TOURATECH INSIGHTS | JOBPROFILES and then trained on the product itself after the obligatory occupational safety instruction.“ Getting started at Touratech is easy. Many processes are split into small parts so that new colleagues can quickly find their feet. However, the fact that many employees have a migration background presents the head of production with the challenge of overcoming the language bar- rier. „Over time, however, we‘ve developed a pretty good system for communicating effectively with new colleagues who don‘t speak German very well yet,“ explains Thomas Besch. If you look around the pro- duction department, you soon understand what he means: Many work instructions are displayed on signs as pictograms. And there are lots of universally understood signs like green ticks, raised thumbs or smileys. in the Touratech production department – also provide a lot of positive input. „Colleagues from the Asian countries in particular contribute an enormous amount in terms of cooperation and care, which is absolutely exemplary,“ the head of production is pleased to tell us. Kugarajah Murugiah, for example. The 40-year-old comes from Sri Lanka, where he worked as a lathe operator and welder. Kugarajah has been in Germany since 2011, where he first found a job as a confectioner and baker in a large bakery. A friend who‘d been working for Touratech for a while finally put him in touch with our company. Kugarajah started in the „The goal of zero-defect production is paramount.“ But the different cultural backgrounds Henrietta Borbola (26), – more than 25 nations are represented shift manager – packaging / assembly department Made in Germany – at Touratech, this is not just a label that is subsequently affixed to any kind of product. At Touratech, these three words stand for a core promise of quality. If not produced at the headquar- ters in Niedereschach, the majority of the motorcycle accessories are produced at partner companies in Germany. And there are a lot of good reasons why Touratech produces in Germany despite the high wage level. Among these are the fragile global supply chains, greater flexi- bility, and the ultimate in quality stan- dards. Above all, however, it is the emplo- yees themselves who speak in favour of manufacturing at the headquarters. Currently, around 180 colleagues work in the Touratech production department. The largest of the seven departments, with a good 45 employees, is the pannier assembly department. The pipe and sheet metal production department is simil- arly staffed, with 43 workers. Almost 30 colleagues are employed in the manual welding and surface treatment depart- ments, as well as in the packaging and small assembly departments. 20 Toura- techers work in the robot welding shop. And then there is the production logistics department with five employees. The hierarchies are flat at Touratech; communication is direct. „Shop floor ma- nagement is what we call it,“ explains Tho- mas Besch (54), who is head of production. „I regularly go through the departments, together with the management. Problems are addressed directly, key figures are checked and remedial measures are deter- mined immediately, if necessary.“ Thomas Besch himself has a master‘s degree in metalwork and has acquired ad- ditional qualifications as a welding speci- alist and business economist in the trade. Like him, the heads of the departments all have a master‘s degree. Skilled workers are employed at the machines, but also a great many semi-skilled workers. „We qualify people here in the company,“ Besch explains. „For simple tasks, the new colleagues are given a basic introduction 67