Komax employees are a key element in the Group's success. Each and every one of them counts. Not only when it comes to making a difference and shaping the wire processing industry with innovative solutions, but also when the focus lies on personal growth.  At Komax, employees enjoy jobs that offer exciting challenges, plenty of scope for action and a wide range of career and promotion opportunities. Even abroad, if desired. As a pioneer, market and technology leader in automated wire processing, Komax offers its employees a work environment in which curiosity, courage and initiative are highly valued. Questioning the status quo, developing existing solutions and creating innovations are sought-after attributes within the open, uncomplicated and innovative corporate culture that prevails at the Komax Group.

Patrick Isenschmid is one of those employees who has been challenged at work but explicitly encouraged to achieve his professional goals within the Komax Group. Repeatedly, because his career at the Komax headquarters in Dierikon began 25 years ago with an apprenticeship as a polymechanic. Today, he is Director Operations of the newly created "Operations" unit, which was formed by merging the Production and Internal Sales & Services divisions, and leads a team of 250 people. In the following interview, he explains the benefits of the new, process-oriented unit for customers and how his professional career within the Komax Group has unfolded throughout the years.

The Production and Internal Sales & Services divisions at Komax headquarters in Dierikon were merged and reorganized last year. Why has a new Operations division been created?

Patrick Isenschmid: Through the end of March 2022, both Production and Sales & Services were responsible for operations at our Dierikon site. The divisions have always been characterized by a professional but rather functional way of thinking and working. In other words, the focus of order execution within the individual departments was strictly according to the organizational chart.

And why was this change made?

Adjustments to the organization were necessary in order to not only be prepared for future requirements, but also to be able to actively take advantage of many more opportunities and proactively shape them. The new organization allows us to respond even better to customer needs. At the same time, work steps can be digitized even further. Both lead to greater transparency and therefore to increased efficiency.

You have been working for the Komax Group for over 25 years now. How did your career at Komax begin?
 
I started working at Komax as a 16-year-old teenager. Back then, I was doing a four-year
apprenticeship as a polymechanic.


How did you experience your apprenticeship at Komax?

Thanks to the highly practice-oriented program during my apprenticeship, I had the
opportunity to work actively in different teams, particularly in assembly, but also in mechanical production and prototype construction. My tasks at the company were very varied. After my apprenticeship, I worked in mechanical production. Thanks to supervisors who encouraged me, I was able to gain management experience very early on.

How would you describe your career?

Komax constantly offered me very exciting opportunities and challenges to develop and grow within and with the company. Later, I was given the chance to pursue a project
career. Starting with the management of smaller, simpler projects through to complex, major international projects. I worked in a wide range of specialist areas such as IT, lean management, process management and operational excellence. During this time, I was repeatedly given the opportunity to work on international assignments at other locations or even for other divisions. I found this particularly fascinating.

⁠Today you are Director Operations at the Dierikon site. How did that come about?

I returned to the Production department as Head of Department at the beginning of 2020. Most recently, I was responsible for the production of all modules, benchtop
crimpers, cut & strip machines, control cabinet construction, all accessories, production planning and control, intralogistics and integrated management systems with several teams. In April 2023, I took over the management of the entire Operations division in Dierikon and, since the beginning of the year, I have also been a member of the management team at this site.