I started as a skilled worker in asphalt and adjustment. After four years, I transitioned to work as a process technician in Norrköping – meaning I worked in production. After that, I became a supervisor at the asphalt plant and then a site manager, also overseeing our bitumen depot in Norrköping. Later, I served as an acting manager in various locations, and now I work as a specialist in product quality.

It’s clear that NCC has given me many opportunities to develop. My experience is that my managers over the years have recognized me and my capabilities. But it’s just as much about me. I enjoy working with asphalt, and I’ve always accepted new challenges – because that’s how I grow. I don’t want to stand still and stagnate in my career.

Wide Range in Achieving Desired Quality

Today, my job involves developing the recipes for the different types of asphalt we produce. The goal is to make the recipes more efficient while maintaining quality, in order to increase profitability and reduce the environmental footprint. In production, the aim is to have as many static parameters as possible, but in asphalt production, the parameters are dynamic. This can include different types of rock with varying densities, particle curves, and shapes, various binders, sorting of recycled asphalt, and types of asphalt plants.

All of this must be considered when proportioning the ingredients to ensure that the asphalt recipes achieve the desired quality. At NCC, we work extensively on testing and evaluating alternative materials for bitumen, which of course leads to changes in production and quality that we must manage."

Asphalt is an Advanced Product

Asphalt is fundamentally a mixture of stone and bitumen (and possible additives). However, there is a very wide range in how you can achieve the desired quality in a specific type of asphalt. There is a lot of potential in developing the manufacturing process, and you can unlock various effects by testing different approaches. Of course, this must be done in an organized and systematic way.

My job is the most fun there is

I have the most fun job now. This role is a perfect fit for me and involves a mix of development, production, and strategy. No day is the same; it can range from supporting site managers in their daily tasks, helping to drive strategic work, handling investments, purchasing raw materials, calculating and preparing bids for government, municipal, and private clients, to recipe and cost optimization. I enjoy working closely with production and being the bridge between theory and practice.

You never know what the day will bring; it’s constantly varied and challenging.

// Carl Wennman, Product Quality Specialist, NCC Industry