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I love it when no two days are the same

Isabell Kalitz is an exciting mix of verve, experience and commitment. The electronics technician for industrial engineering and master craftswoman in metal technology manages the Möllenhagen plant - as the youngest Xella plant manager in Germany.

10 February, 2023
Ms Kalitz, you have been responsible for the plant for a year now. Before that, you managed the production and logistics of a gourmet food manufacturer. What attracted you to the change to sand-lime bricks?

I was able to train quickly in new topics at Xella and you learn the most through a change of industry. Xella gave me the chance to manage a plant. That's something I've always wanted. I love it when no two days are the same.

You learned your profession from the bottom up.

That's true and helps me a lot, in the past as a site manager and today at Xella. After my technical apprenticeship, I did my craftership master diploma in metal processing at the evening school parallel to my first position as production manager.

How did you manage to do all that so quickly at the age of 27?

I come from a family of electronics engineers. The subject is almost in my DNA. But I have already wanted too much.

What do you mean by that?

The master's degree in evening school parallel to work - I wouldn't do that today. But learning a profession from the bottom up is something I can only recommend. It does not only expand your practical knowledge, but also makes it easier to deal with a wide variety of people. That is just as important to me as technology.

How do you live this in Möllenhagen?
We are a small team of ten colleagues. Once a month we have breakfast together and every morning we meet for a team dialogue, as it is standard at all Xella plants in Germany.
What is it all about?
Safety is our top priority and therefore always comes first. So we start the dialogue with a Safety Moment.
What is that exactly?
At the beginning, the employees report on a so-called safety moment. This draws everyone's attention to the issue of safety. The goal of a Safety Moment is to help all employees recognise potential hazards and take appropriate action to avoid them. Just to name a few: always stay alert to the issue of safety, wear appropriate PPE, use handrails when climbing stairs. The team dialogue is also about the performance of our site.
The exchange does not stop there. Everyone is encouraged to say where he or she sees a need for action in the plant, where a repair is needed or where we require support from a specialist company. So I not only have daily contact with every employee. Through our close exchange, I also have the chance to identify very quickly where something is not running well. It is important to me that everyone in the team knows that their work, experience and assessment are valued.
Does that mean you also get feedback more quickly from the other team members?
Fortunately, that happens. I appreciate clear communication on both sides when it comes to difficult issues. That is also a sign of mutual appreciation.
Your predecessor as plant manager was probably a completely different person from you. Was that a big change for your team?
It was certainly an adjustment, but with clear communication, transparency and appreciation, it works.

 

As a manager, where do you get new ideas outside of Xella?

Almost my entire family and circle of friends consists of technicians from the most diverse sectors. It's a wonderful private network in which we all learn a lot from each other.

And how do the Xella plant managers support each other?

Once a week we have an online meeting. It's a lively and valuable exchange. With our regional management we have a performance dialogue every day, the very first thing on the agenda is where EHS stands and then the KPIs. On Fridays we have more time. Then it's a meeting where other departments participate if necessary. On the first Friday of every month, each site manager reports on site safety for the previous month.  What did I do for safety last month? Which EHS projects exist at the site and what is the current status?

Do the small plants benefit from the big ones, or does it work the other way round too?
Of course we benefit from each other. We have a close exchange in our region. Whether for projects or day-to-day business. Currently, I'm discussing a lot about the reuse of recycled material with the Reinbek plant.
And what other challenges do you face?
Fortunately, it's different every day. There are safety dialogues, safety tours, discussions with employees, organizational actions, technical challenges, checking procedures - where can we improve? Thanks to my qualification, I can train everyone myself in OEE, the key figure Overall Equipment Effectiveness. In addition: New positions have to be filled. We are currently looking for a metalworker and an electrician to strengthen our team.
You have a full day. How do you take care of your personal, positive energy balance?
Either I'm out and about with my dog Orson Welles, jogging or I do hobby and dressage riding.

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