What makes KATEK flexible

Another change? in our top management line-up! Katrin Fricke started as managing director at KATEK Grassau in September and took over responsibilities for the Hungarian entity as well . We asked Katrin how it is to manage two countries in parallel and what she sees as the main success factor for the whole group.

(KATEK) Congratulations on your new role, Katrin! Three months have passed since you joined KATEK. How would you describe them??

(Katrin) Firstly, I would like to thank the whole TeamBlue for a very warm welcome. During these three months, I met and got to know a lot of new colleagues, visited various KATEK entities, and made important connections. I would say the process is similar to putting together a puzzle step by step to get the whole picture in the end. My experience shows that it is very important to understand the way of cooperation and company culture from the very beginning to achieve great results in the future. I look forward to shaping KATEK's future together with TeamBlue!

(KATEK) Tell us more about your current role and top priorities at the moment.?

(Katrin) As managing director of 2 entities, KATEK Grassau (Germany) and KATEK Gy?r (Hungary), I am responsible, together with my team, for setting the right course for the future of both sites. In today's tight supply chain environment, our main focus is to ensure timely supply and service to our customers. At the core of this, of course, lies strict control of order and stock management. The second important direction is the transformation toward digitization and automation. We need consistent digitized processes and even more automated operations in the production units.?

Both aspects lead to greater efficiency and support our competitiveness. Full transparency will help us make the right decisions even faster. We live in an unstable environment that changes very quickly. So we need systems that we can rely on and that help us monitor the situation and act accordingly.

(KATEK) What is the biggest challenge you foresee for the industry next year, and how would you evaluate KATEK's actions in the current market situation??

(Katrin) The biggest challenge for the upcoming years will be ongoing uncertainty and low reliability. Strong and sometimes rapid fluctuations in the various industries will accompany our daily lives. Therefore, it becomes even more important to be diverse and wide-ranging. That is exactly what we do at KATEK. We proved to be a reliable EMS partner for various markets. Having different sites in different countries makes us very flexible - we can adapt quickly to the market and customer needs.

(KATEK) You have a lot of experience in different companies and industries. Can you describe your journey and give us some tips on what makes a great leader?

(Katrin) Indeed, I have had the chance to work in different management positions in different companies and industries. This has allowed me to gain a wider range of experience. But no matter what position you hold or what company you work for, the most important - is people. If you work together with respect, trust, and passion for a common future, you can handle any difficult situation and achieve success.

(KATEK) How important is the company culture for you, and what do you think about KATEK's culture?

(Katrin) As already mentioned, it is all about people - people create the culture, and therefore people create the future. For me, company culture is the foundation of everything. At KATEK we call ourselves TeamBlue, and this defines the way we work. Our focus is on strengthening ties between the different divisions of the KATEK Group. Having different entities in different countries, working in the same business, gives us a great advantage and added value. Our knowledge of the different processes becomes truly broad and diverse. When people perceive and feel this positive effect, networking automatically becomes the new "norm". I am proud to be part of this transformation process as a member of TeamBlue.?