville Forge and Veedersburg Forge (USA) along with almost all major automotive plants in Europe demonstrated to me the considerable trust that ThyssenKrupp Gerlach places in its young employees. Participation in the JUMP seminars (JUMP = "Junge Mitarbeiter mit Potenzial" - young employees with potential), some of which were abroad, also proved to me that ThyssenKrupp would provide me with good opportunities to progress within the company.

When the Homburg and Remscheid forging operations were merged on an organizational level in the summer of 2003, I took on the tasks of standardizing and developing claims management, process, and cost optimization as Process Manager. This enabled me to make a more direct contribution to improving operative earnings.

In 2007, I successfully graduated from Hamburg Technical College with a degree in industrial engineering. I had been taking a distance-learning course since 2002. Finding the time to do so was a major challenge, but with the support of my employer I managed to overcome even this hurdle.

In January 2006, I accepted the position of Forging Operations Director for the forging plants in Danville and Veedersburg, USA. During the last two years I have been working successfully on the organizational merging of the two plants. The implementation of a project to increase the productivity of the fully automated forging line for truck crankshafts together with my American colleagues was an interesting and exciting project.

What particularly excites me about my new position is having the opportunity to getting to know the American culture and way of working. My new colleagues received me with open arms, and the HR department made the moving process very smooth. In the meantime my family and I have settled into our new home very well. I am sure that my stay in the U.S. will be a life-lasting experience for both my wife and me.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me to get to where I am today. The fact that I have been supported from the first day of my apprenticeship and throughout all problems I have encountered gives me great motivation to continue to work in the ThyssenKrupp Forging Group.