WHEN TWO CULT FIGURES OF THE 1980S MERGE AT ERNE FITTINGS

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Manuel Bachner has been employed at Erne Fittings GmbH since 2005. For the past three years, he has held the managerial position of “Head of Quality & Process Management”, and is thus responsible for the company’s comprehensive quality guidelines in Europe, the Middle East and the USA, however he owes his affinity for all things technical to a very specific hero.

Unusual challenges call for unusual solutions – an attitude that 39-year-old Manuel Bachner still shares with an idol from his youth. In fact, it was the American TV hero MacGyver that helped him discover his passion for engineering. Incorporating engineering knowledge and a wealth of technical know-how, MacGyver was a master at showcasing his ability is to “craft” tricky inventions out of ordinary everyday objects.

DISCOVERING HIS OWN AFFINITY FOR TECHNOLOGY

The foundation was thus laid and a technical education ensued. After a four-year term at the sports high school, Manuel went on to spend another four years at the Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL) in Rankweil, followed by a two-year advanced course at the HTL in Bregenz. Finally, he studied at the Hochschule Liechtenstein, and spent a further two years studying abroad at the University of Gloucestershire (England). His “HTL times” had a strong influence on the manager who lives in Zwischenwasser: “In the HTL, nothing is given for free. The project work in particular showed that you can work your way into any project with a lot of commitment and will. Even if the project seems too complicated for you at the beginning and you feel that you are not up to these challenges.”

FROM SALES MANAGER TO HEAD OF QUALITY AT ERNE FITTINGS

Manuel’s impressive professional career at Erne Fittings shows that sticking with it, and biting the bullet pays off. Commencing his employment as an “Inside Sales Manager USA”, Manuel gained further experience in the roles of “Sales Manager UK & Scandinavia” and “Senior Technical Sales Manager,” later he took up the position of “Area Sales Manager USA” in Houston,Texas. After his return from the USA three years ago, he took over the “Head of Quality & Process Manager” position at Erne Fittings.

Not only is the job characterized by a high degree of responsibility, but Manuel’s daily business also includes organizational matters: from introducing and monitoring quality standards for the entire Erne Group, to ensuring quality standards at suppliers, to all organizational measures to improve process and work quality.

“With clear structures and processes, frustration among employees can be avoided,” commented Manuel, “and with the constant development of quality specifications and processes, efficiency is also increased in all business areas.” He went on to say “After all, at the end of the day it’s always about quality,” and for Manuel that is directly linked to satisfied customers: “For me, quality is when the customer comes back to Erne – and not the product.”

Even if MacGyver remains a hero from his youth, the cult figure still brings a mischievous grin to Manuel’s face, and when new or unusual challenges require new or unusual solutions, then there is only one, all-important question to ask: “What would MacGyver do?”

_{Technikland Vorarlberg 04/2021}