Interview

BASF MONTHEY SA

Dr. Markus E. Scheller Site Manager

Prior to the Global ManuChem Strategies 2014, we spoke with Dr. Markus E. Scheller, Site Manager at BASF Monthey SA / Switzerland
we.CONECT: In your opinion: What are the main current challenges and trends regarding management and optimization of chemical production and what are the specific challenges related to your company? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: It is important to create an environment of motivation, this is an ongoing challenge. If this is given, the company becomes a high performing organization. Big companies are solid but inflexible - smaller ones could beat them easily. we.CONECT: Looking to volatility in commodity markets, which role plays operations management, specifically SOP and plant capacity management? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: SOP is the basis of every professional operation. However it is useless if the given forecasts are wrong. Additional capacity (e.g. equipment and people) might help to overcome this weakness. we.CONECT: Do you use mobile technologies to optimize operator management and operator mobility? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: Yes, we started using mobile technologies in areas where we thought it might be useful. Though we are using this kind of technologies for now ten years, but it does not always show the desired effect. we.CONECT: According to your presentation How to create High Performance Teams beside Classic KPI Tools, could you briefly introduce us to the project and what is important about this topic? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: First of all, I dont talk about a project, but a culture a leadership culture. It answers the question of how people see their organization: How do we treat our people, what is their value? The focal point is to create a high-quality organization - this is one of the main discussions. This Case Study should encourage to think about some difficult questions on every companys HR and it should even challenge the status quo. we.CONECT: How different will the Chemical Operations/Manufacturing of the year 2020 be from todays ones? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: It depends on the environment. The future is not the continuation of the past, it will be different. Let us be flexible and open for new technical capabilities. we.CONECT: Which question would you like to ask the delegates of the ManuChem Strategies 2014? Dr. Markus E. Scheller: Are we doing enough to get the right person into the right job? Do we happen to have too many very skilled people in the wrong position? we.CONECT: Thanks a lot for this interview! Interview Partner : Peter Haack and Dr. Markus E. Scheller.
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Dr. Markus E. Scheller is a Head of Clariant Production at BASF Monthey SA / Switzerland. Origin from Switzerland. Studied Organic Chemistry at the ETH Zrich. Started career in pharmaceutical research in USA. Returned to Switzerland CIBA-GEIGY for a big capital investment project. Then 2 production assignments in USA. Followed by another challenge as Process & Development head in NAFTA and finally global head process & Technology worldwide until 2008. Now Site Manager for BASF Monthey in Switzerland. Global ManuChem Strategies brings together industry leaders to discuss the current state of the industry, the impact of new regulations and the challenge to increase efficiency in chemical operations and technical assets. Information about the event and we.CONECT can be found at: http://production-chemicals2014.weconect.com about

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