I am the Director of Design & Engineering at Flex Automotive, leading all Research & Development (R&D) activities in the Timișoara design centre in Romania. I also oversee the development of new automotive products and I am a part of the management team for Europe.
However, before joining Flex, I was in charge of a startup in Romania, leading a small team in R&D in the automotive sector. As a result of my experience, in 2014 I received a call from Flex who wanted me to join the company and lead a new automotive design centre. With a fresh canvas, I set up the Timișoara Design Centre as we know it today. My main aim was to create a workspace with no established procedures or siloes, where people can thrive and I’m proud to have achieved that.
What is the main purpose of the design centre and what is it used for?
At this design centre, we create new automotive products that meet customer requirements and standards in functionality, cost and quality. Using our unique technical expertise and capabilities, we enable the manufacturing of these products through effective productive development, in particular, electrification. When in design, we have several product categories: black box, which focuses on our design, white box, which focuses on the customer’s design, and lastly grey box – a collaboration between the two.
As part of our day-to-day work, we constantly test products to make sure they work in line with the customer’s expectations and are up to the highest standards. As a result, customers buy review services from us because of the very high trust levels they have in our ability to deliver. We work with customers and manufacturing sites all around the world – not just in Romania or Europe.
What are the most important skills during product design?
At this design centre, people are free to explore, experiment, and collaborate to bring projects to completion and into manufacturing. From engineering, hardware, software and validation, it’s very important for each team in the design centre to work together as one. For instance, without hardware, you cannot do mechanics – so each department’s success is reliant on another’s.
When designing products, we start with a blank sheet of paper and use our creative skillset to come up with new and innovative ideas. There isn’t a strict process in place, and people have the freedom to do what they want to do. This enables staff to come up with new solutions to problems, which is why we consistently meet customer’s standards. The engineering team at Flex also has ownership and passion over the products it makes, treating products as their own – which is crucial. This engagement drives constant improvement and is a key factor in driving up product quality.
How would you describe the culture at the design centre?
The culture at this design centre is unique, we have a mix of young professionals and experienced engineers, as well as an energetic and dynamic environment. We have an open and friendly workspace, so it’s easy to maintain a friendly, sociable, atmosphere that facilitates productive problem-solving and information exchange.
New hires are not told what to do by their managers, but we do hold them accountable. We have trust in our staff and believe they are the experts, so they will work and collaborate to find a better way. Unlike many companies where as a designer you focus on a small part of the product, at Flex, you have the opportunity to work across a much broader range as part of a wider team. As a result, this is a place where people can acquire knowledge, apply and build their skills, as well as have a sense of belonging.
What makes working at this design centre exciting still today?
The automotive industry is always changing, with new product parts constantly being made available and developed, meaning we do something different every day. We constantly use the most innovative tools and technologies to design our products and work with new capabilities that we didn’t have the day before. For instance, every product is now designed using simulation, a virtual model that displays a product without having to manufacture it, and we also use AI throughout our operations.
At this design centre, there are always new opportunities for responsibilities, which allow our staff to feel empowered. Being a part of something new and insightful creates enthusiasm for our employees where they are regularly challenged to think outside of the box and contribute to fresh ideas which is highly motivating. As a result of these initiatives, the team has experienced rapid growth where we currently employ 50 people – which has doubled in the past year.
How important is an effective recruitment process to the success of this design centre?
At the Timișoara design centre, people are at everything we do so it’s essential that we get the right staff in. But we hire on potential, not just experience. We prioritise training and development to nurture talent and career development. This is achieved through encouraging graduates through our intern programmes, apprenticeships, and partnering with students from universities and technical colleges on their diplomas.
Once our new hires are onboard, they can learn from experienced engineers, which provides them with the necessary skill set. At the same time, staff are given the responsibility to make their own decisions, which fosters continuous learning.
One of the main reasons we’ve had so much success at this design centre is that many of the people that I hired all those years ago are still here, which has resulted in continued success for many years.
