THE CULTURE IN PIVARA SKOPJE DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO GET STUCK IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND ENCOURAGES YOU TO PROGRESS

Pivara Skopje teaches the employees of the company values, to be authentic and to feel the company as a part of themselves “says Sashko Mitrevski, AFB Maintenance & Spare Parts Manager, AFB Maintenance & Utility. He thinks employees should not easily give up the challenges offered by this company, because it offers a lot of things. For him, a good manager is one who knows what is in charge and how to do it. And in order to achieve this, all processes must be known, which means that it must start from the foundation in order to build a solid foundation. When we achieve this, we can say that we have grown into a true manager – Pivarec, says Sasko. Earlier in his free time he played football, and now he is spending with his two-year-old daughter.

1. When and how did your story start in Pivara Skopje? Tell us more about your beginnings and what job positions did you have until now?

I am in Pivara Skopje since 2003. I started as a shift manager in Coca-Cola production, and then I was transferred to the beer production section and stayed there until this year. In the new plant in Beer Brewery, semi-automatic operation was replaced by automatic and supervision was required. So they received me with two other colleagues, with whom we spent the first, second and third shifts every day for two years, because the process is complex and there must be someone in the Beer Brewery. This Beer Brewery is considered a masterpiece of science and therefore every one of us, as a young engineer, was proud to be part of such a significant change in Pivara Skopje. When we arrived in Pivara Skopje, trainings for beer tasting were organized, and the goal was that everyone could recognize the ingredients of beer and be a true brand ambassador. It was a good concept for integrating and familiarizing the company. Due to the needs of the engineering staff, in 2008 I moved to beer packaging. In 2013, I became a Manager in Beech Point and I headed around the town of beer packaging with about a year’s break, due to the implementation of the SAP project, which for me was a completely new culture and brought us new experience and knowledge. We replaced the previous daily routines with the new digitized corporate system. I returned in 2015 when the Heineken TPM program was restarted, which is used by all breweries. Pivara Skopje is a company that wants its employees to progress in knowledge through the everyday challenges that everyone has the chance to upgrade, and from this summer, I moved to the position of AFB Maintenance & Spare Parts Manager, AFB Maintenance & Utility.

2. From the production of beer in the last year, you moved to the section for the production of soft drinks. How long did it take for you to adjust and what was your motivation to move to a completely new position?

The new position is a big challenge for me, but given the fact that I have been in Skopje for 15 years and know the culture of this company, I do not have a problem to adjust myself. Our main task is to provide and maintain machines and lines in constant condition, in order to produce the product of the highest quality and there is no risk of missing inventory. This function, which I am now carrying out, is important because I also saw another aspect of the operation, that is, the financial part with which I have to manage, and in the current work I had no competence in the planning and allocation of the budget. The culture in this company does not allow you to get stuck in your comfort zone and encourage you to progress.

3. What are the biggest challenges your sector is facing and how many employees do you have?
   

The biggest challenges are the daily obligations that we need to solve in order to maintain the level that Pivara Skopje deserves, as well as the constant control of costs and control of the funds available to the sector. After all, my team consists of three engineers and 10 maintenance operators with whom I am in daily communication.

4. What was your dream at the beginning of a career and are you approaching it?

Pivara Skopje, which has always been considered a stable and respectable company, is one of the options for young people after completing the faculty if you want to invest in yourself. To be honest and I did not stand out. My dream came true with the fact that I worked for a long time in pivara Skopje and I am happy to develop my career here and that I constantly spend new levels. The dream does not bind to a certain function, but in the constant development of oneself, but everything takes time. We can not wait for dreams to be fulfilled by ourselves, but we must work diligently on it.

5. Considering your great professional experience in Pivara Skopje, what tips do you share with your younger colleagues?

In general, we pay attention to the formula 70 – 20 – 10, i.e. 70% work, 20% training and 10% mentoring. We strive to focus employees on what the company values ​​are, to be authentic and to feel the company as a part of itself. Certainly, apart from the company, they should love the work they are doing. To younger colleagues who are full of energy and most use their motor power and intelligence, I advise them not to give up easily the challenges that this company offers, because it offers a lot of things. It is a fact that they will work, but Pivara Skopje will return them for the effort. The result may come after some time, but maximum effort should be given.

6. How much Pivara Skopje motivates you to achieve your professional goals, and how much does it contribute to the personal development of employees?

Pivara Skopje really contributes to the personal development of employees. If operators whose main task was to squeeze a single button, they are now performing a different higher function. The programs offered by Pivara Skopje regarding the technical part really motivate the employees and raises the level of knowledge. Specifically my job, managerial is management, but it’s not important to just manage, but to know what you are managing and how you do it. To be a good manager you have to know the processes, which means you have to start from the foundation to build a solid foundation. When we achieve this, we can say that we have grown into a true Pivarec. In Pivara Skopje there is a motto that all of us are guided – there is nothing you can not do, there is no unsolvable problem. It is important to progress, to constantly change positions, to upgrade in your area. 50 – 70% of managers in Germany started quite downstairs.

7. Do you think that the atmosphere in Pivara Skopje leads to the creation of better working conditions?

There is always room for improvement, but in principle the atmosphere is in the spirit of timely and accurate completion of work responsibilities. Through the campaigns we have, each employee has the opportunity to give his opinion, tell his problem and find his solution. The goal is to be better than the previous one every next day.

8. Can you single out an achievement that you consider the highest in your career?

The successes are not only personal, but also for every employee within the company. I am most proud of those things that were achieved by employees at the time I was a manager, and of course, every member of the team has a merit for that. In 2016, when we were in the area of ​​packaging, we had an employee of the year, then in 2012 we won the Heineken award for the best idea, this year, we received an autonomous maintenance award in the area of ​​Beer packaging in competition with 22 breweries. We received the third prize together with colleague Aleksandar Bojadziski in Marseille in the area of ​​planned maintenance according to the TPM methodology.

8. How much work allows you to allocate quality time spent with colleagues outside of Pivara Skopje?

From yourself, it depends how you will manage your time. You can sit 24 hours a day and do not finish it again, but if you know how to do it in those 8 hours, then you will have time absolutely for everything. In general, we have time to meet with colleagues, go out for beer, and so on. Pivara Skopje additionally encourages different types of friendships. There are more sports like football, basketball and of course, the third half goes to a mug of beer.

10. In what way do you spend your free time? Do you have some hobby?

Of course, there is free time, both for myself and for the family. I used to play football, I often played on tournaments organized by Pivara Skopje at the corporate level. In the last period, my two-year-old daughter is at first place. After work, for 16:00 – 17:00 hour, we mostly go for walks.