A down-to-earth doer with view for the big picture

If Christian Hoffmann could have said only a few years ago that he would be working at a tube manufacturer one day, then he would not have believed it. He had decided in 2007 to study mechanical engineering with focus on energy technology because he was greatly interested in mathematics, engineering and physics. Then he became aware of BENTELER as an attractive employer during his studies.

“In the case of mechanical engineering, many people think that you only construct and build machines but it certainly means much more. If you see for the first time how many production steps take place in such a tube-rolling mill like at BENTELER, then the work becomes quite varied and exciting. I recognize the potential for optimizing the machines and processes as well as implementing them because I look at things circumspectly. Therefore, I try to ensure that the production is effective and safe at the same time.”

Why BENTELER?

Christian Hoffmann completed his apprenticeship with BENTELER in his mid-20ies and he used the established contacts as a springboard. He was promoted to the position of Plant Engineer in 2011, directly after completing his studies.

“Now I would like to gain as much professional experience with BENTELER as possible. The company offers a great variety of opportunities and potential for development. I can imagine taking over a position as Departmental Manager one day. I do not think that it is a good idea to move from one company to another quickly and I would also like to enable the company to profit from my knowledge instead.”

Neither a paper-pusher nor greenhorn

If one just visits a steel plant in more detail, then one quickly learns to respect the enormous forces of production and the performance of the employees who work there. It is only possible through their work that so many of the routine processes in the daily life can only function with the produced steel. Christian Hoffmann knows how important it is to keep this respect for the performance and a certain degree of down-to-earthness.

“I do not allow myself to be influenced by titles or hierarchies. I try to seek contact with the employees, especially in the Production Line. I am very open-minded and eager for knowledge. I can learn a lot from the ‘old-timers’. Otherwise, you would quickly be side-lined as a ‘greenhorn’ and ‘paper-pusher’ who does not have any idea about the work, precisely because of being a youngster fresh from the university. I also try to break down these obstacles by means of tackling things myself and I am not afraid of getting my hands dirty at all.”

The native-born of Lippstadt is down-to-earth most of all. Family and friends are very important to him.

“Striking the right balance between my job and family is very important for me. However, I do not let down my colleagues when they need help in an emergency, such as whenever attendance is required for the night shift. I am glad to do that and it is respected accordingly too, since we are all sitting in the same boat at the end of the day.”