ATTRACTING TALENT AND INSPIRING INNOVATION: OUR RAMP-UP NEAR COPENHAGEN

Our presence in the capital region is no news – something we have covered in another blog – but the level of our presence is. We have moved from more humble facilities to World Trade Centre Ballerup – part of the WTC-network, present in almost 100 different countries around the globe.

“We decided to upgrade to an office, where we have our own conference room and designated workspaces, private kitchen facilities, and a lot more,” Key Account Manager Kenneth Skov Thielsen explains. ”In the near future, we could easily have a small 3D printer, a robot cell, and other equipment for minor mock-up projects,” Kenneth says,” a lot can happen in our new facilities”.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL HUB

The Ballerup Hub has a variety of purposes. It serves as a workspace for designers and engineers, a sales office, a place for students, and more. The acquisition of Proinvent also called for adjustments:

“Our new skilled colleagues from Proinvent all live close to Copenhagen, so we decided they would have their primary workplace at the hub in Ballerup. Because of this, their day-to-day work is in Ballerup, and they work from Faarevejle whenever the job demands it,” Kenneth explains. This exemplifies our ambition of making it easier to work at PJM while living in or close to Copenhagen.

Kenneth Skov – a Copenhagener, born and bred – welcomes this ambition but adds: “One of the great things about this company is that once you realise how much value your presence at Faarevejle adds to the business, you can easily find the time to make the trip. But you can be sure of one thing: you’re never alone in our Ballerup Hub.”

A PLACE TO STUDY

There is almost always at least one engineering student from the Danish Technical University (DTU) connected to the Ballerup Hub. A person from PJM is appointed as their main contact, and as part of their education, they are writing their dissertation project in collaboration with us.

“When they’re in the design phase of their project, they usually work in Ballerup. A lot of the design – be it front-end, mechanical, or software – can be done remotely from Faarevejle,” Kenneth explains. “At some point, they might need to do some 3D-printing or do some testing on robotic functionality, and then they have to make the trip to Faarevejle.” He continues: “In time, we might have some of the same facilities in Ballerup, but Faarevejle will always be the heart of PJM.”

“When they are in Ballerup, there are often other PJM designers who are always curious about the students' projects and their approach. They ask questions, and they can provide the students with useful sparring,” says Kenneth. “They get a taste of what it’s like to work in a real design department,” and continues, “Most of the PJM designers working in Ballerup are in their 30’s and a bit closer to the age of the students. That’s really valuable for the young people.”

The variety in age and experience, along with the fresh inputs from the students, supplies the perfect conditions for innovation.

INNOVATION

Strengthening our presence in the capital region is not only a matter of comfort for those living in Copenhagen. It is very much a question of attracting the right people to strengthen our innovation.

“We want to strengthen that curious Gyro Gearless spirit,” Kenneth says with reference to the famous cartoon character from Disney’s Duckburg universe. “PJM was founded like that, and we want to maintain that spirit, but as the company keeps growing and growing, you really must work hard and prioritise to do so. So that’s what we’re doing now – along with our Innovation Lab, of course,” he adds.

The hub in Ballerup is meant as a creative space for project-driven experiments, especially projects driven by customer requests. Innovation is a matter of learning from others, but also contributing by pitching in. “I can constantly hear the dialogue,” Kenneth smiles. By consolidating our position near Copenhagen, we can invite even more qualified people to participate in this dialogue.

ATTRACTING TALENT

We want to attract the best talent possible, and the hub in Ballerup plays an important role in this regard. The proximity to Copenhagen, schools, and universities – especially DTU and KEA – offers a new dimension to our search for the next generation of innovative engineers.

PJM also has close cooperation with University College Absalon in Kalundborg, with Mechanical Engineering students primarily based in Faarevejle. In addition, PJM has been supporting the establishment of a new program in Absalon focused on Robotic Engineering, which will start in 2027.

“The ideal scenario is, of course, that they stay with us once they’ve finished their education,” says Kenneth. “But if, for some reason, that’s not possible, we respect that, but then we really want them to spread the word about what a great place PJM is. We want them to tell their fellow students about the innovative atmosphere, the staff and offices, the facilities at the factory in Faarevejle, so this is 100% an investment in the future,” Kenneth concludes.