Meet Zusanna – Our Passionate Materials and Surface Specialist
Szymon Stachlewski is one of the Materials and Surface specialist working for Expanite. Simon joined us in 2023 after having completed his degree in materials and surface technology at the leading Technical University of Denmark, DTU.
Interview
First of all: Why did you become an engineer?
I always wanted to be a scientist, working in a white kilt, working in a lab, doing science work. To me, engineering is applied science.
Can you tell us about your background and how you came to work at Expanite
My background is in materials and manufacturing. I finished my studies at DTU, and I ended at Expanite thanks to the fact that during my studies I learned about the company from one of the professors, Prof. Marcel A.J. Somers, who was one of the founders of Expanite when it was established in 2010 as a spin-off from The Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Before landing a permanent position, inspired by his recommendations and connections to Expanite, I tried getting a student job at Expanite, but didn’t get it. One year later there was a job opening, I applied for the job and got it!
What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?
My job title is Materials and Surface specialist. My task is anything from customer and sales support, helping production, helping marketing, design and order of tools used in production, and I also do R&D. I look over the processes, do trouble shooting, and ensure that our hardware always is in top-notch condition.
How would someone living with an engineer describe you?
I like to think of myself as heartfelt, and a nice person. I am social, but also good at being alone. I am passionate about things I am passionate about. I love to talk about my work and materials science.
What’s a day in the life like for you at Expanite?
I wake up way too late, I rush through my morning routine, and take the bike to work. First, I will have a brief talk with the production manager. Then I respond to mails, support the team members. Additionally, I will make presentations, and provide summaries of the results of my research. After lunch I usually do some lab work. If there are issues in the production, I will spend more time on that.
Can you describe a recent project you’ve worked on and your contributions to it?
There are a lot of projects, the one I would like to mention is the one we did with a company in the luxury accessories category. When their parts were subjected to the Expanite processes we saw some unwanted discoloring. We experimented with various solutions including cleaning, and together with the customer we discovered the source of the problem. After this discovery, and addressing the underlying cause, the finished product looked perfect after our treatment. That was a really nice project where my technical background and good communication could be directly linked to a happy customer.
How does the tech team at Expanite help your customers?
Well, we answer their technical questions, we communicate either directly with the customers or together with the sales team. Helping them find documentation and summarize the results of our findings. We also meet with our customers’ engineering departments – engineers talking to engineers always gives the best results.
How does your work at Expanite impact the company’s overall goals and objectives?
I have two areas of contribution: one is the R&D projects, which will help Expanite close bigger deals. However, on a daily basis I try and be helpful with smaller tasks. Here at Expanite, I want to show that we care about our customers. I will help the customers find the process that is right for them. I always put the customer first and try and anticipate their needs and show we are there to help them in finding the right solution. We are open to testing new ideas, testing new parts, and generally as a company we are very open. It is my strong belief that knowledge sharing is the way forward for our industry, so I always try to do my best in explaining the process.
What trends do you see in the industry, and how is Expanite preparing for the future?
I see the environmental impact as the biggest trend. Whether you are an engineer working on new products, maintaining existing or responsible for purchasing, we are all concerned about the environmental impact of our daily decisions and want to make sure that the solutions we use are safer, greener and more effective. In my view, Expanite checks all these boxes. As a result, I believe we will gain more and more business. We are the greener alternative for surface hardening. And we are faster too.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a technical role at a company like Expanite?
Have fun, you must like what you do. The job is full of surprises, and you spend a lot of time thinking about it. You have to be passionate about your job.
Why did you decide to stay in Denmark?
I like the society, everything “just works” here, and I feel safe here. It is not as rainy as Danes think. The wind is maybe annoying, it is the only place in the world where you can turn three times to the left and still have the wind in front!
About Expanite
Expanite offers state-of-the-art solutions for surface hardening treatment of stainless steels and titanium.
With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase the material’s surface hardness tenfold while at the same time maintaining and even increasing its corrosion resistance. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in both US, Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more on www.expanite.com.