Strojmetal Aluminium Forging → Forewoman combines empathy with efficiency

Forging forewoman: I combine empathy with efficiency

Text: Kateřina Šírová, photo: Barbora Mráčková

Veronika Koláčková hasn’t studied engineering. She started working in Strojmetal as a worker five years ago and she has worked her way up to the position of forewoman. If anyone thinks that forging is just for men, the following interview will prove them wrong. A modern forger can be managed by anyone who is goal oriented.

When somebody talks about forgers, I usually imagine men. I was a bit surprised to see a woman here. How did you end up here?

I originally started as a penetration checker, but I worked my way up.

Surely you didn’t become the forewoman overnight…

Of course not. The first two years, I was checking penetration quality, which means looking for hidden defects and cracks that might be invisible to the naked eye. The following four years, I worked as a penetration control operator. That is actually a management role with up to ten colleagues on the team. I was in charge of the line but I had to consult the foreman on how to handle everything so that our products were delivered on time. Also, I had to learn how to drive a forklift.

So, now you are the only forewoman at Strojmetal? How does it feel?

I have to admit I was initially a bit afraid to be taken seriously. However, our final operations team is full of women, so I hope it will be easier for them to come to me and tell me what they need if they have problems.

Working your way up has surely won you some respect…

I think it definitely helps. It’s helped me understand the production process. By working on the penetration line, I know the various defects that can occur.

The final operations team is mostly women. I hope it will be easier for them to come to me for advice.

How does this check actually work?

That depends. There are different workplaces with different workflows. Some places have complete penetration checks for cracks, others only perform visual checks. It depends on the customer's requirements.

You have just celebrated one year in this position. What is your typical day like?

A forewoman has to coordinate the team and distribute tasks to the workers on shift. In production, the tasks keep changing and the forewoman has to deal with absences. Any hitches are on me. Also, I am responsible for work safety compliance.

Do you have an example?

Sure. It can be a small thing. For example, when our supplier doesn’t deliver packaging for distribution on time, we have to halt production and respond quickly. You have to deal with several variants at once, which is often very difficult. When a forklift operator gets sick, we have a problem, because we don’t have enough of them. The absolute key is to stick to the plan.

So, what qualities must a forewoman have?

You have to be organized and a good leader. There are up to fifty people working at final operations at the same time. You also need to have empathy when you work with other people. At the end of the day, you need to efficiently manage a team of workers and make sure the production and personnel capacities are used to the full, so that productivity stays high.

Is there time for friendships?

I think we definitely have a great team. At work, we focus on what’s important, but we also see each other after work.

What are your success criteria?

Staying on schedule whilst also following protocol and work safety procedures. It’s important to follow the protocol, even if products change frequently.

What about the women in your team? Do you see other future forewomen among them?

Absolutely! A few years ago, only men used to be in charge of penetration, but today no one looks at it as a man’s job anymore. In the future, it might actually turn, because our control operators are now all women. Our female colleagues are reliable and meticulous, and that is very important to us.

What kind of boss do you want to be now? ¨

We need to be productive and efficient, but I also want to be approachable. In work, I think everyone understands people need to be motivated positively and not negatively. I want to stick to that.

Diagnostic center

Two years ago, Strojmetal built a bold new building – the diagnostics center. “The automotive industry calls our components “safety parts”. Therefore, they require specific certified material quality control, which we used to do with external suppliers until now. The new diagnostic center allows us to make most of the quality checks ourselves. Also, we can now offer quality checks for other customers,” says CEO, Robert Smutný when explaining why the center is important for the company and why it’s such a big shift. On top of that, the building has modern and aesthetic architecture. It stands in front of the castle, a cultural monument, on the company's premises, and was designed by Prague-based architecture studio ABTSMOLEN. In 2020, the building even won the Central Bohemian Region Building of the Year Award.