“When a machine stops working, we have to help quickly”

When you step into the workshop in Hall 2, you can see work benches, machines, cabinets with materials, and right in the middle the TAN Team working at various tables. The clicking and whirring of tools fills the room. Every now and then, a red message pops up on the screen on the wall – an error message. 

The TAN Team always has an eye on what’s happening on the screen – the error book – because their colleagues have clear expectations: the systems in Hall 2 and Hall 4 have to be back up and running as quickly as possible. Quality and productivity must still be guaranteed without restrictions, even after repairs. The Fault Fixing Team, usually three colleagues per shift – is taking care of notifications from various areas. “This includes anything from simple things like broken needles to complex faults where the system needs to be reset to factory defaults,” explains Rainer Hagenauer (on the right), TAN Team Leader. This is usually not a problem for the team consisting of eleven colleagues and four trainees. They primarily look after sewing machine technology, they’re in close contact with manufacturers, they regularly undergo training, and they’re experienced with Bauerfeind-specific attachments. The TAN Team also orders new sewing machines and tools when they have become worn, and maintains HF welding machines.

When asked what may cause the team to panic, a colleague says, with a twinkle in his eye while the picture of the group is being taken: “When the screen looks like it does now!” It shows three error messages that have not yet been processed. “When a machine stops working, we have to help quickly,” emphasizes Rainer Hagenauer. This is a challenge for the 27-year-old during vacation time because these experts can’t leave anything for too long even when they’re understaffed. Close cooperation with other Team Leaders and the TAN Team in Gera is therefore all the more important to be able to prioritize effectively. 

Team spirit is also essential for Rainer Hagenauer: “We need helping hands in our job. My team has always supported me brilliantly when I haven’t been able to solve something myself. I really hope that our team work will continue to be this amazing.” To this effect, the Team Leader wants to promote joint activities after work. One team tradition will certainly remain: ordering doner kebab every Thursday.