Highly automated plantsand a family working environment

From industrial mechanic to group leader

Christoph Soßalla has been working on components for steering systems since 1998. He started out at Mercedes-Benz-Lenkung GmbH in Düsseldorf, which was completely taken over by thyssenkrupp in 2005. Today, the steering professional works as a group leader for thyssenkrupp in the Automotive division in Mülheim an der Ruhr. In this interview, the trained industrial mechanic reveals why thyssenkrupp is the perfect employer for him, how the 40-year-old came to thyssenkrupp and what role his uncle played.

What do you move at thyssenkrupp?

"It’s hard to say what I really move on my own. But as a team we are moving a lot. Together with 23 employees, we produce steering gear in a 3-shift-system. These form part of the whole steering system, in other words they are the connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels of a vehicle. This happens at a top-modern, highly automated plant. Put it simple: my task is to ensure that the plant is running properly."

How did you get started at thyssenkrupp and how did things go from there?

"Everything started in 1998 when I did my training to become an industrial mechanic. It was Mercedes-Benz-Lenkung GmbH in those days, which is also where my uncle worked. I found out about the training programme from my uncle. He definitely put in a good word for me, but I think that my application wouldn’t have been rejected on its own merit either (laughs). In 2003, thyssenkrupp took over the majority of the corporation and then took it over completely in 2005. And my workplace has been this site in Mülheim an der Ruhr since 2013. After my apprenticeship, I worked in production. In the Hydraulic Department at the very beginning and then in Electrical later on. And then at some point I became team leader. A top job - I couldn’t think of anything better for me in the production department."

What are your tasks as a group leader and what does your daily routine look like?

"The first thing we do at the start of a shift is the shift handover with the other group leaders. Then I hand out the tasks on our system to my colleagues. Once that's done, I have to keep a close eye on the plant. I'm also responsible for converting the system if we want to produce other types of construction. If there are any problems or malfunctions, which can always occur, my colleagues are the first to come to me.

From time to time, there are also other exciting projects that I am responsible for. For example, we were with a team of 10 at a manufacturer in Austria. We familiarized ourselves with a system for a new assembly line, discussed initial optimizations from a production perspective and finally put the system into operation on site. Projects like this are always particularly fun."

What does your shift model look like? Do you work seven days a week?

"No, we only work five days a week, but in three shifts that run from 6 am to 2 pm, 2 pm to 10 pm and 10 pm to 6 am. So it's quite normal. We usually have weekends off. And if there's more to do, we divide the work between our three shift teams. That keeps it within reasonable limits. We can also choose whether we get paid overtime or whether it goes into a free shift account - so we can ,work it off'."

What has changed at your company in recent years?

"Everything has become much more digital. The level of automation in the systems is also increasing. That's a very positive development. Every process step is monitored by the system. However, we can also contribute and implement our own ideas internally from within the team. For example, I had the idea of combining a press-fit tool with an automatic greasing station. With the help of our 3D printers and a team of process engineers and maintenance staff, we managed to optimize the assembly line. A great team effort!"

What is the atmosphere like here in Mülheim an der Ruhr?

"The atmosphere here is very good. That's really cool and makes working here at our location special for me. It even starts with the canteen: We may only have a small canteen, but the atmosphere is super informal. And I can definitely recommend the food that our chef serves up.

Until now, I've always had good people around me, i.e. colleagues and managers, with whom I've got on really well. The way we interact with each other is just great. Of course, that also contributes to a good atmosphere. That's why there's never been a reason for me to apply for a job elsewhere or look for a new job."