I’m Peter Brauckmann, and I started working at VIRO’s Hengelo branch in 2010. At the time, I hadn’t been very happy with my previous employer. I came across the VIRO website online, a company unknown to me at the time. However, it looked like they were involved in some interesting projects, so I sent an application. It led to me joining VIRO, where I’ve now been working for 14 years.
Looking back and adding everything up, I must have worked with at least 40 clients over the years, with two or three projects for some of them. Some of these projects were short, but others were much more long-term, lasting 1 or 2 years. That suits me perfectly, because after such a period I’m usually ready for something new.
I’ve been working in the Mechanical Engineering department from the start. It covers a lot of different disciplines. Every machine has its challenges, and, to be honest, so does almost every client. Thanks to this, my job is very varied. Sometimes, I have to deal with aggressive chemicals, sand, dust or water. There’s almost always less space than I’d like, and often the design has to be able to house a lot of electronics. I sometimes build using steel, aluminium, plastic, composite or titanium, all of which have their own properties and peculiarities. My work can literally involve anything, on any scale.
Some of the largest machines I’ve designed during my time at VIRO have been vehicles for the aluminium industry. They were the size of a truck, weighing 15 to 20 tonnes unloaded. At the other end of the spectrum, I’m currently working on an assembly tool for the semiconductor industry. It’s about 80 mm in length and 27 mm in diameter and consists of five parts pushed on top of each other. The challenge here is positioning the parts with a tolerance of just 5 microns. The entire tool has to be placed in a measuring machine to ensure this level of accuracy, and the position of the parts is checked before, during and after gluing.
For me, challenging projects and continued development are part and parcel of an enjoyable job. One thing that wouldn’t suit me at all would be the role of project leader, but if that’s what you want, VIRO can certainly help make it happen. These days, working from home a few days a week is also an option. Considering my commute is 40-45 minutes each way, that’s perfect for me. We organise meetings on days when the entire team is present, but if something needs to be discussed at other times, we can always use Teams.
Fortunately, there’s also time for an informal chat with colleagues during breaks. Sometimes we brainstorm to solve a problem at work, other times we chat about our partners, children or hobbies. Job satisfaction depends on more than the technical challenges; a good atmosphere and good colleagues are also important. That’s another aspect that has made my 14 years at VIRO so enjoyable.