On the occasion of our 30th company anniversary, we look back on the development of INTRAVIS in a 6-part series. We shed light on where it all began, why INTRAVIS is actually called INTRAVIS, what influence a student had on our start in the plastic packaging industry, and how a vision has always driven us for 30 years now. Today: Many of our employees have been loyal to INTRAVIS for many years. We asked them what they value about the company and how new employees see the company.
Those who work at INTRAVIS have often been doing so for a very long time. Some of our employees have been with us for over 20 years - back then we had just 25 employees. They have experienced with us the rise from a small company to a global market leader with more than 230 employees.
But new colleagues are also quickly infected by the special spirit at INTRAVIS. We asked our colleagues Raimund (almost 30 years with the company), Kevin (with INTRAVIS for 8 years) and Ellen (with us for 4 months) for a short interview to get behind the secret of INTRAVIS.
INTRAVIS: Raimund, you work for us as a project manager and software architect and have been with INTRAVIS since the beginning. How has working at INTRAVIS developed for you over time?
Raimund: In the beginning there was X-ray microtomography with exciting insights into the material samples and a 3D data analysis, which was already a challenge for computers at that time. Then we transferred our knowledge to quality control in series production, today also with data analysis and correction data for customer machines. And last but not least, we have also been active in optical asparagus classification and sorting for over 20 years. So my tasks and projects have always been diverse, varied and exciting.
INTRAVIS: You mentioned asparagus classification and sorting. What exactly do we do there and how did it come about?
Raimund: At that time, the request came to inspect and measure and classify asparagus spears in the food sector. At that time, industrial color cameras and 3D evaluations were just new, an exciting expansion of our product range. Image series instead of single images for each object were also new.
We sorted the asparagus spears into up to 60 classes according to 28 quality criteria, including volume and weight determination, and kept statistics for each field and each harvester. In the process, we integrated our cameras and software into the sorting systems of a machine manufacturer, so that we had systems in operation throughout Europe in one fell swoop.
INTRAVIS: And what have been the highlights for you personally in these 30 years - both in terms of cooperation within the company and your work?
Raimund: As with all start-up companies, the pioneering spirit and the team spirit are particularly pronounced, so that I also meet many colleagues privately at sports. This has not changed as we have grown. We have always developed the systems on which we can test and see and "touch" the results, i.e. experience them. In the early years, I myself was still involved in commissioning and service visits to customers, even internationally. Successes are celebrated together, and when problems arise, people help each other without red tape. For me, INTRAVIS is not only an employer, but a second family. Despite the opportunity for mobile working (home office), I enjoy going to the office.
INTRAVIS: Someone who has gotten to know INTRAVIS very extensively is you, Kevin. Tell us briefly about your career at INTRAVIS, which has already lasted 8 years.
Kevin: I started my training as an industrial clerk in August 2015. I successfully completed this after two years and was then taken on in the sales back office. There, I was introduced to the field sales force bit by bit, so that I was hired as a field sales representative at the beginning of 2019.
INTRAVIS: And what made you stay at INTRAVIS for so long?
Kevin: INTRAVIS has always offered me new development opportunities over the years. It started when I was allowed to shorten my training from the originally planned three years to two. Subsequently, various milestones were defined that advanced my path into the field sales force. Once these were achieved, the change was uncomplicated and supported from all sides. Once I arrived in field sales, the achievement of the set goals was again rewarded with new opportunities. I was able to take on important key customers and was given more and more responsibility.
In addition, working with my colleagues is very informal and fun.
INTRAVIS: Ellen, you are very new at INTRAVIS. You started in the HR department 4 months ago. What are your first impressions?
Ellen: Even after 4 months, I am thrilled every day anew by the spirit that prevails at INTRAVIS, the cordiality and the strong cohesion among the employees. I have been welcomed everywhere in a totally open and friendly manner.
I was immediately struck by the transparency and open communication in the company during the first week - I had never experienced that before and I really like being close to the company's issues.
INTRAVIS: And what exactly made you decide to apply at INTRAVIS?
Ellen: I actually found INTRAVIS through the "Family-friendly companies in your region" page, and family-friendliness was already a very important aspect for me during the application phase. After 5 years with a large American corporation, I wanted to return to an owner-managed medium-sized company where the focus is on the employees and the working atmosphere is very personal - and I was very lucky to find exactly that here.
INTRAVIS: Ellen, Raimund and Kevin, thank you very much for your time and all the best for the future!
Click here for the previous articles in the series:
- Part 1: The beginnings of INTRAVIS
- Part 2: How we moved to plastic packaging
- Part 3: We grow!
- Part 4: About bottles, closures, labels and preforms
- Part 5: One vision for almost 30 years