Between High-Tech and Heroism

In the complex world of mechanical engineering, precision and skill are paramount. As an industrial mechanic, Fabienne Dörrie knows this all too well from her own experience. "You really have to be a perfectionist," she reveals, taking us into her world between high-tech and heroism.

Fabienne Dörrie's career path at Koenig & Bauer began with an apprenticeship and took her through all departments in the Würzburg production facility to the plate changing assembly, where she completed a large part of her apprenticeship and was accordingly able to train her skills. Her passion for the profession becomes clear when she talks about her final examination: "I had a total of eighteen hours for it – after all, I assembled a complete plate changer. That was quite a challenge back then. Starting with the planning, including researching the drawings and information, through to carrying out the assembly, which took a total of twelve hours, and finally the examination – you really have to prove yourself and your abilities here." Since then, Fabienne Dörrie has not only been able to expand her technical knowledge but also to perfect the manual processes and procedures to such an extent that she manages two to three plate changers per working day.

A year ago, Fabienne Dörrie's path at Koenig & Bauer led her to the ink unit assembly. Absolute precision is crucial here. Everything has to fit to within a hundredth of a millimetre. Accordingly, Fabienne Dörrie's most important skills include sanding, measuring and a certain dexterity. In addition to the demand for and promotion of her technical skills, she particularly appreciates the warm and family-like atmosphere at Koenig & Bauer. “I've always had a strong sense of community. The more focused I am at work, the more important it is to be in a relaxed, familiar environment. I simply feel really comfortable here.”

And this sense of community also drives Fabienne Dörrie to peak performance in her spare time. As a firefighter, she supports not only the Koenig & Bauer company fire brigade but also the volunteer fire brigade in her home town. She has been an active member since she was thirteen. First in the youth department, she moved to the active fire brigade at the age of 18 and is currently completing further training in the Modular Basic Training.

Fabienne Dörrie has been supporting the Koenig & Bauer company fire brigade for around two years and is delighted with the recognition from her colleagues. Her motivation to get involved in the fire brigade is deeply rooted. In addition to the monthly exercises at the site, which include simulating extinguishing attacks and rescuing people from heights using the turntable ladder, she also takes part in the exercises of her local fire brigade.

There have already been a few call-outs at Koenig & Bauer during her time there – fortunately, however, these were often fire detector alarms. The biggest operation in the history of the company fire brigade, which fire brigade chief Andreas Gottschalk also remembers, was the discovery of a bomb three years ago. This operation lasted over 48 hours and required the evacuation of a large area, whereby safety could be guaranteed at all times.

In addition to the operations, the 34 active members of the company fire brigade undertake around 200 other activities each year. These include, for example, welding supervision, preventive fire protection, the inspection of fire extinguishers and fire extinguisher training for various departments in the company.

Firefighting is time-consuming, Fabienne Dörrie admits. In addition to the monthly exercises, there are also exercises at home, courses and weekly regulars' tables on the agenda. A certain level of fitness is advantageous, but not a mandatory requirement. The exercises for breathing apparatus wearers are particularly important in order to be able to react correctly in an emergency – for example, in the event of accidents in the foundry or paint shop, where toxic substances can be produced. Here, special prior knowledge of the reaction of extinguishing agents to the chemicals used is essential.