Many of our employees have been part of voestalpine for decades. Some even stay for their entire working life. What keeps them with the company for so long? We asked around the world.
Flexible working time models, home office options, performance-related remuneration components, childcare, healthcare and a wide range of career and development opportunities: We are constantly investing in an attractive and new working environment with comprehensive benefits. Not only do we stand for an open feedback culture, our employees are also co-owners and thus participate in the capital of the voestalpine Group through their own shareholdings. Some of our long-standing employees have told us what working for us means to them.
Together they have spent seven decades at voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak: Gord, Vice President of Sales, and Linton, Vice President of Transit Sales and Estimating, Tendering, and Transit Sales for Canada. Both started as labourers and made their (career) way in the company.
Witnessing the company’s development was a highlight for both of them. “When we started selling, we were generating a small single-digit million turnover per year; today, turnover is in the mid three-digit range. Being part of this growth has been hugely exciting. The Nortrak culture is also characterised by a friendly, supportive environment where employees communicate with each other and have the courage to speak up and share ideas,” says Gord.
LogServ, a subsidiary of voestalpine Stahl GmbH, has been offering innovative, customised logistics solutions tailored to specific needs and processes since 2001. Andrea from Contract Logistics and Herbert from Plant Transport Road have not only been with the company from the start, their journey began much earlier. “I’ve been working at voestalpine since 1985. I started in what was then the `Tariff Office´ until LogServ was founded. I particularly enjoyed the always exciting and varied tasks at the more than 30 companies that I have looked after over the years, either directly or as a deputy.”, says Andrea.
Straddle carrier driver Herbert can also look back on a long history with us. “I started my apprenticeship as a mould carpenter in 1985. I then worked in casting control before moving to the transport company in 1998. It was really important to me that this career change was made possible and that I can now do what I really enjoy. I still enjoy going to work every day and always try to do my bit to the best of my ability.”
I also think it’s great that I can contribute my hobby. I build our vehicles as miniatures out of wood. Some of them are then given to colleagues when they retire. A miniature straddle carrier takes a good 150 hours of work,” says Herbert.
Marilyn, a former steel buyer, and her brother Ricky, Corporate Quality Assurance Manager, are true veterans of voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation. It all began in 1973 when Ricky and Marilyn officially became part of voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation. Both followed in their mother’s footsteps and celebrated 50 years of service in 2023. “50 years was not what I had originally planned. But after the first five years at RFC, I realised that this is a real career path. I’ve had lots of opportunities and really learnt a lot.”, says Ricky.
“Indeed, there have been many changes, but every single one has been for the better. When RFC was taken over by voestalpine, we were initially sceptical about the unknown. But it was great to work with the colleagues and we always felt part of the global voestalpine phenomenon. I also always had challenging but very interesting tasks. For me, the joy of work always had a lot to do with the people I worked with,” says Marilyn. In any case, Marilyn and Ricky’s family have more years of service together at RFC than any other.
At voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten, a sense of togetherness and shared commitment also count. A “Wall of Fame” honors employees who have been with the company for over 25, 40 or even 50 years. As a token of appreciation for long-standing employees, different colored plaques with their name and year of joining the company adorn the brick wall. There are now 177 silver, 23 ruby red and two gold plaques on the Wall of Fame. Based on the colors of traditional marriage anniversaries, they represent 25, 40 and 50 years of service to the company.
We are particularly proud of our 51,600 employees in over 50 countries and of the fact that 31% of them have been with the Group for 15 years or longer. After all, they are the ones who make up our success and drive innovation.
Die voestalpine ist ein weltweit führender Stahl- und Technologiekonzern mit kombinierter Werkstoff- und Verarbeitungskompetenz. Die global tätige Unternehmensgruppe verfügt über rund 500 Konzerngesellschaften und -standorte in mehr als 50 Ländern auf allen fünf Kontinenten. Sie notiert seit 1995 an der Wiener Börse. Mit ihren Premium-Produkt- und Systemlösungen zählt sie zu den führenden Partnern der Automobil- und Hausgeräteindustrie sowie der Luftfahrt- und Öl- & Gasindustrie und ist darüber hinaus Weltmarktführer bei Bahninfrastruktursystemen, bei Werkzeugstahl und Spezialprofilen. Die voestalpine bekennt sich zu den globalen Klimazielen und verfolgt mit greentec steel einen klaren Plan zur Dekarbonisierung der Stahlproduktion.
