For centuries, blacksmiths have shaped human progress through their work with metal. Thomas L. is one of those highly capable individuals who also possess an artistic streak and learned the craft of blacksmithing with us. After completing his apprenticeship and serving in the Austrian Armed Forces, he immersed himself in the world of our hammer forge in Kapfenberg. After ten instructive years, he wanted to advance his career.
He joined the team that was building a new, state-of-the-art facility: In 2007, the high-performance screw press for forging high-strength steel, titanium, and nickel alloys went into operation. At first, the blacksmith worked in shifts directly at the press. He soon became a foreman, then an assistant production planner, and finally, starting in 2024, a full-time planner for two of the world’s largest screw presses. He is also the foreman for die making—the molds that serve as the press’s counterparts. Using these dies, we manufacture forged parts weighing up to 1,600 kg made of steel, titanium, and nickel alloys for aircraft and turbines.
His job is to ensure that “his” presses—the SP315, with a pressing force of 31,500 metric tons, and the SP355, with 35,500 metric tons—operate at optimal capacity. He must factor in the heating and cooling phases of the forging furnaces and dies, as well as their production time. After all, the goal is to fulfill orders from the global aircraft industry, as well as from the energy and turbine sectors and other highly specialized technical fields, on schedule. He is also responsible for the careful organization of teams, leadership, and training of employees.
What he needs for this are foresight, a focus on deadlines, and a solution-oriented mindset. He is in constant communication with the foremen to ensure that all die-forging operations, furnace heating and cooling phases, and production runs are proceeding according to plan. His experience with shift work and regular communication are immensely important for this. As a manager, Thomas has developed a keen sense of how to assemble teams so that personalities and skills complement each other well. Naturally, the production planner passes on his knowledge to new employees.
Thomas takes his pride in the high-performance forged parts—which were created in part through his own contributions—and his planning expertise home with him and on his travels. Whenever this dedicated production planner boards a plane, a window seat above the wings is reserved for him. When Thomas can watch “his” finished products in action from the plane, those are #FavoriteMoments for him. Back on the ground, he and his wife have long since planned the optimal routes through the cities so they can experience as many sights as possible in a short time. The two of them recently explored Italy’s capital, Rome, using this tried-and-true method. After all, good planning is half the battle.
In our new brand and image campaign #FavoriteMoments, we show our contribution to a modern, sustainable life from the perspective of people. We focus on their individual favorite moments and the commitment of our employees that makes such moments possible. The specially composed song “All these moments” accompanies the campaign and musically conveys our values, courage, community and our joy for the future and is authentically accompanied by pictures of our employees.
Die voestalpine ist ein weltweit führender Stahl- und Technologiekonzern mit kombinierter Werkstoff- und Verarbeitungskompetenz. Die global tätige Unternehmensgruppe verfügt über rund 500 Konzerngesellschaften und -standorte in mehr als 50 Ländern auf allen fünf Kontinenten. Sie notiert seit 1995 an der Wiener Börse. Mit ihren Premium-Produkt- und Systemlösungen zählt sie zu den führenden Partnern der Automobil- und Hausgeräteindustrie sowie der Luftfahrt- und Öl- & Gasindustrie und ist darüber hinaus Weltmarktführer bei Bahninfrastruktursystemen, bei Werkzeugstahl und Spezialprofilen. Die voestalpine bekennt sich zu den globalen Klimazielen und verfolgt mit greentec steel einen klaren Plan zur Dekarbonisierung der Stahlproduktion.