The last week for this placement is coming up and it’s time to tie things up. As exciting as it will be to start with something new, as difficult it will be to let go of the current project.
The past month I have visited some of our suppliers to inform them about the delivery performance project that I have been working on. Mainly it has been to ensure that all suppliers are on-board with the stated conditions in order to get the best solution for all parties. At the same time I have taken the opportunity to get some guided tours in their factories.
With a background as a mechanical engineer and to get the opportunity to visit these large manufacturing industries really made me understand how Charlie felt when he visited the chocolate factory in Tim Burton’s movie.
First up was Volvos factory in Arvika where they manufacture Volvos various wheel loader models. This is the location where the flagship L350F is produced. The 4.2 meter high wheel loader gives the customer a way to move more tons per hour at the lowest possible cost per ton.
Next stop was Suolahti in Finland, a small town in the Finnish countryside with 5000 inhabitants but also the site for one of Valtra’s factories. Valtra is one of the largest suppliers of tractors to the Swedish market and all their machines are, believe it or not, custom made. Almost all parts are tagged with the customer’s name and he is more than welcome to see his machine being assembled in the plant. No wonder they have over 10’000 visitors a year!
This week ended with a harvest festival, a much entertaining event where we enjoyed ecological drinks and a tex-mex buffet created with Gogreen’s new pot bases. I have also found a new apartment for my next placement period which will be at Lantmännens HQ in Stockholm, but more on that in my next post.
