Eng. Marin Monev, director of Rimakem EOOD: “We combine the initiative of the young with the experience of our older colleagues”
The work on the repair company “Rimakem” EOOD in support of the leading production and trade company for agricultural fertilizers – Agropolichim AD, is an example of a well-sized mechanism. The drive for growth is related to building the image of a company with proven expertise in repair services. Behind this is a strong team of professionals who do not stop to develop the gratitude of the model for acceptability between different generations of specialists in the company. For these and other interesting facts from the life of Rimakem Ltd., conversations with the director and eng. Marin Monev.
Hello, Eng. Monev, could you tell us about the history of Rimakem EOOD and the specifics of its activity?
The company was established in 2004 as a subsidiary of Agropolichim AD. The owners of the plant decide to separate into a separate company to repair the production activity and to dress all the repaired staff. Time has shown that this was a good decision.
The subject of activity of Rimakem EOOD has been legalized in the name of the company since its establishment. Includes the words: “repair”, “engineering”, “monitoring”, “automation”, “instrumentation”, “electrical engineering” and “mechanical engineering”.
The company does not mainly serve Agropolychim, whose large-scale plant has modern, diverse equipment, which produces raw materials for natural production from raw materials, natural gas and phosphates.
We are open, of course, to external companies. We help them with equipment and services related to the skills and expertise of our team, with which we are well recognizable. I can proudly say that as technical and expert support we are fully adequate in the market of repair work.
Share some intriguing repair tasks accomplished by your team.
In the summer of 2019, we scraped the support rings of a drying drum – this is a tube weighing 280 t, lying on two support rings on eight rollers. The wear on the surfaces was so drastic that the facility was dangerous to operate. That is why we have proposed a scrapping solution to temporarily save the situation. We gave the owners and the “Supplies” department the opportunity to buy new rings, the delivery of which is not so fast. In this way we extended the life of the facility and the installation by one year.
Agropolychim AD recently announced its plans for investments in installations and facilities of nearly BGN 60 million by 2023. How will this affect the activities of Rimakem EOOD?
Our participation in such large-scale projects is related to maintenance, as there are always gaps on the part of designers and suppliers. Our equipment and our professional skills are important for solving the current problems that have arisen during the implementation of the projects. In our person Agropolichim AD has a stable and reliable base, which supports the implementation of serious investment plans. In this aspect, our development is inextricably linked with that of Agropolychim AD.
What measures did your team take to preserve the health of the coronavirus pandemic?
Despite the pandemic in all companies of the Company, jobs, wages and social and financial benefits were preserved. Additional measures were taken, such as traveling by private car at the expense of the employer, in order to reduce the number of passengers on business buses. Personal protective equipment was provided for employees and their family members. The rotating principle of work of the engineering staff, directly responsible for the continuous work process in the production and the hybrid mode of work of the administrative staff, was introduced, strict anti-epidemic measures were introduced for all colleagues who work physically in the plant. Thanks to the exceptional discipline, responsible behavior and compliance with all requirements by the people who work on site, the company continues its production cycle for the second year without interruption and turmoil.
Specialists from which technical fields work in Rimakem?
The company employs 215 people in the areas of “Production Automation”, “Process Management”. we have mechanical specialists, about 50 engineers and 30 electrical specialists.
What type of technical staff are you currently recruiting? What selection method do you prefer?
Our practice shows that for both parties – interviewers and candidates it is better to meet in person. In the framework of such casual meetings, the selection is of better quality, and it is extremely important for the candidates to see their future job, to get acquainted with the specifics of the environment and the scale of the company. To date, we are mainly looking for mechanics, welders and electricians. We currently need automation specialists. This year we conducted selections for engineering positions – mechanical engineer, structural engineer, and in the process, in addition to interviews, we included professional and language tests, which are an important part of the objective decision to select the best candidates.
What are the basic skills of your technicians that you are looking for and appreciate the most?
The main thing we look for in young people and candidates in general is a desire to work and study. We try to ensure continuity between employees – to combine the initiative of young people with the experience of their older colleagues. Our mentors manage to pass on profession-specific knowledge and skills to new colleagues, but also to motivate.
At the end of our conversation, could you share more about you: what is your education, how long have you been in the company?
My last qualification was in 2012 – chemical engineer in the technology of inorganic substances. Before that I graduated “Technology of Mechanical Engineering and Metal Cutting Machines” at the Technical University – Varna. My secondary education is in the specialty “Thermal and hydropower machines and equipment”. I have worked in TPP “Varna” and TPP “Devnya”. I joined Rimakem EOOD one month after its founding.
The experience I gained during my training, along with my practical activities, contributed greatly to shaping me as a person who knows what he is doing. I was lucky enough to follow this path and what I do gives me pleasure. I see the meaning in my work and I am grateful to the owners of Agropolichim AD for the opportunities they give to me, my colleagues and the company.