5 quick facts about Erik

• Name: Erik Berge
• Marital status: Married w/Veronica, 2 children in common and 1 from previous marriage.
• Comes from: Rockwool AS
• Education: Air Force Academy/HiO
• Interests: Hunting, fishing and the outdoors

Why did you apply for the position of manager in Tratec Norcon?

My whole working career has been about maintenance even though the employer has had different names. So when this position came up with the opportunity to deliver services I pulled out all the stops and applied, the worst you can get is a no.

Had you heard of Tratec before you saw the job advert?

Not at all! All I had to do was go straight to the www and read up on Tratec Norcon. In short, a conversation with Bent-Ståle Johansen (CEO of Tratec Norcon) and reading online only increased my motivation to work in TN.

Did you have a background in a similar industry?

No, I didn't. I studied cybernetics at the University of Oslo, for use in my staff position at Defence Materiel Air Capabilities. My background is 20 years in the Air Force in various technical positions at stations and on staff. With young children approaching school age and a wife who missed Trondheim and RBK (...or Veronica missed Trondheim and I missed RBK), we moved up in 2014. Then I was lucky enough to get a job at Bane Nor as a specialist manager for signalling on the Trønderbanen line, with little pls and a lot of relay management. As an employee of the agency, you hear «horror stories» about the private sector and I'm wired in such a way that it has to be tested, how wrong can it be I think. So in December 2018, I reached a new milestone when I got an opportunity in the private sector at the Rockwool factory in Trondheim as a maintenance manager. When I talk about Rockwool, I often hear «Oh yeah, that's Glava insulation...» so for your information, Rockwool produces rock wool, the best insulation you can get when it comes to fire properties and sound insulation😊. So my experience of this industry comes from Rockwool, which has LEAN & OEE through automation of its production line at the forefront of its mind.

What have you appreciated most in TN since you started as department manager at Tiller?

That's the amazing welcome I've received from every employee I've spoken to at Tratec Norcon! No matter who I've spoken to, I get the feeling that they want to give you the best possible starting point in understanding the topic we're talking about. It's a quality/culture I appreciate, it tells me that the employees in the company thrive themselves and want new employees to get that feeling too.

What thoughts do you have about where you want to take the department next?

There is no doubt that the employees here at Tiller have good expertise in transport projects/planning and industrial programming, so we must also develop to remain competitive.

In concrete terms, the organisation at Tiller has only had one year as part of the Tratec Group. In the short term, we at Tiller will get «the Tratec Norcon way» in our backbone. We have made a good start on the tunnel at Frøya, which is being implemented by Tiller for transport and Alcoa Mosjøen for industry. We will also spend time here at Tiller getting to know each other, familiarising ourselves with new routines and addressing old ones. With 20 years in FS, the gene is clearly strong for me, team building and knowing who is good at what and how we can use that expertise in the best possible way for TN is the focus now.

Then we're working to make Tratec Norcon known as a supplier of automation solutions for more than just transport in the region.