Following the pace of renewing its machinery fleet and with a significant increase in production volume, the “14th October” factory plans to build a new facility with new equipment over the next two years, explains General Director Petar Miljković, announcing the start of implementation in April. “We have already begun work on construction projects, signed contracts, and much of the equipment will be supplied by Serbian companies, which is of course excellent news. It will be a completely new high-capacity robotic forging line, along with accompanying equipment for reducing, heat treatment, washing machines, phosphating, and other production segments. Our plan is to raise the civilian program to a higher level, for which ‘14th October’ was once well known. New facilities and equipment require newly trained workers, so over the next two years we plan to hire around 100 new employees,” Miljković announced.
The factory became part of the Czech company Czechoslovak Group (CSG) in 2017, and last year it received recognition from Company Wall, which evaluates the credit rating of companies in Serbia, as one of the fastest-growing enterprises in the country. Noting the difficulty of finding certain professions in the labor market—such as metal turners, locksmiths, and forgers—HR Manager Angelina Radić explains that the company therefore focuses on worker training through internal programs as well as dual education. “In addition to professional training, we also conduct security checks specific to our company, as well as medical examinations. Beyond expertise, the most important thing is what kind of person you are, whether you are ready to adapt to changes and accept the challenges our company offers in order to become an equal member of our team,” says Radić.
At present, “14th October” employs 367 people, including 43 women. One of them is Gordana Jovičić, head of the forging department, who oversees the demanding work process involving 80 forgers. “What keeps me going is my love for the job, the profession, and the people who are dedicated and hardworking, giving their maximum so that I can succeed together with them. Thanks to the engagement and effort of our colleagues, we are managing to train a new generation of young forgers, and that is our greatest success,” explains Jovičić.
Miloš Ružić, Production Manager and Mechanical Engineer, organizes work, monitors plan implementation, and improves certain parts of the production process, within a team of 140 workers from different generations. “The relationship between older and younger workers is good. It’s great that the older ones pass on their experience to the younger ones, while younger workers are eager to accept advice from more experienced colleagues. We have purchased many new CNC machines, invested in digitalization, and in production monitoring. We have installed software that tracks each machine, the production process, worker performance, and everything else,” highlights Ružić.
This year, the Czechoslovak Group celebrates 30 years of existence, confirming its continuous growth and success in the market.
Source: Ekspres
Photos: Property of the CSG Group
