It's a family affair

Chemring people are at the heart of everything we do. We continuously look to create an inclusive and progressive workplace. So, when family members recommend us as a great place to work, you know you are doing something right.
That was clearly the case for these two brothers, who we met with to find out more about what it’s like to work for the same company.   

Tell us about your role and your main responsibilities  
Jørgen: I work in the technical department at Chemring Nobel as an Industrial Mechanic. My main responsibility is to keep the factory running and make sure all mechanical machines are in order.  

Håkon: My role in Chemring Nobel is in production, in a department called H2. I’m responsible for getting the crystals in the containers before they are shipped out to the customers. As well as coating the highly energetic crystals with things like graphite or wax.  

How long have you worked at Chemring and how did you get into this industry?  
Jørgen: I started at Chemring a little over a year ago. Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve always been interested in mechanical things. I like to understand how things operate and how they are put together.  

My brother Håkon, who works as an operator here, tipped me off about a job vacancy in the technical department. He boasted a lot about the great working environment and the opportunities you get by working at Chemring. So, he was the one that got me interested in applying for the job.  

Håkon: I have worked at Chemring for a little over two years now. I got into this industry because someone I know here told me that they needed some help and there was a vacancy and so I decided to send in an application. At first, I got a six-month temporary role and I have been here ever since.  

What do you like most about your role?  
Jørgen: I like that the days are varied. Fixing problems, working as a team and coming up with solutions to improve things.  

Håkon: What I like most about my role is the freedom I’m given. I can structure my day as I feel best appropriate in order to get my jobs done. It is also a very physical job – I almost never sit down and I have many different tasks in one day, which makes it exciting.  

What challenges do you have?  
Jørgen: When something in the factory doesn’t work, people are relying on me to fix it. Luckily, I have good colleagues that I can discuss problems with and lean on when faced with tricky challenges.   

Håkon: I have challenges like making a schedule for the day to manage my time and figuring out how I could get all the tasks done in the most productive and safe way.  

What's it like to work with your brother?  
Jørgen: Well, he works as an operator, so we don’t work that closely together, but it’s nice that we share the same company and understand each other’s roles.  

Håkon: Working with my brother is nice. You always have someone to discuss work things with that actually understands what you are talking about!  

Do you work closely together?  
Jørgen: Not closely, but sometimes when I work at a machine he runs we collaborate and that’s cool.  

Håkon: We don’t work very closely together because he works as an industrial mechanic and I work in production. I think that is a good thing though, as we see each other at work but we don’t stand on top of each other. It means we each have our own space.   

What's your proudest moment at work?  
Jørgen: This summer we did a lot of improvements in the factory. To be a part of evolving and making changes that make our production better is my proudest moment.  

Håkon: I don’t have a specific moment that I’m most proud of, but I am proud of the fact that I always come to work and do my best. I push myself to always become better and try to make the work environment a better place.  

Do you have any other career aspirations?  
Jørgen: I do want to become a member of the Emergency Preparedness Team.  

Håkon: I do have career aspirations and I would love to learn as much about the different jobs here as I can. I also want to try my leadership skills as a team leader.