22. January 2021

Mette-Katrine

Wila strengthens sales and production by the appointment of a new Plant Manager

Wila has appointed a new Plant Manager. The appointment supports the efforts to optimize the production and strengthen the sales effort in the expanding company.

As part of our strategy, revenue and earnings must be doubled in the course of three to five years. The methods to it include optimizing the production, strengthening the sales effort and engaging sales agents in foreign countries so the company’s client base will be more internationally based.

New Plant Manager from Grundfos

Consequently, we have appointed 51-year-old Michael Nielsen as the new factory manager. Michael Nielsen comes from a similar position as Operations Manager at Grundfos.

-I have been at Grundfos for 26 years but as I got the offer about the position at Wila, I had to accept. Wila’s ambitious growth plan and needs for change management fit in with my needs for developing and finding new challenges at work, says Michael Nielsen.

Michael Nielsen’s career started on the floor as a blacksmith after which he rose through the ranks as among others production manager and head of department at Grundfos. On his way, he has educated further and obtained university education in both management and managerial psychology.

Strengthening of the sales department

The need for a new Plant Manager is caused by a strengthening of the sales department. A new position in the sales department required competencies that were so directed at Wila that it made the most sense to find the concerned person internally.  The choice fell on Plant Manager René Lauridsen.

During the last year, René Lauridsen has been in charge of the initial initiatives in implementing Lean at Wila. For this reason, a new Plant Manager was needed to continue that work.

-Michael Nielsen is a Lean Black Belt so we could not wish for a better profile. He has been taught by Lean-Coaches from Toyota who invented and developed the whole concept and he has worked with Lean at all levels at Grundfos, says Illhami Alici, CEO at Wila

Lean is a model for business processes and production layout which builds the most value possible for customers with as little effort as possible. For instance, it is achieved through employee involvement, order, tidiness and a logical structure of the production so the production route through the factory halls is logical and ruler-straight.

Michael Nielsen commences the position on March 1, 2021.

“At Wila A/S, we have a dedicated and skilled staff who perform all tasks with common sense, great professionalism, pride and expertise.”