Today we had to be up bright and early at 6 am for our first company visit to Hoerbiger. Before hopping on the bus, we got a delicious breakfast at the hotel where I had fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, salami, and fresh orange juice. It seems as though the breakfasts in Europe are much lighter and refreshing than breakfasts in the United States. I have eaten much more fresh fruit, meats, and fresher eggs. It leaves me feeling much more refreshed compared to the breakfast in the United States. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of my breakfast this morning.
After eating breakfast, we all hopped on the bus and headed to Hoerbiger’s headquarters where they made a valve which regulated pressure in multiple different types of products. We were given a brief presentation which gave us an overview of their product and the different types of applications it is used. They explained how the product ranges from being implemented in things like ventilators, laser cutters, machines for eye surgery, and many more things. This was one of the most interesting details from the day because it seemed like Hoerbiger’s valves were in so many different industries. They are able to sell and supply their product to varying companies and industries. This ensured that if a certain industry didn’t demand a lot of their product, most likely another one did. As a result, they always have a high demand for their product.
Soon after the presentation, we took a tour around the factory and were able to see where and how their product was made. We were required to wear safety shoes that felt like clown shoes and lab coats. Being able to see how the product was made really showed me the type of work that I could get into one day. However, we were not able to take any pictures inside the factory.
Once we were done touring their valve factory, we headed over to their automotive factory where they created a part that goes inside the gear box of a car’s engine. Even though this product was a little more confusing for me, it was super cool to see how it was made. The factory was huge and each room was a different step to the process. Whether it was flattening and cutting the metal, or assembling the pieces together, each room had a different purpose for putting the product together. It was amazing to see how fast and efficient the machines were. These machines ran for 24 hours a day, 5 days a weeks and yield over a million units a year. It seems like they have their process down to an exact science and they were working as efficient as possible.
When were were done with the touring of the factories, we got back on the bus and went to a small town at the base of the Swiss Alps. We planned on taking a Gondola to the top of the mountain but since it was raining we were hesistant to do so. However, we waited it out for a little and the weather turned perfect. So we went up to the top of the mountain and the views were beautiful. It’s so hard to describe the feeling up there so I will post a few picutures below to show what it looked like. I truly didn’t want to leave.
Because we couldn’t stay up there forever, we headed down and got dinner in the town. I ate bratwurst with potato salad and it was delicious. We noticed in the restaurants how no music is played and how quiet eveyone is. It really makes you think about slwoing down a litlte to enjoy yourself.
Even though today was a long day, I had so much fun and I can’t wait for tomorrow.
