His passion for the sport is well known to his family, friends, and also his colleagues, and for him, the qualities he needs on the field are similar to the ones he uses in his job every day: team spirit, communication, strategy, and discipline. His superior is like his coach, and his aim is, he says, to learn as much as he can every day and to develop his skills continuously on his way.
Working at Grenzebach has a lot of similarities to football for Virlan Catalin, as he says, that in both cases, processes and procedures have to be well thought through and organized. You have to adjust to the situation every day, as unforeseen things can always happen and have to be matched accordingly. His strength on the field is controlling the ball, and at work, he is in control of his workbench, meticulously welding for the assignments he receives based on current projects.
From Father to Son
Virlan Catalin is happy and proud to see that his passion for the sport has also influenced his son, who has played since the age of five and currently takes part in championships all over the country. He himself was influenced by his father, too, but in another way: to become a welder.
His father taught him about welding at the age of twelve, when Virlan Catalin started helping out, and he really enjoyed the work. However, his father had originally wanted him to take a different career path, so he first completed a technical high school specializing in energy.
Afterwards, the young man worked as a welder for another company for four years before completing his military service. Then, in 2001, he started working at Grenzebach, at that time still named Cnud-Efco Romania. After a few days of trial work, he was hired. He has not regretted his decision since.
Teamwork and Respect
Has anything changed since the day he started working for the company? Virlan Catalin thinks about that for a while, then concludes: “Since we have been under the Grenzebach umbrella, the difference is noticeable”, he says, “The improvements in our equipment and the facilities are visible, and it definitely helps us do our work more efficiently.”
He also adds, when being asked about what makes Grenzebach as an employer special to him: “I would say it is the respect for their employees”. Respect also includes, that it is made possible for him to balance his work, family, and sport.
While his daughter was never as excited about football, his son usually accompanies him to his games. At work, his colleagues and superiors always try to help him organize his work schedule accordingly when he has to be on the field for a tournament. Everyone knows that without the sport, Virlan Catalin would not be the man he is. It is a key element of his life, because for him, “Football is like air”.
