Digs deep into chemistry and juggles between customers and production units – get to know Ilze Kalniņa, project manager at Product Development
Ilze is the project manager at the Product Development Department of Latvijas Finieris. She joined the company right after finishing her master’s studies at the faculty of material science and applied chemistry at Riga Technical University (RTU).
Her curiosity to dig deeper and know more led her to study chemistry. Even more, all of her family is connected to this science.
From data entry specialist to project manager
The first time her path crossed with Latvijas Finieris was during an excursion at Lignums mill, where she participated as a student from RTU. But her first professional steps at Latvijas Finieris Group didn’t start in the Product Development Department. Ilze began working as a data entry specialist in the Sales and Logistics Department (now the Marketing, Sales and Logistics Department). Her first workday was the same day she defended her thesis on polyforms for her master’s degree. Later she worked with the Riga Wood GmbH sales and product development office and got her first insights into sales.
“The work was quite different from what I had studied but also a good experience. It gave me my first insights into what it means to work with customers and their needs when it comes to products,” says Ilze. One year later, she joined the Product Development team as a project manager. She is involved in the research process and new product development, as well as in testing plywood’s mechanical properties. Moreover, Ilze always stays on top of regulations and dives into technical requirements placed by customers – redrawing their technical drawings so that the mills can produce products according to customers’ needs. The work and team are dynamic, and that’s what Ilze likes – no time for falling into a routine.
Holding firm to roots – the strength of Latvijas Finieris Group and Latvians as a nation
In Ilze’s opinion, it’s vital that Latvijas Finieris doesn’t lose its roots even though its scope of expertise reaches much further than birch plywood production. “There are many projects regarding development and research going on, but we always hold to what we know the best – birch wood,” comments Ilze. “The market doesn’t allow us to rest on our laurels, which makes our work dynamic and interesting. We constantly look for new solutions for plywood products and new application options for side streams”.
In her free time, Ilze holds firm to her Latvian roots by singing in a choir. She plans to participate in XXVII Latvian Nationwide Song and XVII Dance Celebration this summer, where Latvijas Finieris plays an essential role as a supporter. Many employees will participate in this massive event which has been a significant part of Latvian culture for centuries.
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