When others are asleep - insights into shift work

Hi folks,

My name is Mathias Schweizer, but all my colleagues here call me "Sigi". I'm 39 years old and have completed a double apprenticeship here at the company - first as a packaging technician then as a printing technician. I have been working at RATTPACK® in Dornbirn as a print technician for 22 years. 

In production at RATTPACK® we work in three shifts - morning, afternoon and late shifts. But my favorite shift is the night shift - so I'd like to give you a closer look at it. give you a closer look:

Many people ask me what it's actually like to work at night - while others sleep. To be honest, it's a very unique rhythm, but one that I've become well accustomed to. And it also has its advantages.

The night shift starts at 10 pm. When I arrive, there's already a very special atmosphere in the plant: it's quieter than during the day, but the machines in the hall are running at full speed. We start with a short handover from the late shift - what went well, what went wrong, what's next? Then we get going.

I mainly work on one of our large printing presses. My job is to make sure that everything runs smoothly: Ink application, paper run, machine settings - what counts for us is precision. I regularly check the quality, control all relevant processes, operate our machine and carry out minor maintenance and repairs. And if something goes wrong, I have to react quickly. We are a well-coordinated team, every move is perfect. That's important, especially at night when there are fewer people in the building.

Sure, night shifts can also be exhausting. There are times when you fight against tiredness - especially between 3 and 4 in the morning. But with a strong coffee and a good mood, you can get through through it. And the team spirit makes a big difference: We laugh a lot, help each other and take our work seriously.

What do I like about my job? It's varied, technically demanding and at the end of the day - or rather night - you can see the result straight away. We produce packaging from cardboard, folding boxes - a lot of things that end up in stores every day. It makes me proud to be a part of it.

When I finish work at 6 a.m. and the sun rises outside, I drive home with the feeling that I've achieved something. And when others are just driving to work, I'm already on my way to bed to bed - with the good feeling that the store is still running at night.

I hope I was able to give you a little insight into my working world!

Best regards,

Sigi

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