Allowing talent to grow at IGW

At IGW, we know that good investment is key. We invest both in infrastructure and in new ways of working to stay ahead of our competitors. Investing in the right people, however, is also of great importance. We especially like to invest in young, talented people with a clear vision for the future and a bright mind to prepare us for it. It stands to reason, then, that we are very proud when they find ways to distinguish themselves in their areas of expertise. That is exactly what happened with Gunnar Ryde at our plant in Oostkamp, whose thesis has earned him second place in an award ceremony.

IGW’s prize winner

The Belgian engineers’ society ‘ie-net’, linking almost 30,000 engineers to 600 companies, organises an engineers’ week every year. The ‘ie-net awards’ are a part of that week. 34 candidates are selected out of more than 900 graduated engineers based the social relevance, innovativeness and commercialisation of the thesis. Prizes are awarded per category, with the categories being: bio-engineering, civil engineering and industrial engineering.

IGW Oostkamp’s Gunnar Ryde finished in second place in the industrial engineering category. His thesis, “Numerical modelling of the temperature distribution on a steel slab yard”, dealt with calculating temperatures in steel slabs. In order to improve the logistical models, Gunnar established a mathematical model capable of determining each slab’s temperature in relation to time, transport, rain, wind, etc. Before winning the actual prize, Gunnar had to defend his thesis in writing after which he presented it to the jury by means of a poster.

Continuing on the right track

At IGW, we like to give people such as Gunnar the space, opportunity and time to grow and develop, both as a professional and as a human being. After all, young people hold the keys to unlocking the future and through innovative processes, we know all about the future. It is very rewarding as well to see that the opportunities we give are seized and relished. Indeed, Gunnar himself is thrilled about his work here at IGW: “I really enjoy the space I have been given. I get the right opportunities that make my job both challenging and interesting.”

Seeing young people like Gunnar win distinctions is very rewarding, both for him personally and for us as a company. Indeed, it confirms that we are right in our vision to invest in young talent. Together with them, we will continue to lead the way in the future.