Text and photo: Mikael Sand
Here in 2024, there are over 50 employees at LANDMECO, and there are more on the way.
A large part of the employees fall under the category “more or less new”, but two of them are in a completely different category.
They are Poul Erik Hermansen aged 66 and Per Leth aged 61. Together, they have actually met on Haulundvej just outside Ølgod for a total of 69 years.
And it is something of a development they have been a part of. Today, LANDMECO is Scandinavia’s largest producer of poultry equipment with exports to a large number of countries in Europe, Asia and North America, among others.
When Poul Erik Hermansen, who is trained as an agricultural machinist, had his first day at work 35 years ago, it was easy and quick to get to know the new colleagues.
“There was a boss, a salesman, a bookkeeper, and then there was the boss’s wife who wrote bills and sent them out. Yes, and then there were two in the production in addition to me, but they both stopped, and then I was the only one,” comes with a smile from Poul Erik Hermansen, who also retires when the calendar shows 1. March 2025.
Shortly after, Per Leth, who is trained as an auto mechanic, was hired, and the two worked together as fitters.
“It was different back then. We produced some ourselves in a small workshop, and some we had delivered from outside. Then it was all about getting the car packed and leaving, so that we could have the chicken houses or the trough feeding system installed at the customers’ premises,” recalls Per Leth.
Across the courtyard to talk to a colleague
Something else that has also changed as LANDMECO has grown is of course getting to know the colleagues, and it is difficult, almost impossible, to talk to everyone.
“In the old days, which I will call the first years, we had to walk across the courtyard and knock on the windows if we wanted to talk to someone. I would say that it was more familiar in those years, because today it has probably become big,” says Poul Erik Hermansen, who also states that there are also advantages to the fact that LANDMECO is a completely different company today .
“It has been and still is exciting to be part of and see that development. I remember when we built the first hall, and now it is just one of the areas where there is production,” says Poul Erik Hermansen.
LANDMECO has a job center
Today, Poul Erik Hermansen works in the warehouse, while Per Leth is responsible for what can best be described as LANDMECO’s answer to a municipality’s job center.
“Yes, you can call it a job centre. I always have a long list of different tasks that need to be solved. Some are urgent, while others can wait. And when one of our fitters comes home from an assignment abroad and may not be leaving for a new assignment, I am ready with smaller tasks for them. Because it’s not possible for someone to walk around without having something to do,” says Per Leth with a big smile.
While, as mentioned, an end date has been set for Poul Erik’s time at LANDMECO, Per Leth is not ready to say goodbye to the labor market.
A nice place with good conditions
Today it is modern to change jobs and employers at regular intervals, and in this way Poul Erik and Per have gone against that trend.
When asked what has made them stay with LANDMECO for so many years, there is no doubt.
Per Leth: “To put it simply, I have always experienced that here there is a high degree of freedom under responsibility. I like that”.
Poul Erik Hermansen: “LANDMECO has always, and this is through all the years, been good at honoring our efforts and giving us a pat on the back. It is in every way a nice place with good conditions, and I can only encourage anyone who wants to be in a place where everything is in order, they should definitely get a job here at LANDMECO.