"I was the first woman to start working in Bars & Profiles in 2012."

• Tell us more about your background, Melissa.
  In high school, I studied beauty care and makeup/ special effects. After that, I pursued a higher education degree to become a hairdressing teacher. However, that path didn't fully resonate with me, so I decided to start a new chapter in my life - the real working world. Later, I earned my diploma in Office Management at HIK in Geel through evening classes.

• How did you end up at Aurubis?
  It's actually a funny story (laughs). I landed at Aurubis after an acquaintance encouraged me to apply here. So, I did just that! At the time, the name Aurubis meant nothing to me. But during the tour, I immediately recognized the production hall where my father had worked for many years during the earlier Umicore era! And of course, I instantly recognized the factory chimney that I could always see from afar as a child when we came to pick up my father. So, I started at Bars & Profiles in 2012.

• What did your job at Bars & Profiles entail?
  I worked at Bars & Profiles for five years. In the beginning, I operated machines and did pure operator work. In the last two years, I also took on logistical tasks, including driving a forklift and loading trucks. I was at the end of the production flow back then, whereas in my current job, I'm at the very beginning of that flow. It's nice to have tasted the full Aurubis Olen story like this!

• How was it for you as a woman in production?
  I was the very first woman to work at Bars & Profiles. It was a relatively new department, established in Olen in 2010. Fortunately, my colleagues didn't make any distinctions. They welcomed me into the team right away and considered me one of them. Growing up with a brother and many cousins made "a man's world" not intimidating for me.

• What advice do you have for women who want to work at Aurubis?
  It's important to be yourself in this environment. Of course, you have to hold your own, but there is a lot of respect within Aurubis, regardless of your gender. You are immediately embraced by your colleagues. They accept you for who you are. The most important thing is self-confidence and, of course, a passion for your work. I would say, just go for it!

• Now you work as a PSP Assistant. What does your job entail?
  In short; I connect the customer's request with the products available here. The customer places an order, and I assess the possibilities in the PSP systems. Then, I process it administratively so that the Internal Logistics colleagues know exactly what to load. Additionally, I check how the drivers should load, based on the customer's specifications. This way, I know exactly which classes and weights we can provide. Occasionally, I also assist the colleagues at the counter. We check the driver's details and direct them to the right zone.

• You work with many colleagues. How would you describe them?
  That's right! We are a team of about 18. How would I describe them? Let's say it's a "cheerful organized chaos" (laughs). We work together as a team brilliantly, but sometimes, we all want to take on the same task, leading to a cheerful chaos. I am really delighted to be part of our team! Occasionally, we also do things together outside of work, which strengthens our bond with colleagues.

• To what extent does Logistics contribute to Aurubis' goals and growth?
  I dare say our department is one of the most important. We ensure that copper gets everywhere and that it enters and exits correctly. We work closely with the Customer Service colleagues and Internal Logistics.

• Do you have a funny anecdote from your time at Aurubis Olen?
  When I applied for Logistics, I was asked as the first question, "Imagine you have to paint every front door in Belgium, how many liters of paint do you need?". I found that such a bizarre question! It seemed like a trick question. But actually, my supervisor wanted to know how I approach tasks precisely. And apparently, I'm not the only one who got that trick question (laughs).

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