Hi Elisabetta! How long have you been working in CMS and what is your job?
I started 26 years ago in OVP, which was one of our subsidiaries. I was a mechanical assembler, and this is still my current role.
More in detail, what kind of assemblies do you do?
I currently work in the Assembly Dept. of CMS and I mainly deal with the assembly of the superstructures of our customer Tetra Pak. The superstructures are the modules where paper sterilization, package forming and sterile filling take place: they are the “heart” of the machine!
In particular, I take care of the forming line: I assemble the forming rings, which give the right shape to the paper; according to the required volume, I make the section which is then mounted on the machine.
What was your childhood dream?
I wanted to attend the hotel school with pastry specialization. I love cooking, in particular I love baking. However, the access to that school was limited, I tried the entrance exam twice, but unfortunately, I did not succeed. I was disappointed, but I decided to roll up my sleeves and I started looking for a job.
… And so, your adventure here began!
That’s right! I remember that I had just turned 16 and I had not a driving license yet, so my father took me to the company for the first time. At that time, he was a painter and we arrived at OVP on the Fiorino that he used to go to work. Among brushes, buckets of paint and varnishes, I got out of the van and a man came close to me: he was Erino Marchi. With him, I began to take my very first steps in the factory, learning the basic notions of my job day after day, from the use of the calliper to the execution of wiring and cabling, up to the implementation of electrical and pneumatic diagrams. All these activities were crucial for my training, and they significantly contributed to my professional development.
Are you satisfied about your training in the company?
Yes, of course, because having transversal skills made me versatile and flexible.
Furthermore, I have always been given the opportunities to grow and value my work. Supported for years on a practical level by Erino, I then completed my training with specific courses: not only the forklift driver course but also lessons on mechanical drawing or classes of English language: in fact, it is necessary to know it in order to understand the so-called “Maintenance Manuals”, ie the manuals showing all the components settings, written only in English.
Do you like your job?
Yes! I have good manual skills and they certainly do not remain confined just to the factory walls: I am a multitasking woman and I love household DIY! When I have some problems at home, I have no difficulty in gripping screwdrivers and hammers … I even have fun in repairing the mixer in the kitchen or the washing machine!
Have you ever had problems interacting with your colleagues, all men?
No, I haven’t. Because, actually, I’m a “tomboy”! At home I help my father in the countryside, I saw wood and I drive the track! This side of my personality definitely helps me in interacting with my colleagues, there is never any embarrassment between us and I really enjoy joking with them! Of course, at the beginning I had to learn to fight against some old stereotypes related to women, against the idea of ”dazed, clumsy and strengthless female”. They are just stupid clichés, and in these 26 years I think I have proven that I can do the same things as a man.
In your opinion, what qualities can women assert in our sector, the metalworking, which is typically male?
Order, attention to details, greater reflectivity. Men generally tend to be hastier and more chaotic, and they often do not think it is important to maintain organization and cleanliness just because we are in a mechanical workshop. Actually, I think it is extremely important. Our customers appreciate us also and above all for this. A company that looks well-groomed and clean in its departments offers added value from the beginning.
Do you have a hobby, a passion, a dream? Tell us about yourself.
I love sport. In my free time I ride bike, I go to the gym and I run. And while I run … I sing! One more of my greatest passions. I sing when I play sports or in the shower, but never in public! In front of an audience, I would be embarrassed so this will remain forever my big dream!
How do you see yourself in 10 years?
Even more sclerotic than now!
Seriously, I hope to still be here, but I don’t want to plan my future anymore: I’ve learned that there is no need to make too many plans, I prefer to live in the moment and enjoy the good things life can offer me day by day.
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