POWER PLAYER
BEDROCK OF THE COMPANY
What is meant by a veteran in relation to a company? Someone who feels like they’ve always been there. Someone who has helped to build and shape the company and someone who is very loyal and is regarded as a role model to others. There are many of these veterans at Progroup. Employees who have been with the company for 30 years or more. Six of these veterans recount their biggest challenges and successes, and their best experiences and wishes for the future of Progroup.
The power players: They are the bedrock and a key guarantor of Progroup’s success: The veterans. For 30 years and more, they have actively contributed their know-how and more than deserve this accolade.
CLAUDE JOST
Board production planning team leader
Biggest challenge & biggest success:
I started out as a machine operator working on the weighing unit and then held a number of other roles within the company. My biggest challenge was the first time I supervised a shift. At first, it wasn’t easy to meet all the requirements, but over time I’ve become very good at this.
Colleagues who made a real impression:
“The doctor”, as we always referred to Marc Weigel*. He was always there for us and the company. And of course “the boss” Jürgen Heindl. He is a true visionary and an inspirational figure. He was able to inspire everyone and get us all to pull together.
Best experience:
The “Next Story trip” to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia in 2015.
REGINA HOFFMANN
Pallet management expert
Biggest success:
The successful switch from the internal sales team at Progroup Board to production planning.
Best experiences:
Essentially all the incentive trips, including Norway, Morocco, Vienna and South Africa. But all the other Progroup events were always really great as well, with the gala to celebrate the change of the generations in November 2022 in Leipzig standing out as a very special occasion.
Wish for the future:
That Progroup continues to be successful and emerges strongly from the crises we’re currently living through.
The sculpture is a symbol that illustrates the close bond that the long-standing employees have with the company. It consists of two independent elements that are firmly linked to each other – just like Progroup and its employees. Each sculpture exists in duplicate: One will be given to the employees and one will remain in the company. It will be placed in a prominent location at the respective site. This means the close bond will also be presented to the outside world.
FERNAND USSELMANN
Dispatch expert
Biggest challenge:
As a dispatch expert, I train the forklift drivers in our new plants. My greatest challenge in this role is often overcoming the language barrier in the international plants.
Biggest success:
Seeing colleagues in dispatch being able to do their work independently and correctly. This demonstrates that I’ve successfully shown them how to perform their tasks and this pleases me every single time.
Best experience:
The incentive trip to Ghana. I knew many colleagues working at the PW01 plant at the time from my school days. This trip was defined by a real sense of togetherness, trust and endless moments full of laughter. We got to experience and sense what a family company is all about.
CHRISTOPHE HAESSIG
Head of Competence Centre, Technology and Project Management for Growth, Progroup Board
Best experience:
Meeting my now wife at the PM1 paper factory in Burg.
Colleague who made a real impression:
Georg Pullez. He was more than a manager. He was a mentor and had a positive influence on the ProTeam both in terms of corrugated board but also in how people treat each other.
Wish for the future:
That Maximilian and Vinzenz will succeed in continuing Progroup’s success story by writing their own chapter.
CHRISTIAN ROTT
Production start-up engineer, Progroup Board
Biggest challenge:
This was a number of years ago when, almost from one day to the next, I became shift supervisor at a completely new workplace (at the first Progroup plant PW01 in Offenbach). Everything was different and I had hardly any time to get used to it.
Best experience:
The great appreciation from the company in arranging incentive trips. The trip to Ghana in particular left a real impression on me and I still remember it very well to this day.
Colleague who made a real impression:
Marc Weigel*, always willing to help, always reliable and very competent. An impressive person who has sadly already passed away.
Wish for the future:
For Progroup to continue to be successful and for me to be able to contribute to this success.
* Marc Weigel was Progroup Employee No. 05. The production start-up engineer died in 2019 at the age of just 54. We remember him as a valued person and competent colleague whose dedication and personality will never be forgotten.
JÉROME FUSS
Shift supervisor at PW06, Offenbach a. d. Queich
Biggest challenge:
Proving myself as a 20-year-old shift supervisor with my colleagues, some of whom were twice my age.
Biggest success:
Motivating the shifts I led to deliver the very best levels of performance. Together, we were able to set a number of plant records, some of which still stand today.
Best experience:
The numerous incentive trips to unexpected destinations like Ghana, India, South Africa and many more.
