Sven Wösten, Station Head, at ELA Container since 2011
Date of interview: 22.10.2023
From qualified carpenter to Station Head – Sven has written quite the success story since joining ELA in 2011. In his interview, he talks about his milestones and why he's able to take some pleasure from jumping in at the deep end.
Sven, why don't you tell us a little about yourself and your journey with ELA.
Hello, my name is Sven Wösten. I'm 34 years old, live in Emsland and have been working for ELA Container in Haren (Ems) for more than eleven years. I began my journey at ELA as a qualified carpenter in 2011. After finishing my master craftsman course, I returned as an assistant master craftsman at the end of 2013. At the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, I was then promoted to Station Head in the assembly hall, which was a huge step for me. And the next challenge is just around the corner. At the end of 2023, I'll be assuming responsibility for the production line in our new hall at Eurohafen, where we'll be taking container production to a whole new level.
„For me, ELA Container was completely a stroke of luck!“
Can you remember what made you decide to apply to ELA? Did you have any idea where your journey with us would take you?
Not at all. After acquiring my advanced technical college certificate and spending six months in the German military, I came across ELA at the employment agency. It was completely a stroke of luck. I was secretly hoping to one day lead a small team of five to six carpenters as an assistant master craftsman. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be able to assume responsibility for that many employees so soon and be promoted to Station Head in the assembly hall.
How exactly did you become Station Head, and what are your areas of responsibility in this position?
My master craftsman qualification was, of course, an important milestone and allowed me to continue my career. And then there was all the trust that the company and general management placed in me.
In my position as Station Head, I'm basically responsible for disciplinary management of all the employees at the assembly hall. It was initially around 30 employees, but has since grown to 70. I'm also in charge of ensuring that orders are completed on time and that every process runs smoothly. Many tasks and activities in the halls are interconnected much like cogs, which makes it all the more important that every step goes according to plan.
„Our easy-going atmosphere breaks the ice and creates open and honest interaction based on mutual respect.”
That sounds like a lot of responsibility. How have you learned to handle it all?
The support of the company and general management played a key role. They were there to help when mistakes were made. And I'm a huge fan of the deep end anyway, especially when it comes to new or unfamiliar situations, as they often allow my team and me to grow. For example, we had to restructure production due to new container types and switch from lateral to cross flow.
Team spirit and an informal environment are, of course, key factors and make many things easier.
How would you describe the atmosphere at ELA and in your team?
It's amazing. Our easy-going atmosphere breaks the ice and creates open and honest interaction based on mutual respect. And we all make sure to have our fair share of fun. We also work really well with the management, as there's always someone who's willing to listen, address the issue and find a solution that benefits the employees. That can be reassuring and comforting. There's never any reason to hesitate to speak to your supervisors.
„Team spirit and an informal environment make many things easier.“
You mentioned before that your journey with ELA is not yet over. What will your future responsibilities look like in the new production hall at Eurohafen?
The new production hall used to be a production facility for wind turbines, so it's enormous. I'll be responsible for the assembly line in one of the areas in the new hall. Those responsibilities will be similar to the ones I have now. But on the new assembly line, we'll be producing containers at a much faster pace and standardizing processes despite offering greater flexibility in terms of the container shape. That ultimately translates to larger dimensions, higher production numbers and thus more responsibility for me.
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