Gabriela Pontos: "Romania’s new factory is in the heart of a responsive and efficient supply chain"

‘We drive a responsive and effective supply chain’ is one of the cornerstones of the Nokian Tyres’ strategy. For Gabriela Pontos, how it shows in her work and how her hands-on approach influences other people’s actions, will be critical for the Romanian operations success as Nokian Tyres is continues to accelerate the recruitment process in Oradea and the surrounding Bihor County.   

The location of the new factory will bring Nokian Tyres products closer to customers, as well as enable a more efficient supply chain. Operations are planned to begin in summer 2024 and commercial production in 2025. The factory will serve mainly the company’s Central European market. The significant investment in the new factory closely aligns with our strategy which is built on two phases: first invest in production capabilities; and then grow through new capacity and innovation.  

The target is for 550 white- and blue-collar workers when the factory is fully operational. According to Gabriela, the new facility will stand out from the competition due to the company’s ambitious sustainability goals and the factory’s planned zero-CO2 emissions production capabilities. In addition, one other critical reason is evident.  

“When I talk to people who want to work at the factory here, the instant answer is because of the Finnish culture,” states Gabriela. “It doesn't matter if the position is for a manager or a specialist or an engineer. So, whoever learned about the arrival of Nokian Tyres at Oradea, they started informing themselves by reading about Finland and the Finnish people.”   

“Reaching zero CO2 emissions is our first value. After that comes the automatization of the processes. This means that we are investing a lot in the equipment to take care of our people and of the environment. With largely automized processes awaiting future employees, people will require the skills to operate multiple computer control panels, among many other tasks.”  

Gabriela herself is clear in what she is looking for in the potential new employees. “Well, the first and the main question, and I'm very curious about their answer, is what they want to find in Nokian Tyres. What are their expectations besides the culture question? What do they seek that they didn't find from their previous employers? Or do they want to find something else? Do they want to join Nokian Tyres because it's a greenfield site and they want to bring their expertise to the company and be there from the start of construction? This is my main question all the time.”  

“It doesn't matter how many years of experience they have behind them,” she says, “there is the view that they want to learn and that it's never too late to learn. It reveals that we can never say we know everything. We still have to learn and adapt to new challenges and new situations. Everybody’s expertise is a plus. So, let's start sharing, discussing and find the right path to take and the right solutions to put in practice together.”   

With operations now ramping up in Oradea, decisions made in the next months will be critical to the way the company successfully drives both the factory and a more responsive and efficient value chain in the future.   

“Looking ahead, what I would like to see happening,” adds Gabriela, “is knowing that after a couple of years, employees here in Romania are going to be proud of being employed in this company. Romanians value any type of culture that provides mutual respect. If their job is valued, and they are valued as human beings, this will then lead all the employees to do the very best they can and want the best not just for themselves, but for the company. And that in turn, we hope, will help us to become not just a great factory, but an integral part of a very efficient supply chain.”