Sales and Design at Business Unit Precast – The Steps Before Production

Hi, how are you doing?

It is time to give a short update on my latest trainee period and what I have been doing during the last weeks. This period has been a bit different from previous ones as I have got an insight into two different departments at the business unit precast at the same time. I have both worked with the sales team at the sales department in the daily work and with the team at the design department, further, running a development project at the department.

Already at the second, I got the opportunity to attend the “SIV-days” which is a two-day conference where colleagues from all departments of the business unit precast (sales, design, production) meet for lectures and discussions and continue to strengthen us as team Thomas. It was fun to be part of it, have new insights and, not least, to meet everyone.

Initially, the planning for this period was a bit different. The focus would have been on the design department but before the period started, I got a call from our HR manager Angela who wondered if I was interested in supporting the sales team for a few weeks due to a very intense period. I thought it could be interesting and learning. So I said yes. So, during the first 3 - 4 weeks, I worked with the sales team and supported them with “fast learning tasks” such as basis for tenders, e.g., quantities.

After these weeks, I continued to support the sales team with 50% and spent the other 50% together with the team at the design department. Design is another important department within the business unit precast. Very briefly, the design department includes structural design, assembly drawings, and project management and is, therefore, the step between that a salesman making the deal and the production producing the elements.

During my period in the design department, I had a first insight into all the roles but was mainly focusing on running an improvement project related to cost follow-up. I think working with improvement, optimization, processes, and ways of working is very interesting, and this project involved a lot of this as I needed to understand the business, processes, etc. Also, I could use the knowledge in Power bi I gained during my trainee period at TCG Finance in February as I used Power bi as a tool in problem solving.

In addition, I got the opportunity to present my reflections from the year related to the Swedish subsidiary for the management team at Thomas Betong. Also, I and Janna got the opportunity to present our competitor analysis for the extended management team at Thomas Betong. That was a lot of fun!

Now a new phase of the trainee year has started. This phase includes an exchange at another of our subsidiaries. For me, it is at Thomas Concrete, our American subsidiary. I am now in Atlanta, USA, since a few ago and will stay here during the summer. More about what I do here and how it is in a later post.

Take care, Jakob