Apprenticeship opportunities doubled
SGK as employer
Growth strategy also successful in terms of apprenticeship
Krefeld, April 29, 2021
Siempelkamp Giesserei GmbH (SGK), the Krefeld-based family-owned company and world market leader for hand-molded castings, is advertising more than twice as many apprenticeship positions in 2021 as in the previous year, thus manifesting its adopted growth strategy. For the Managing Directors Dirk Howe and Dr. Georg Geier, above all a qualified training of new employees secures the foundry's long-term manufacturing know-how, through which the special customer requirements can be precisely served.
High-tech training of a manufactory
in industrial guise
Fortunately, the order situation also defies the Corona crisis and enables a future-oriented growth strategy with an increasing number of employees. SGK is thus committed not only to its North Rhine-Westphalia location, but also to the sustainable training of local foundry mechanics.
Training at Siempelkamp Giesserei is popular because the company attaches great importance to taking on trainees after they have successfully completed their training and to keeping them in the company throughout their entire working lives with their experience. This is a logical and consistent offer to young talent, who can hope for a long-term perspective given top performance. “At our company, employees regularly celebrate their 25th or 40th anniversary,” says Thomas Dittmann, Chairman of the Works Council. Applicants with a good secondary school dipolma, preferably good grades in mathematics and science, with manual skills, spatial awareness and good technical understanding are particularly welcome for training as a foundry mechanic. Ideally, industrial clerks should have at least a vocational extension certificate (Fachoberschulreife) and a good feeling for numbers and communication.
Shaping the future with the world market leader
The apprentices of a year are selected via an assessment test and a one-day orientation internship. Respective apprenticeships usually last three and a half years, but can be shortened by up to one year with good performance. “We rely on continuous feedback and support our apprentices' willingness to perform,” says Training Manager Eugen Müller. “This also includes paying an above-average apprenticeship salary and this year also paying out a Corona bonus of 800 euros.” In the final year of their apprenticeship, foundry mechanics specialize in specific casting processes.
After the apprenticeship, Siempelkamp Giesserei offers a “career with apprenticeship” and enables many apprentices to continue their education to become technicians or industrial foremen.
Unique operating environment
at the world champion for hand-mold casting
In the minds of many future foundry mechanics, the job description is characterized by harsh conditions such as heat, dirt, shift work, and physical labor. However, thanks to increased digitalization and automation, more and more work processes are being simplified and structured at Siempelkamp Giesserei. The production process and quality control are computerized, the knowledge management around production is digitalized, and also in the manufacturing process itself, although many steps are still strenuous manual work, they are becoming increasingly easier thanks to modern systems.
According to the family-owned company, many of the training subjects, in particular those related to mold making and the casting process, would hardly be taught in this way in any other foundry. In addition, SGK's junior staff does not learn in a small training workshop, but right away in the large production hall on actual workpieces. “This practical approach requires a high degree of personal responsibility, creative drive and hands-on mentality right from the start,” says Managing Director Dr. Georg Geier. ”In principle, it still remains manual work despite all the automation. The basic motivation from a fascination for material and processes must be brought along by the interested applicants.”
Manufacturing with weight and influence
The approximately 2,000 large-format iron castings produced annually by the world market leader are not only heavyweights in the literal sense, but also figuratively speaking. System-relevant components for the production of cars, medical technology, presses, mills or energy technology are manufactured here from liquid metal.
As a supplier “Made in Germany”, the Siempelkamp Giesserei with its team of foundry mechanics is thus the starting point for the worldwide production of goods for daily use. With the resource-saving and highly efficient production of these basic components, it contributes fundamentally and globally to more sustainability, comfort, and progress via the value chains of its customers.
In particular, hand-mold casting, which is the basis for the specialization, is a unique selling point of the foundry in its technical perfection and makes it the world market leader. “However, Siempelkamp Giesserei does not only understand high complexity of its castings, it holds the world record for the largest part of 320 tons cast in one piece,” explains Dirk Howe, Spokesman of the Management Board.
About Siempelkamp Giesserei
Siempelkamp is a globally active group of companies with the business units Mechanical and Plant Engineering, Casting Technology, and Engineering and Service. Nearly 3,000 employees worldwide ensure that the Siempelkamp Group is represented among the world leaders with its technologies.
Siempelkamp Giesserei GmbH in Krefeld specializes in the production of hand-molded large castings of up to 320t made of cast iron with nodular graphite and is one of the largest hand-molding foundries in the world. The comprehensive and customer-oriented service package includes the entire production process from design, calculations, pattern making, molding and casting to mechanical processing as well as packaging and transport.