Day 3 started off bright and early with a call time of 7:15. We made our way down to the bus to head to our first company visit – Hoerbiger! Hoerbiger is a company that makes parts for the automotive industry. I really enjoyed seeing the production of the synchronizers which equalizes the speed of the gears to allow for a smooth selection to the next. Walking through the facility, you can really get a sense of the company culture. Everyone was friendly, seemed happy to be there, and were working hard on their tasks. Being able to go up close to the production pieces, and see how they play into one another, was extremely educational and interesting.
Another fascinating aspect of the company is the corporate side. Seeing how many plants were around, how open the workspaces were, and the amenities offered to the employees, it seemed like a great place to work. As someone going into their senior year of college, getting ready to look for post-graduate jobs, seeing Hoerbiger has opened my eyes to a different type of corporate culture. While in the US we are leaning towards these methods of working, it will be a few more years before we reach the level of company culture we saw today.
Another interesting thing about Hoerbiger was that in one of the bigger meeting rooms, they had an entire wall made of moss that was growing each day.
After our visit at Hoerbiger, we made our way to the Alps and walked around Oberammergau. This was something I was really looking forward to doing, but it ended up being too rainy to see the Alps in person. I was disappointed, but it was still a beautiful view on the way up and down. In Oberammergau, even though it was pouring, it was exciting to go into the Christmas Market – Käthe Wohlfahrt Christkindlmarkt. It was amazing to see all of the hand made ornaments. I also learned that every year at the Pittsburgh Christmas market downtown, this store sets up a shop and sells their ornaments! Additionally, seeing the town was beautfiul since it is all the original buildings. The paintings on the sides and the wood work was all amazing to see in person. It was definitely worth going despite all of the rain!
