From a dual-track student to a senior project manager with leadership responsibilities in Germany and Switzerland: Eric Helmes has known SpiraTec for many years from various perspectives. In this interview, he talks about his varied daily routine — which includes project management, business development, and team leadership — and explains why there’s no such thing as a “typical” workday for him and what challenges are currently on his mind.
Eric, how long have you been with SpiraTec and what is your current role?
I’ve been with SpiraTec since 2015. I started out as a work-study student back then and actually got involved in projects straight away. I finished that programme in 2018, did my Master’s degree alongside my work, and am now a Senior Project Manager with an STC role. That means I’m not only responsible for all sorts of projects, but also for a team here in Speyer and a small team in Aesch, Switzerland.
Could you describe what you do here and what a typical workday looks like for you?
Well, there isn’t really such a thing as a typical working day. When colleagues look into my office, I’m usually on the phone. I think that works quite well. Whether I’m on the phone from Speyer to Aesch or the other way round. Apart from that, I’ve currently got a lot of new business development on my list. Mainly here in the Speyer region and the south-west, as well as in Switzerland, but also internationally. And when these efforts are successful, we move on to drawing up quotations and then to project implementation. At this stage, I try to sort out any little problems that crop up.
What are the three things that are (almost) always on your desk – or do you actually only have two?
In fact, I have two desks – one in Speyer and one in Aesch. And I reckon the usual three things apply to both desks.
- Food – I’ve actually always got something to eat on my desk and I’m constantly eating.
- A plant – that always brightens up the room straight away.
- A stress ball or something similar to keep my hands occupied whilst I’m on the phone.
What are you currently working on, and what are your biggest challenges?
At the moment, I see two major challenges. Firstly, of course, business development. Regardless of the current order book, we want to secure projects to continue growing, and that’s not possible without business development. The challenge here is always understanding what clients want, as we have many different clients from various sectors. So not everyone speaks the same language.
And the second challenge is implementing a project we recently won. It’s in the starting blocks, and there are a lot of challenges – both big and small – that we need to tackle to ensure we bring the project to a successful conclusion despite the tight deadline.
What do you particularly like about your role or your team?
Definitely the variety. Not knowing in the morning what the day will bring. Sometimes I think it’s going to be really stressful, but then it turns out to be quiet after all. Sometimes it’s exactly the other way round. Anything can happen. It’s great that it never gets monotonous – and, of course, the team. Working with the lads is great fun. We’ve got a great team spirit. But the camaraderie across the different sites is lovely too – chatting with colleagues, whether over a coffee or at lunch, and hearing what’s going on in the company around me.
If you weren’t at SpiraTec right now, what would you probably be doing today?
I ask myself this question quite often, too. I reckon I’d probably run a café on the beach and bake waffles. I love waffles and I’m sure I’d enjoy it. I’d like to integrate work more into my life in a way that promotes a better work-life balance.
