Celebrating our 40-year anniversaries

“I joined WANNER ISOFI on 8 March 1983 on a permanent contract as an insulator on the sites in Dunkerque. In the 1990s, I completed a training programme for the nuclear sector (DATR), which enabled me to work on all the nuclear sites in France and Belgium for projects such as steam generator replacement, hydrostatic test, etc. 

Currently, I am working on the replacement of the Primary Circuit Component at the construction site in Chinon, which is a world first for Framatome and the contactors. In my free time, I’m passionate about football, and I used to be a player myself. Also five of my six children are footballers, including my daughter, who used to play professionally.” 

was hired as a technical employee in the industrial construction department on 25 July 1983. He began his work in the department responsible for the construction of cassette insulation for nuclear power plants. His tasks included measurement tasks in almost all German nuclear power plants under construction. Based on this, he prepared the necessary drawings. In 1995, he was entrusted with the Ringhals project in Sweden. It was his first major project abroad. At the same time he was involved in the design and documentation for the Borssele nuclear power plant in the Netherlands. Subsequently, in 1997, KAEFER was awarded a major contract for the primary circuit of the Angra 2 nuclear power plant in Brazil. Here Rainer was responsible for the entire construction, including on-site measurements. This marked the beginning of Rainer’s professional travels to Brazil and other locations overseas. From 1997 onwards, Rainer played a major role in the introduction of the 3D CAD programme Hicad, for which he is still responsible today. Since 2002, Rainer has been in charge of construction in the nuclear sector. This was followed by many assignments, mostly in the operation of German and European nuclear power plants. A considerable number of personal radiation passports can tell of this. With the Chinese nuclear power plants Tianwan 1+2, another large project was added and with it a new direction of foreign travel. After more than 10 years of project duration and with great personal commitment, Rainer was able to successfully complete the Yumod (Leibstadt) project in Switzerland in 2022.
When Rainer is not working, he loves and suffers with “his club” SV Werder Bremen. He also enjoys his hobbies of cycling, sport and travelling. An even greater joy in life will keep him young in the years to come: His grandchildren.

has been on the road for KAEFER in many ways: Since joining the company in 1983, he has been active on a wide variety of construction sites in different countries. He worked in the turbine sector in Germany and was also sent to Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Croatia and Denmark for KAEFER. Furthermore, Frank had assignments in nuclear power plants, including fire protection work at the Unterweser NPP. He also worked for KAEFER in building construction, i.e. refrigeration and cold storage construction. Currently he is based on the Jacobs Douwe Egberts permanent construction site in Bremen. Frank enjoys camping holidays: not only away from home, but also sometimes ­­– like this year ­­– at the “Unisee” lake in Bremen.

started training at the Izokor Płock branch school in 1983 to become an insulation fitter. After completing three years of training as an fitter, he started work at the Izokor Płock branch. He has worked on many construction sites at home and abroad, gaining a lot of experience as a workshop worker and leading his team as a foreman. Piotr is a very good, conscientious dedicated employee and very experienced. A valued workshop worker, and a very good leader as a foreman who is respected among his co-workers. Piotr has a wife, Katarzyna, and two sons. In his free time he likes to spend time with his family and travelling. He’s interested in sports, especially football.

celebrated his 40^th anniversary of service in the shipbuilding division on 1 August 2023. His career at KAEFER began when he started his training as an insulator in Bremen in 1983. Over the years, he worked on projects in commercial, naval and cruise vessel sectors at numerous shipyards in northern Germany. At the time of the shipyard crisis, his activities then focused on industrial and drywall construction.

In 2004, Heino reached another milestone when he took over the position of site manager for exterior ceiling projects on yachts. With projects all over Europe, the Caribbean, the USA and Saudi Arabia, he gained a lot of exciting experience and proved his great personal commitment. As a balance to his work, Heino very much enjoys going on bike trips at the weekend, forest bathing and walks with the family dog.

“I started my apprenticeship on 8 October 1983 at KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. KG as an industrial insulator. After my apprenticeship, I worked on various construction sites in and around Hamburg. These included Aurubis (Affi), DEA, ESSO, Vaseline Schümann, Wedel and Harburg power stations, Stade nuclear power station and Unterweser. Then I was on assembly in Heide, Husum, Buschhaus and Düsseldorf and had assignments abroad in Mongstad (Norway) and Helsingør (Denmark). After all these different experiences, I joined the KAEFER team at DOW-Stade in September 1991, where I then took over as site manager. Since passing my foreman’s examination in 2005, I have been working on the DOW Stade construction site as a site manager. I would like to take this opportunity to send my warmest regards to all those who have accompanied me on my journey to date.”

“I started my work on 1 September 1983 at PTR Termoizolacja KGR Tarnów after a multidirectional technical, pedagogical and economic education. I have worked my way up from a fitter, welder, sheet metal worker, school workshop manager, site manager and deputy director of the branch/region. Currently, I’m director of the central workshop and education. I have gained my professional experience working on many domestic and foreign projects, including Kronospan Szczecinek particle board factory, Mielec; Power units No. 7 and 8 of the Belchatow Power Plant, Łęg Cracow CHP Plant; Tarnów Nitrogen Plant; Frimmersdorf Power Plant, Dormagen, Germany, and many others.

For 35 years I have been the head of the school in Tarnów, director of the non-public educational institution at KAEFER SA and head of the examination centres at OKE Kraków and the Chamber of Crafts in Tarnów awarding professional titles in our industry. Many graduates of the Tarnów school are key employees in our company. On many occasions, I have won the European Championships for industrial insulation fitters with my students. Of greatest value to me is the 3^rd and 4^th place that our students took in Copenhagen in 2008. It was our debut and also a great success.

A special moment I experienced during my work at KAEFER was in the early 1980s in Poland ­– a period of solidarity and martial law. Most young people wanted to go to the West. Working at KAEFER helped fulfil my desire, and in 1989 I went to the GDR on a contract. In the same year, the Berlin Wall fell and, watching the broadcasts of the event, I realised that Poland was joining the Western countries and now my dreams were actually coming true. In my free-time, I’m interested in motor sports and I enjoy bicycle tours and non-fiction.”

began his apprenticeship at KAEFER on 1 August 1983 and was initially on duty at BASF in Ludwigshafen for eight years. He worked as a pipe fitter in the workshop that belonged to the Roxheim site. An important project for Rainer was the steam cracker at BASF in Ludwigshafen. In the further course of his professional life, Rainer was promoted first to foreman and later to site manager at the permanent construction site of MVV in Mannheim. His biggest project there was the biomass boiler. In addition, he looked after and acquired customers and small construction sites in the Mannheim area, such as the Simon tank farm (Exolum). For almost ten years now, Rainer has been successfully responsible as project manager at the Weiterstadt site. 

“On 1 August 1983 I started my training as a sheet metal worker at KAEFER Isoliertechnik in Monheim (Düsseldorf branch office). From the 2^nd year of the apprenticeship, this became the training as an industrial insulator, which I successfully completed in 1986. After the apprenticeship, I worked mainly for various construction sites throughout Germany and until 1990 in the central workshop as a plumber. This was followed by initial experience with projects on the EC-Dormagen, ROW-Wesseling and ÖMV Burghausen. After successful project completion, KAEFER was able to win Degussa Kalscheuren as a permanent construction site. I was employed there from mid-1992 to the end of 2004 in prefabrication as a fitter and field manager. In the meantime, I had successfully completed a site manager training as “Werkpolier” in 2003. From 2005, I was at BAYER Uerdingen and took part in a revision of the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant. From 2006 to 2009, I was able to gain experience as a construction manager at BAYER in Wuppertal. In 2010, I began my assignments in Walsum as a surveyor and site manager in coal-fired power plants. This was followed by KW Neurath and KW Datteln until 2011. This series was interrupted by a 5-month stay at the South Pole for the Bharati project, an Indian polar station that was made functional and thus ready for occupancy within the arrival and departure of 49 men. You hardly notice it, but I am proud to have been part of this troop 😉
After returning in 2012, I worked at KW Hamm in Westphalia until 2013. The final assignment was the Eemshaven power plant in the Netherlands from 2013 to 2015. From 2015 to 2019, I was at the MVA Flingern. Since 2019 I have been working at the YNCORIS chemical park in Hürth, with an interruption for the Pisa project in 2021/2022. In summary, I have experienced a lot in the various stations of my 40 years at, with and for KAEFER!”

– KAEFER Integrated Services’ Superintendent – this year reached 40 years of service with the company. Vas’ journey with KAEFER has spanned almost the entirety of the company’s existence in Australia, joining us as a sheet metal worker in the 1980s with our original Australian operations, Bains Harding (which would later become KAEFER Integrated Services). Vas’ career at KAEFER has seen him involved in major works across the energy, mining, power and commercial sectors.

His KAEFER journey has also taken him across the world – working on a wide range of site-based and workshop projects throughout Australia, Asia and Europe. Currently based in our Naval Base Branch in Western Australia, Vas continues to impart his extensive expertise in sheet metal and insulation to ensure our teams throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific deliver works successfully. Vas has consistently contributed to a positive team culture throughout his time at KAEFER and we congratulate him for this monumental achievement. Well done, Vas! 

began her career at KAEFER 40 years ago, after successfully completing a three-year apprenticeship as legal and notary assistant. On 1 February 1983 she was hired as a commercial employee for the head office in Bremen. She took over secretarial duties in the former Central Data Processing Department and then the organisation of work preparation in KAEFER’s own computer centre, based on a mainframe computer system (BS2000). All this happened long before the Internet entered the KAEFER business world. At the end of the 80s, telephone systems, fax machines and photocopiers were purchased. At the beginning of this millennium Ute also took over the loving and extremely qualified supervision of the commercial apprentices. In the following years she worked out several more provider changes in mobile communications. KAEFER always benefited from her expertise and was able to record significant cost savings. About 15 years ago Ute took on the role of assistant to the management of the CIT department and in this context, among other things, conducted negotiations with suppliers and provided support in contract management. She was also responsible for the management of mobile telephony and the purchase of IT products. She has always applied her excellent knowledge of Microsoft Enterprise contracts, IT leasing and Siemens TC systems with great commitment to KAEFER. 

started working for KAEFER on 12 April 1983 in the building services department, for which he was active at Bosch in Salzgitter, at the Kunsthalle Wolfsburg and at Chemetall in Langelsheim, among others. At the Grohnde nuclear power plant he was regularly deployed for revisions. Subsequently, he took over construction management activities at Johnson Controls in Hanover and, in recent years, in the area of district heating in Hanover. Through activities in the carnival club, Heiko came to a gardenplot in 2016, where he likes to spend his free time. 

“After finishing school, I always wanted to work in the craft sector; at that time, a commercial apprenticeship was not an option. As is the case now, there was a campaign back then called “Employees recruit employees”. I didn’t think twice and joined KAEFER. After the three-year apprenticeship as an industrial insulator, I was attracted by the many KAEFER construction sites at home and abroad. I found that working with the most diverse people, cultures and mentalities was a great enrichment for me. I particularly enjoy interacting with young people; here I can pass on the experience I have gained. After some further training, I was asked about ten years ago if I could imagine helping to train the future insulators and industrial insulators in the training workshop. I didn’t hesitate for long and now face the challenges of preparing a good foundation for life for young career starters.”

started his 4-year apprenticeship in Glasgow for Holt Insulation Ltd as a thermal insulation engineer back in summer 1983. Once qualified he became part of an experienced team of insulators where he learned the skill sets necessary for installing various types of insulation work.  Paul’s career moved on from Holt to C&D industrial under TUPE, working in most environments such as UK shipyards, pharmaceutical, chemical, and power generation plants where he would deliver cold and hot insulation works. Paul was involved in large insulation projects through the 1990’s & 2000’s like at GSK Irvine Scotland and Shell at Mossmoran Fife. KAEFER bought into C&D with larger scale projects being delivered, Paul was recognised as a leader and quickly developed into a supervisor, and then project manager delivering successful UK projects, in particular the new EfW plant built in Levenseat Scotland which was completed in 2021.  Paul’s vast knowledge in insulation and experience is recognised by his work colleagues and his peers as well as our customers who ask for him personally. 

“On 8 August 1983 I started my career at KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. KG with my apprenticeship as an industrial insulator. After graduation I was offered a place in the prefabrication workshop in Hamburg. Here I learned all the tricks of prefabrication from the old established KAEFER experts for 6 years. After short assignments in Norway and Schwedt (… the planned three months turned into 1.5 years!) and a completed master craftsman’s examination, I was offered the position of project manager. I have now been working in this position in Hamburg for 25 years and have been able to handle very exciting projects during this time. 

For example, the renewal of the main steam pipes in the Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant or the cold insulation of columns up to 60 meters high on the Yara in Brunsbüttel. The first projects in Denmark were also very interesting, as was the insulation of 4 ammonia tanks in Rostock, to name but a few. The largest share of my work is taken up by looking after our permanent customers. These include the North German Nuclear Power Plants, DOW, AOS, Yara, Vattenfall and Hamburger Energie (formerly HEW). It’s great that KAEFER is investing a lot in the future and I’m happy to be able to pass on my many years of experience to young employees.”

joined the KAEFER Group in 1983 and has carried the KAEFER banner at numerous sites throughout the South Africa regions, starting his journey at the Arnot Power Plant based in Mpumulanga moving onto to Matla Power Station then Hendrina Power Station, Sasol Secunda, Richards Bay and then finally joining his colleagues in 1999 at the Tutuka Power Plant where he finally decided to hang his hat and embrace retirement. During his tenure at KAEFER, Andries has climbed the ranks – he started his KAEFER career as a canteen labourer and by being the inquisitive individual that he is, he strayed into the scaffolding camps and later becoming a prized sheet metal applicator and fabricator. Andries was a devoted member and an irreplaceable source of knowledge but has moulded many millennials into the “old school” ways. With this long line of millennials Andries has ensured that his 40 years of knowledge is carried forth for generations to come. Andries is a devoted and prideful member of the KAEFER family and will be sorely missed by everyone that know him.

– “Miss Mangels” – started at KAEFER in January 1983 as a foreign language correspondent. From January 1986 Dagmar worked as secretary to the Head of Central Technical Services and from January 1988 as secretary to the Division Manager for Technical Services in Shipbuilding and Corporate Development. From October 2001 she held the same position in the Products and Systems Division. After a good 25 years of working on the technical side, she then moved to the Human Resources Division. Here, as Assistant to the Human Resources Manager Germany, she quickly entered the “new world” outside of technology. In all those years, Dagmar was responsible for topics related to office organisation, preparation of trips and budget topics, multilingual correspondence, auditing, trade fair organisation, company suggestion scheme, occupational safety, support in personnel selection and the organisation of events. In particular, the introductory event for new employees and the anniversary celebrations in Bremen bear her hallmarks. Throughout her career at KAEFER, Dagmar has acquired a broad knowledge and KAEFER know-how. With her fresh, open-minded manner and her good empathy (as attested after her job interview at KAEFER) she has built up a large and loyal network. All this made her a much-appreciated contact and discussion partner. Whenever anyone needed help, it was always “ask Dagmar” – even in other departments. While we are now thinking about who we can ask all these questions, Dagmar enjoys her free time and is happy to be able to travel and explore many more regions, preferably by hiking.

“I started working in 1982, and the positions I held were fitter, workshop worker, quantity surveyor and foreman. I have worked on various sites in Poland, e.g. Połaniec, Bełchatów, Opole, Kozienice power plants, the Plock oxygen plant in Głogów, Kronospan in Szczecinek, Szwederowo and the Cracow incineration plant. During my time with KAEFER I also spent

ten years in Germany where I was involved in projects in Dormagen, Munich, Mannheim, Herne, Ingolstadt, Berlin and Burghausen. In addition, I was active on the Borealis plant in Sweden. For the last four years I have worked in the Netherlands. In my spare time I enjoy garage DIY and like to go on motorbike tours.” 

“In 1976 I got an apprenticeship contract at KAEFER in Hamburg. After successful completion, I had assignments on various construction projects at home and abroad. In October 1983 I left the company for private reasons, but then returned to KAEFER in November 1983 and worked for the Düsseldorf branch office on large construction sites at home and abroad. During this time I bore responsibility as field  manager on many construction sites and later successfully carried out my own projects in the field of cold and deep-freeze insulation.”

started working for Termoizolacja after finishing vocational school in Tarnów on 1 September 1983. During all his 40 years with the KAEFER Group, Zdzisław has gained experience and professional skills on many construction sites both in Poland and abroad. He currently works as a foreman on the construction site at the Gunvor refinery in Germany. Zdzisław is a highly qualified workshop employee. He has a reputation among the workforce for being collegial, helpful and eager to provide assistance and advice to his younger colleagues. He performs the tasks with special care, which is recognised by the customer In his free time, his favourite activity is cycling. 

– husband, father of four and dear colleague – joined the family of KAEFER in South Africa on the 1st of April 1983. Ephraim was employed as a heavy-duty driver for the KAEFER in South Africa group running our product to all corners of South Africa. In 1992, KAEFER in South Africa procured a Nissan CM16 8-tonne truck with a crane, which is mainly used to load and unload storage containers. During Ephraim and CM16 tenure, they covered a distance lapping 1 000 000 kilometres – which equates to driving to the moon and back 2.5 times. When CM16 retired her successor, the mighty HINO accompanied Ephraim into an additional 450,000 kilometres before Ephraim decided to pass legacy onto the next generation. During Ephraim’s 40-year service record he can pridefully declare a 0% driving default record.  Ephraim was dedicated to his KAEFER family – where he had a literal driving seat view to the evolution of KAEFER in South Africa over the past 40 years. KAEFER in South Africa could undoubtably rely on Ephraim to deliver our product to any site with the least amount of time no matter where they were situated. Ephraim is always very safety conscious: he always inspected and maintained the vehicles – performing his own 50-point safety check on all the KAEFER vehicles thus ensuring driving and hauling safety before getting behind the wheel of his majestic HINO and embarking on another KAEFER trip.

took up his studies at the Vocational School “Izokor Instal” in 1983. After finishing school, he served his military service, and then returned to work as an Insulation fitter, carrying out projects on construction sites in Poland and abroad. Artur is a dedicated employee of the company, independent with very extensive experience. He can handle any task and is very well liked by his co-workers. In his free time, Artur devotes himself to his family and likes 80’s music, relaxing on the allotment and good reading. 

is originally a trained car mechanic, but then moved to KAEFER in 1983 and had his first assignment at the Wolff Walsrode construction site (today Industriepark Walsrode). Shortly after joining the company, he undertook further training in sheet metal working. During his long professional life at KAEFER, Andreas worked on major KAEFER construction sites in Norway, the Netherlands and throughout Germany. 

By attending workshops and seminars, he specialised in the areas of fire protection and auxiliary pipe heating. Today he mainly works on the CR3 coffee roasting site of M. Hermsen GmbH in Bremen. Andreas owns an old farmhouse, is a Werder Bremen fan and enjoys fishing in his spare time. 

“On 8 August 1983 I started my apprenticeship as an industrial insulator at KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. KG and successfully completed it on 27 June 1986. Afterwards, from 1986 to 1989, I was on assembly at HKW Cologne, Salzbergen, Esso Ingolstadt, Emmen in the Netherlands and also went to Saudi Arabia and Norway. In 1990 I completed the foreman course in Essen; this was the first course for KAEFER, so it was a pilot project. From 1990 to 1991 I then worked as a construction manager on the Holborn, the Esso and various construction sites in the south of Hamburg. After that I was on the road as an assembly inspector, first as an industrial employee on a fixed wage and switched to salaried employment in 1992. Since 1995, I have been group leader of the Hamburg project managers in the field of insulation and also supervise various projects and framework contracts in Hamburg, parts of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein as a project manager myself. Among other things, I was the responsible project manager for KAEFER APS Scaffolding & Insulation from 2007 to 2010. I was also a deputy works council member in Hamburg from 2010 to 2017. In 2017, I received power of attorney for KAEFER Industrie GmbH and KAEFER Montage GmbH, I am authorised signatory for KAEFER Technik und Service GmbH (scaffolding) and deputy construction manager for KAEFER Industrie GmbH, Hamburg site. For both entities I am responsible for various large framework contracts.” 

began his career at Izokor Instal Plock on 1 September 1983. After graduating in 1986, he started working in Gdansk and then moved to Kwidzyn. He was also active on many other construction sites, for example in Olsztyn, Ostruda, Swiecie, Ostroleka, Swinoujscie and even abroad, i.e. in Germany and the Netherlands. Currently he holds the position of workshop tinsmith. Ryszard is very good workshop worker who can do anything with sheet metal. He is very conscientious, collegial, and helpful. In his free time he likes cycling, spending time in the woods, such as picking mushrooms, and listening to good music. 

started at KAEFER on 1 August 1983 with an apprenticeship as an insulator. After successfully completing his training, he worked on many industrial construction sites. Of particular note are the assignments at the Grohnde nuclear power plant and the Salzgitter steelworks over several years. Since 2020, he has been a construction manager at the Mehrum power plant. His hobby is his family! 

started his apprenticeship as an insulator at KAEFER on 1 October 1983. After successful completion, he worked on various industrial construction sites. Of particular note are the construction management activities at the Grohnde nuclear power plant and the Sigmundshall potash plant in Wunstorf over several decades. Since 2022, Olaf has also been site manager at Enertec in Hameln, where he is in charge of maintenance and inspection works. He is also a member of the works council. His hobbies are travelling and riding his moped. 

began his career at KAEFER in 1983 with an apprenticeship in Pfungstadt. After successful completion, he worked for KAEFER on various construction sites throughout Germany. From 1986 to 1989 he went to BASF in Ludwigshafen and in the following year moved to the Roxheim workshop, where he worked until 1996. He then returned to his KAEFER roots in Pfungstadt, where he was employed in the workshop until 2007. In 2007 he moved to the Straubing oil mill, and from 2008 he worked on various construction sites. Since 2017, Andreas has now been active for KAEFER at the MiRO in Karlsruhe.  

began training at KAEFER on 1 August 1983.  After a year of basic vocational training in construction, he continued his apprenticeship as an insulator. After successful completion, he worked on various building services and industrial construction sites. Of particular note are the assignments on construction sites in Switzerland and Norway. Since 2006 he has been a senior construction supervisor at Nordzucker AG, Nordstemmen plant. Andreas enjoys spending his free time with his wife and child. Football also plays a major role: his active career took place from 1974 to 2016, now he is active as a coach, initially in the youth and currently in the men’s sector. 

“I  started in 1983 as an insulation plumber in the central workshop in Monheim. After that, I worked in the workshop at the Bayer plant in Uerdingen for many years. I had assignments in chemical plants, refineries, waste incineration plants, coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants (Brunsbüttel, Grohnde, Gundremmingen) and spent two years in Mülheim-Kärlich.  

Site manager assignments in 2017 at BP in Lingen or at Bunge in Mannheim were also part of my field of work. From 1989 to 1993, I attended evening school and took part in further training to become a state-certified structural engineering technician.”