“I always wanted to work in a manufacturing company which produced cars or car parts”, recounts Eduardo. The opportunity presented itself halfway through his university engineering course at the Ibero-American University of Leon when Pirelli decided to open a factory in Silao, in the region of Guanajuato, just a little way to the south of Leon.
How did it go?
“Pirelli was looking for young engineers in my university and a few final-year students were taken on for an internship. They were sent to Romania to learn about manufacturing processes. As soon as I had achieved the necessary requirements to present my own candidacy, I also sent in an application and after a few interviewsmy first day with Pirelli was on 19th February 2012”.
What were you dealing with?
“My duties related to planning the manufacturing process, but the factory did not exist; it was still under construction, so we were dealing with the supply of raw materials and of semi-finished products, particularly those coming from Brazil, pending the installation of the machinery. In fact, I witnessed the birth of the factory and was able to handle its start-up phase; it was a really wonderful experience”.
Then manufacturing started...
“That's right, and I started to take charge of the planning of the manufacturing process. After two years, I had a new opportunity and started to interface with the Headquarters in Italy for the planning of the manufacturing of tyres in factories. With this new role I was able to begin to understand market dynamics and sales forecasts, as well as efficiency and manufacturing targets.”
How did your career progress?
“They offered me the position of production manager in one of the five factories that belong to the manufacturing plant of Silao, the division which handles semi-finished products, where they make all the various parts of a tyre. It is an important role because you are responsible for everything, particularly the safety of the workforce and product quality. Our mission is zero accidents, quality and efficiency. The greatest satisfaction came from working as a team. This experience allowed me to return to planning, but this time for the whole factory with a direct relationship to the factory manager and our sales team members both in the US and in Mexico”.
What other challenges did you face?
“To look after the growth of the factory, the challenges of industrial engineering, that is to say to understand what opportunities there are to make the manufacturing process ever safer and of high quality. Today the industry has further developed thanks to smart manufacturing: obtaining real-time data from the machines allows you to understand what is happening and to improve safety, because you can see where the problems are and resolve them quickly”.
Did you have an opportunity to work abroad?
“In 2021 I was offered a position in Milan, at the Headquarters, to deal with planning on a world-wide level. It is my current job and consists of analysing the manufacturing capabilities of the factories throughout the world in order to understand how many items to make and where this can be achieved to the best safety and quality standards, in trying to provide the best possible service, whilst respecting costs of conversion. In addition, we need to determine where it makes sense to invest in order to achieve higher production runs whilst still respecting a sustainable viewpoint”.
For those who would like to take on a job such as yours, what do you recommend that they should study?
“Mathematics is a fundamental requirement, but it is also important to have a good knowledge of systems. I would say that mathematics and the digital world are the two pillars that you need to work in the manufacturing sector”.
And what would be your advice for the best types of experience?
“An internship is really important. In school you learn about logic and theory; it gives you the basis for developing your mindset, but inter-personal relationships, working and prioritising are things you learn only from practical experience”.
What has struck you most about Pirelli?
“Pirelli is an international company with a strong footprint throughout the world. But it is also flexible and makes room for young people. If you succeed in understanding how things can be done better, you can bring your ideas to the table. And it is very rewarding to feel that you are leaving your mark in the workplace.”
