Introducing our Team – Adri Krog
We would like to introduce you to the team at the Acoustex Group. Adri Krog joined Acoustex as Quality and H&S Manager in November 2020 and has brought invaluable experience and knowledge to the management team. We asked Adri to tell us more about herself.
Where did you grow up
In PE, born and bred, the windy and friendly city.
Where have you previously worked
- VWSA – over 4 years as a Lab & Process Technician
- GMSA – over 9 years as a Snr Process & Projects Engineer in the Paintshop
- Shatterprufe – over 9 years as Process, Quality Engineer, Quality Manager
- Nalco, an Ecolab Company – 2 years as Regional Sales & Technical Representative
- Faurecia – 4 years as Quality Manager
Tell us about your role at Acoustex and what a normal day looks like for you
I oversee the Safety, Environment and Quality assurance side of the business at Acoustex and co-ordinate the work systems. The work systems are what drives the company processes and products to meet and excel customer requirements, standards & ensures compliance while working in a safe and environmentally friendly space.
Continuous learning, growth and improvement is required from myself, the quality department and all interested parties in and outside of Acoustex. This requires interaction with all departments and organisational levels as well as external customers, suppliers, specialists and certification entities and to support line management and operations to deliver the Site SHEQ objective. Shopfloor interaction is a big part of my day, whilst still managing my own department and operating at a strategic level. I often feel like a Chameleon with all the different hats and roles😊
The Quality team is very small and each person needs to be self-functioning. My days are busy and dynamic and I normally have to juggle between tasks on hand all the time. I believe in empowering employees to not just do their job but to understand why they do it, what the importance of their job is, how it fits into the organisation and what the potential impact and consequences can be. That’s why I spend a lot time on personal interaction, coaching, guiding and pushing for accountability so that we can jointly excel.
What is your goal in life?
For Acoustex: To use our business management systems as a tool and guide to become a united front, standardise, consistent and professional in all levels of the company, functionally like a good oiled machine. For this it is key for all to be aligned, to share and support each other. You are only as strong as your weakest link. It does not matter how successful one department or person or process or procedure is: If one fails, we all fail as a business. Then, my goal is to build on this foundation for excellence and sustainability.
For myself: To keep on growing, personally and professionally and to leave a legacy of positivity and faith with my colleagues, my family, my friends and my community. That nothing can get you under if you keep looking up and forward, trust in God and keep believing and looking for the good in people and around you.
Do you have any words of inspiration for other women out there
Never give up. When the chips are down: Change direction, rest and try again, look at it from a different angle, get help, just never give up. There is always a sun after the rain.
Define your goal and your pace: Don’t feel pressure to have to succeed, to have to get the next promotion. Things happen for a reason and everything is a balance. Life is not just work and success comes in many forms. Just to survive and be happy is a success on its own. There is always a price if you push it too hard, at all cost. It will come when you are ready and the world is ready for you. Keep believing in yourself and allow yourself to develop, grow at your own pace and blossom when it is your time. If you want children don’t postpone or sacrifice it for work; there is never a right time and life goals are more important than work goals. That’s what feeds your soul.
Don’t change who you are, just polish yourself to become a better you. You cannot copy or do exactly what someone else did, you can only learn from them and apply what is applicable for you. You also need to learn from everyone around you. It is important to be yourself to ensure you grow into your own strength and recognition and not into someone else, as this will still result in you feeling unfulfilled. We are all unique and that’s what makes you different and marketable at the right time and place. I was a process technician and project engineer in the automotive industry and for many years the only woman in my team or at meetings etc. in a technical capacity. At that stage it was not commonly acceptable and the men did not see me as their equal, I did not fight them but also did not allow them to stereotype me or pull me down. I was firm in my professional approach, hard on standards and even saw the humour in it. But it was hard work and at times I cried when I was alone at home. I just delivered the results and with that the male colleagues and seniors started to trust and rely on me and saw my worth. But that’s me and my approach to be more hands on, as I was sporty and a bit of a tomboy and liked the technical details. (Mostly because I was hyperactive, could not sit still and got bored easily.) Other women might be more feminine, polished, business orientated, aggressive, outspoken, dynamic, etc. I however learned to become more strategic and business orientated as I discover how everything clicks together to have a successful operation and business.
Be Grateful: Your failure is another person’s dream. Your crumbs is another ones cake. If you don’t get that top position, then look at how far you have come and at everyone else that is still not where you are.
